Systematic Benevolence in Ohio by I. N. Van Gorder; O. Mears; H. Hudson; Jos. Clarke

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 12, 1867

Systematic Benevolence in Ohio.

By I. N. Van Gorder; O. Mears; H. Hudson; Jos. Clarke

An Appeal from the Committee.

DEAR BRETHREN IN OHIO: To sustain and continue the good work in Ohio, as the times demand, will require a more earnest effort than we have yet made.

There is, to say the least, one hundred thousand dollars' worth of property in the hands of Sabbath-keepers in Ohio. This assessed at two cents per hundred dollars weekly, would amount in one year, to over one thousand dollars. This would not include those churches established the past season.

There are in the State over one hundred S. D. Adventists. But suppose we have only one hundred members, and that the amount of personal donations averages eight cents per week; this would amount to over four hundred dollars per year, which with the property assessment, would make the sum of fourteen hundred dollars for Ohio, for 1867.

About ninety per cent of what is pledged on the S. B. books for the year, amounts to some five or six hundred dollars. Now if every brother would come up to the plan, as recommended on the first page of S. B. book, and as adopted by the Ohio Conference (see page 4, Art. iii, Sec. 2) there would be some twelve or thirteen hundred dollars paid into the State Treasury during the present year.

We see that Bro. White is bearing a very plain testimony as to the principle of robbing God in tithes and offerings. Brethren, let us so come up on this point, that it may not be necessary for the Lord to wither and blight our earthly possessions, to remind us of our allegiance to our Creator; but let us pay this debt first of all debts, seeing that we receive all from him.

“Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.”

I. N. VAN GORDER, } Ohio State O. MEARS, } Conference H. HUDSON. } Committee. Per JOS. CLARKE, Sec'y.