The Work of Seventh-Day Adventists Reviewed by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 24, 1915

The Work of Seventh-Day Adventists Reviewed

By Editor

It is not always that the denominational work of Seventh-day Adventists is reviewed in so kindly a spirit as is done by the editor of the Presbyterian Standard in the issue of that paper for Nov. 11, 1914. The editor compares the work of this denomination with the work of the Southern Presbyterians in a manner highly complimentary to Seventh-day Adventists. While we thank the editor for this kind appreciation, we feel that it should by no means minister to personal or denominational pride.

There is one standard of comparison by which we may profitably measure our zeal and our spirit of liberality, and that is the standard manifested in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. We may exceed in zeal and liberality the standard of some of our brethren in other churches, but we are still far below the standard set by the blessed Master. When we make that comparison, we are forced to admit to our shame and humiliation that we have not done one-hundredth part of what we should have done. We reproduce the article, as its comparisons may be of interest:—

You have heard of these people, but you probably have no idea what a busy, persistent, aggressive people they are. Among all the warring sects, there is none which proves more conclusively its faith by its works.

There are six different branches of Adventists. The most numerous and most influential of the six is the branch whose crowning characteristic is the observance of the seventh day instead of the first day of the week as the Christian sabbath. This church is about the same age as the Southern Presbyterian. It began its existence, however, under very different circumstances. Our church was formed by a secession, and entered on its separate existence with about 70,000 members. Moreover, in the course of a few years, this good beginning was augmented by some 30,000 additional members from outside sources. Thus we have had about 100,000 members as original capital on which to do business. Very different was the beginning of the Seventh-day Adventists. This church started on its career in Washington, N. H., with only one congregation, and has had to build from the ground up.

Bear this in mind, and then consider some evidences of its progress and prosperity. At the close of the year 1913, according to a recent report, this church had 122,386 communicants, and it added in the preceding twelve months 12,794, making a net gain of 8,180. This net gain was very nearly equal to that made by our church; namely, 9,831. In the number of churches, the Adventists gained 715 to our 21. But the most remarkable showing is in the sphere of finances and missionary work. “The total amount of funds for evangelistic work contributed by the members of the organization during 1913 was $2,866,727.40, or $23.42 for each member. Of this amount, 62 per cent was raised in tithes, which is the main source of revenue of our denomination. A further expenditure of $411,050 was made during 1913 in maintaining seventy advanced schools, and $52,643 in charity work in connection with our sanitariums, thus making total contributions and expenditures for all purposes within the denomination for the year 1913 the sum of $4,002,141, or an average contribution for each communicant of $32.70 during the past year.”

Are these a wealthy people? On the contrary. Are they a highly educated people? On the contrary. We have not a very extensive personal acquaintance among them, but feel justified in saying that they would not measure up to the Southern Presbyterian Church either in wealth or education. Yet 122,000 of them gave for evangelistic work $2,866,727, whereas 310,000 of us gave $1,451,733 for the support of all our evangelistic, missionary, and various benevolent causes. Probably they include in evangelistic what they pay their pastors. Suppose we add the sum which we pay our pastors. Then the total is $2,900,801, only $34,000 in excess of their sum.

Look at their report on school work: “The total number of schools conducted by the denomination is 786, employing 1,511 teachers, and having an enrollment of 27,379. From these schools came 828 persons that entered the denominational work last year.”

Look at their publishing business: “At the close of last year there were thirty-seven publishing houses and branches having assets amounting to $1,900,000, employing 734 persons. The total denominational literature sold during the year amounted to $1,870,000. This literature is issued in 360 books, 325 pamphlets, 1,200 tracts, and 128 periodicals in eighty different languages. This literature is distributed by 2,060 colporteurs.” Put this over against our publishing business—total sales from both houses, at Richmond and Texarkana, $227,475. This is a mere bagatelle in comparison, and yet this includes the returns from the sales of all novels, good, bad, and indifferent, which were handled by our committee, and which probably constituted no insignificant part of its business. Take time to let it soak in that the Seventh-day Adventists, a church not much over one third the size of ours, sold nearly two million dollars’ worth of denominational literature, not miscellaneous literature, mostly fiction, not even religious literature, but literature created by that church and distributed as a means of propagandism. Yet our church can’t publish even a volume of sermons by one of its most distinguished ministers without passing around the hat and taking a collection for the purpose.

Look at this: “The denomination maintains 1,608 missionaries stationed in sixty-seven different countries. To support this work in foreign lands there was expended $911,769 in the year 1913.” This means for foreign missions $7.45 per capita. We have set $5 per member as the amount needed to usher in the millennium in this generation. So far we have furnished very little evidence on which to base a hope that the millennium will arrive on schedule time.

It would be interesting to notice some of the peculiar doctrines of these Seventh-day Adventists. Doctrines that produce such looseness of purse strings are worth looking into.