Home Missionary Department by Edith M. Graham

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 4, 1915

Home Missionary Department

By Edith M. Graham

E. M. GRAHAM General Secretary F. W. PAAP N. Am. Div. Secretary

A Finished Work

THERE is a wonderful satisfaction in finishing anything we set out to do. Every man knows how he feels when a certain work is completed, and when it has been well done. Every woman knows how she feels when she has finished something she has undertaken, and knows she has done it well.

On the other hand, we all know the dissatisfied feeling that is left when we drop something we have begun, without completing it. We never like to think of it. It is a sort of dismal failure that lessens our self-respect.

We have reached the time of our Harvest Ingathering, and this year we want to see a completed work. The aim is $100,000, and every single dollar of it is urgently needed. It can be obtained if all our members will work. If it is not, it will be because some members have failed to cooperate with the Lord.

Last year nine conferences and two mission fields completed their Harvest Ingathering work and sent in their full portion of the $100,000. Some of these conferences were small, one was medium-sized, and one was large, proving that a conference of any size can reach the standard if its members will go out in faith.

Judging from the experiences that have been reported, the only essentials of success are faith in God and persistent effort. The inexperienced have had as good success as the experienced, and sometimes better. One sister who had never been out before, last year felt that she ought not to fail the Lord, but that she should do her part, though it made her so nervous to think of going out to solicit that she was almost sick. She went out, and returned with $13. The Lord accepted her sacrifice and blessed it.

A sister seventy-four years of age, and not very strong, set her goal at $25, reached it, and extended it to $30. In regard to the work, she said, "It is the Lord's work, and he will give success to every one who goes to work in earnest, trusting in him." She had found the secret of success.

A young brother who had kept the Sabbath for one month, collected over $20. A sister worked thirteen hours, gave out seventy-three papers, and received $47.60. She says, "My motto was, 'Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.'" The secret of success was the same in these cases.

A sister past eighty-four years of age started out as soon as she received her papers, worked part of two days, distributed thirty-three papers, and collected $5.25. She had been a Sabbath keeper for nearly forty-three years.

A brother who had no other spare time went out on Sundays and collected $22. Another brother obtained $4 from a Catholic friend.

These are a few experiences picked from a large number of similar ones, to show that the Lord blesses all who work earnestly, believing they will receive divine help. Whether he is old or

young, feeble or strong, long in the truth or new in it, experienced in soliciting or out in the first effort, nervous or confident, the Lord gives success to every one who is determined to do his share in the work.

Should not this encourage every member to shoulder his responsibility? Every call to service of this kind is a call from the Lord to every member who has the physical strength to engage in it. One dollar this year will be worth perhaps two or three dollars next year, for there are increasing evidences that doors in foreign fields now wide open, may soon begin to close. Therefore now is the time to press the work in those fields to the utmost limits. Shall we not, one and all, this year aim for a complete $100,000 from the Harvest Ingathering?

EDITH M. GRAHAM.