p. 20 | Are Figures Dry? by E. M. GRAHAM

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 24, 1914

Are Figures Dry?

By E. M. GRAHAM

SOME say that figures are dry; but is that true? I have seen men stand for hours in the street, braving cold winds and bleak weather or the blazing hot sun, to watch figures. They were figures which told the progress of some game, or how some election was going. The figures were not dry to those men, for they gave facts in regard to matters in which they were interested.

If the figures which tell of the progress of the work of God are dry to us, that shows that we are not so much interested in its progress as the men of the world are in games and elections, for figures tell many facts.

The report of the home missionary work for the quarter ending June 30 is in some respects a disappointing one. As we compare the work done by the conferences in that quarter with what was done in the quarter ending March 31, we see in many cases a falling off. There are some fine exceptions, in which every department of work shows an excellent gain. There are others where some departments have gained and others lost, so that they have come out about even.

We know that our people who live in the country have more spare time in the winter than in the spring. But our city people are not so situated, and therefore this does not seem to account for all this falling off in the work.

The question is, Is this the way we wish to have our report in heaven appear? Are we so soon to slacken our efforts to finish the work?

Some may think that there has been much more work done, but it has not been reported. This may be so. One secretary, when he received the reports from the churches and saw how few had reported and how little they had reported, came to the conclusion that his people were failing to report the work they were doing. But when he visited the churches, he found to his sorrow that the reports represented most of the work that was being done. This is usually the result of such investigations.

The figures of this report should lead us to do some thinking and planning. The Lord is depending upon us to give this warning message, and surely we cannot fail him. We cannot finish the work he has given us to do without careful planning of our time and money, and without much self-denial and sacrifice; but this is what the Lord calls for in these last days.

Why not plan to give a certain amount of time each week to this work, just as definitely as we plan for our meals, or our farm or office work? If we are for a time rushed with work during the week, there are the Sabbath afternoons and the evenings. We can do it if we have enough love in our hearts for the Saviour to make us want to do it.

We are glad to welcome some more conferences into the movement. Forty-five reported for the March quarter in the North American Division, and fifty-three for the June quarter. There are only sixteen left, and many of these will come in next quarter. Soon this country will present an unbroken front to the enemy in this respect.

We welcome another foreign field, the Brazilian Union Conference. Efforts there have already added souls to its number. One church in the West Indian Union has reported, so we have a small beginning from that field, which we hope to see grow rapidly.

The Scandinavian Union Conference again failed to get in its report. We do not know why, but deeply regret it. Owing to the war, the report from the Latin Union failed to reach the European Division headquarters, but we hear that they are working as well as they can under difficulties, and we expect a report from them for the next quarter.

This report appears rather late, as the war delayed the mails, and consequently some reports also. We shall probably have the same difficulty while the war lasts, though things may adjust themselves to some extent.

We hope that the September report will be a better one; for since the war started, there certainly has been an awakening among our people, and a growing spirit of service. Shall we not all unite in making our reports as large as possible? They are part of our war news, and we want them to show a rapid advance into the enemy's country.

E. M. GRAHAM.