The Relation Between the Local Church and the Mission Fields
By T. E. BOWEN
No subject is of greater interest to every loyal Seventh-day Adventist believer than the success of the message out in the distant mission fields. That souls will accept the truth in these dark lands, we labor, we give, we pray. Some give what to them is worth far more than money—their sons and their daughters. No one counts his sacrifice too great when the word comes back from these missionaries that souls are made to rejoice in the light that has come to them in the precious, saving truths of the third angel’s message. Requests have been made that, in addition to the reports furnished from the missionaries for the encouragement of the brethren and sisters “holding the ropes” at home, a little insight be given regarding the work of the Mission Board itself. In answer to this request, we are attempting to give, as it were, a glimpse of the working of this great cause between the local church and our mission fields. In doing this, we need touch only upon those points with which our brethren and sisters at home are not so very familiar. Every believer in the third angel’s message has great reason to thank God for the wonderful system, or organization, he has given this people, whereby it becomes possible for us to unite all our efforts and interests in one grand effort to take this last warning message out into all the world within the limits of this last generation. Without unity of purpose and action, this never could be accomplished through human instrumentalities, which it has pleased the Lord to choose for the accomplishment of his work in the earth. The one simple object before the entire denomination is that of giving to others, whether in the home land or lands afar, the living message contained in the expression of Scripture, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus,” this last expression comprehending his soon return to earth according to his promise. This is the hope set before us; this is our work; and God is still blessing this mighty movement, unpopular message though it be in all the world. The world field is organized as follows: Individuals compose the church. Each church, with its individual organization, forms a part of the local conference. The local conference, though perfect in its individual organization, forms a part of the union conference; while the union conference unites in forming a part of the General Conference. Thus each—the church, the local conference, the union conference, and the General Conference—is prepared to operate with perfect individual freedom, and yet all are bound together into one common whole, each dependent upon the other, the same as are the different members of the one body. The members of the local church are at home. They have control of their own time, and are engaged in different occupations for livelihood, consequently are more than self-supporting. God expects all to pay tithe and offerings. This tithe goes to the local conference treasury. Each month the conference treasurer forwards to the union conference treasury a tithe of the tithe received from the churches. The union conference treasurer in turn sends on monthly to the General Conference treasurer a tithe of the tithe received from the local conferences. The local conference audits the accounts, and settles with its ministers and other workers. The union conferences are able also to maintain their own workers from the tithe from the local conferences. But there is not sufficient tithe at present paid to the General Conference by the union conferences to maintain the workers connected with the general work. But inasmuch as these general laborers are almost entirely engaged in different ways in building up and strengthening the work of missions, it is perfectly proper that some of the mission funds should be used in their support. Yet it can be stated from the report of funds during 1907, that all the offerings to missions have been forwarded to fields outside the home land, and that during this time several of the General Conference brethren have themselves been in the mission fields, assisting with their counsel to establish the work of the message in these outposts. It is indeed very encouraging that this work has so developed strength that all the offerings to missions, such as annual, ten-cent-a-week, Sabbath-school, etc., go to the treasuries in the mission fields. A time was when even these were drawn upon somewhat in carrying on the work of the Mission Board. The strong conferences in the United States, in Europe, and in Australia, with their educational and medical institutions, must constitute the base of supplies in workers and means for pushing out into unentered regions. To weaken here, means retrenchment in the outlying fields. There must be a constant training of young men and women in the home lands, from which recruits may be selected for distant fields. Confidence should be placed in our own young people, and opportunity given them to prove their capabilities in some kind of work for which they show adaptability. Thus all our people should faithfully support their home fields by paying the Lord’s tithe into the church treasury. The larger the tithe fund, the larger will be the surplus that can be turned over to the general work by the local and union conferences, in support of those giving their time especially to the advancement of the cause of God in the dark, unentered corners of the earth. Thus all can see the direct connection between faithful tithe-returning and offering-giving and the enlargement of the work in the mission fields.