The Better Way by F. I. Richardson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Feb 9, 1905

The Better Way

By F. I. Richardson

F. I. RICHARDSON

THAT the greatest and most solemn message ever sent by God to fallen man, is going at the present time, is acknowledged by all who have investigated it. Schools, colleges, sanitariums, etc., have been established by those interested in this great work, to aid in warning the people of the world of the crisis that is upon them. To erect buildings and to maintain the workers for carrying on the various branches of the work, has required the outlay of large sums of money. In order to advance the work more rapidly, money has been borrowed. To such an extent has this borrowing policy been adopted that nearly all our institutions, and many of our conferences, are heavily in debt. Those who have them in charge are many times brought into much embarrassment, and even discouragement, because of the debts pressing upon them. Some have

said they could hardly bring their minds to dwell upon spiritual things, so burdened and harassed were they in devising ways and means to pay the debts and keep the institutions running. To remedy these conditions, some have advocated borrowing money on long time, with the idea that Christ will come before it is due, and it would then never have to be paid.

The question has arisen in the minds of many, Is this the right policy to pursue? Does the Lord advise his people to adopt this plan to carry on his work? Let us turn to his sacred Word, and read: “Owe no man anything.” said Rom. 13:8. It seems as if this text is broad enough to settle the question forever about incurring debt; but for the sake of emphasis we will give additional evidence. “Thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow.” Deut. 15:6. All the silver and the gold is the Lord’s (Haggai 2:8); “the cattle upon a thousand hills,” “the world and the fulness thereof.” Ps. 50:10-12. This being so, is there any excuse for God’s people to borrow money to carry on his work, and, above all, to obtain money on such long credit that Christ will come before it is due? The Lord says, “the wicked borroweth, and payeth not again.” Ps. 37:21.

The borrower becomes a servant to the lender. Prov. 22:7. How many poor, debt-burdened souls can testify to the truthfulness of these words. Debt has made many an otherwise noble man a coward, by causing him to hide when his creditor was coming. And when he could not avoid the creditor, he has been driven to stretch the truth, nearly if not quite to breaking, in presenting excuses for not paying the debt, and to obtain extension of time. A still more lamentable feature is expressed in the saying that if you wish to kill a man spiritually, place him in debt. The same is true of a church, a tract society, or any other religious organization. This is not the Lord’s wish for his people. He intends they shall be the head, and not the tail. Deut. 28:13. See also Deut. 26:17-19.

So particular is the Lord that his people shall not become involved in any way, that he forbids them even to become security for the debts of others. Prov. 22:26.

Let us now turn a moment to “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VI, page 216, which says: “We should shun debt as we should shun the leprosy.” Like the text first quoted, it would seem that this statement is explicit enough to satisfy the most orthodox; for all connection with lepers is forbidden throughout the Bible.

“The very highest kind of education that could be given is to shun the incurring of debt as you would shun disease. . . . For Christ’s sake, as the chosen people of God, call yourselves to task, and inaugurate a sound financial system in our schools.” — “Id., page 211.

“If our educational work had been carried on in accordance with the instruction given for our guidance, the dark shadow of debt would not to-day be hanging over our institutions.” — Id., page 216. What are the instructions? — “Thou shalt not borrow.”

But you say, the Testimonies do teach that we may borrow. On what conditions would the Lord permit his people to borrow, after uttering such strong language against it? The writer can think of but one. It is illustrated in the case of Balaam. Balak, king of the Moabites, sent messengers with rewards to Balaam to prevail upon him to come and curse the Israelites. Balaam asked the Lord if he should go, and the Lord said he should not. Balak sent again more honorable men and greater rewards; Balaam inquired of God the second time, and God said, Go. Is it possible that God had changed his mind in those few days without any recorded reason for so doing? — We could hardly think so. Then why did the Lord tell him to go? The answer seems to be, Balaam desired to go, and the Lord let him have his wish. God will never compel any man to obey him. So in this case; some, losing sight of God’s emphatic words, desired to borrow money to hasten the message, and God through his servant, says to them, Borrow. What was Balaam’s experience? — Troubles, bruises, failures, and finally death at the hands of the enemies of God. Ever since this credit system has been adopted, trouble and losses have been the experiences of our people. If Balaam had heeded God’s first answer and remained true to it, what a different record he would have had. Let us be warned by his experience, and retrace our steps before it shall be forever too late.

In the foregoing is involved also the principle that it is not right for any man, or set of men, because of the position they may occupy in an organization, to contract debts for that organization to pay.

Some have maintained that it is a lack of faith to proceed no faster with a building or enterprise than we have the means in hand to carry it on. In conversation with a brother on this subject a few days ago, he made the following statement with regard to it, which seems very clear: “It is faith to obey God by fulfilling the conditions that attend his commands; it is presumption to attempt to obey him without fulfilling those conditions. No conditions are more firmly established in the Scriptures than that we should carry on all of God’s work without debt. When God says, ‘Arise and build,’ faith builds, but always fulfils the conditions when building. Presumption attempts to obey by borrowing and building. That requires no faith. Any sinner in the world can do that. God has given conditions and regulations, which, if obeyed, will enable his church to show to the world that they are not children of sin, but children of God, and children of faith.”

In every case mentioned in the Bible, where anything was required to carry on the Lord’s work, it was always secured without borrowing; as, for instance, when the tabernacle was to be built in the wilderness, Moses sent out an invitation to all the people to contribute. Ex. 25:1-8. The people responded cheerfully, and so liberally that they had to be restrained from giving. Ex. 36:5, 6. Think you that if the money had been borrowed and the tabernacle built, the people would have raised the money so willingly to pay off the debt? What kind of record would it be if the Lord had instructed Moses to borrow the money with which to build his sanctuary?

For the building of Solomon’s temple David gathered vast sums of gold and silver and much material. 1 Chron. 22:14-16. Later the Philistines had broken up the temple, and it had been many years in that condition; still the money must be raised before the repairs could be made. 2 Kings 12:4-15. The only apparent reason for this account is to instruct God’s people how to build. In fact, the record says, “All these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1 Cor. 10:11.

Undoubtedly some good has been done through the institutions raised up in debt; but where the work has been conducted on a cash basis, it appears that much more has been accomplished; as, for instance, in the island of Jamaica, in the West Indies. THE REVIEW AND HERALD of Aug. 18, 1904, reports a membership of one thousand one hundred and twenty-three; these were raised up in ten years. Twenty-two good, substantial church buildings were erected in that time; seventeen of them in five years; not one was dedicated with any debt upon it. The island was so filled with our literature that it was said, three years ago, there was scarcely a house that did not contain something on the third angel’s message.

The canvassing work was started there on the old credit system, which proved a failure, leaving the canvassers owing the depository two thousand dollars. It was then required that the money should accompany all orders for books, and a wonderful change came over the canvassers and people. Orders were readily obtained, and instead of a delivery of twenty-five per cent, eighty to one hundred was reported; and the people received the books gladly; whereas, under the old system, many objections to the books were offered, and much urging was necessary to get them to take the books they had ordered. The reason for the marked change was, the canvassers had accepted the Lord’s way, and wherever the Lord’s plans are adopted, success is bound to follow.

Much more might be added, but we trust that enough has already been said to influence all who read these lines, if they are in debt, to get out as soon as possible, and to avoid debt as they should the leprosy; and that when Christ comes, he will find his people cut loose from

every entanglement of the world, and ready for the journey to the celestial city.