Church Officers and Finance by I. H. EVANS.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 11, 1909

Church Officers and Finance

By I. H. EVANS.

EVERY set of church officers ought immediately to lay definite plans for bringing their church-members to see the importance of giving systematically for the advancement of this message in the world. You say, How would you bring it about? I believe that the mission offering ought to be mentioned before the offering is taken up. First, see that every individual has an envelope, then perhaps give a little talk on the needs of the mission fields, and the importance of giving regularly and systematically for the carrying on of this work, and then take up the offering. In a few weeks you can have the whole church working as one man. It is purely a matter of unceasing perseverance. Never forget to mention it; always have the envelopes distributed, always pass them to every individual. The money should always be placed in the envelope, the amount noted in its proper place, and the name of the giver signed. Then the church treasurer can keep proper records and give receipts. It is our duty to give this message to the world, and it is the duty of God's people to supply the necessary funds. It is your duty before God, as church officers, to gather in these funds faithfully. But you say, I can not mention it; I am ashamed to talk finance all the time. My dear friends, I believe that if you will talk it in the spirit of the Lord, it will be the best part of the meeting.

Our people love to hear of the progress of this message in foreign lands, and it is our duty as church officers to tell them of its triumphs from week to week, and urge them to give more freely, that it may advance more rapidly. If you do not succeed in getting the required ten cents a week, talk more, work harder, pray more, and give more. A conference treasurer wrote me recently that he had been appointed to take charge of the ten-cent-a-week plan. He said: “I have always been giving twenty-five cents of the Sabbath-school collection each week; this means I must give fifty. I have, for the last few years, been giving forty cents a week for foreign missions; now I will have to give eighty.” That means $1.20 each week for foreign missions from him.

I. H. EVANS.