A Spontaneous Movement in Behalf of Mission Funds
[We are confident that the following extract from a letter recently sent out by Brother E. R. Palmer, who is now connected with the Pacific Press, will be read with deep interest. It shows that a mere knowledge of the facts relating to our mission work will stir the hearts of those who desire above all things else that this message shall be speedily carried to the ends of the earth.—ED.] “MOUNTAIN VIEW, CAL., March 30, 1905. “DEAR FRIENDS: Something has happened during the past week which is likely to have far-reaching results. It was such a good thing, and has made us so happy here at the office, we wish to let you know something about it. I will send you a copy of a portion of a recent letter to W. C. White. This will perhaps give the details better than I could repeat them. “Recently Elder Daniells, president of the General Conference, has written a personal letter to W. C. White concerning the great openings in foreign fields, and the numbers of offers from devoted men and women to answer the calls, and on the other hand, the scarcity of mission funds, which makes it necessary for the General Conference to issue a statement to all our foreign missions that the appropriations for their work can not be increased. In fact, it has been necessary to cut down the appropriations for 1905 about twenty-two thousand dollars. “These facts were placed before the Pacific Press employees last Sunday morning with no object except to let them know the struggle the Mission Board is having in this respect. Many encouraging reports were also given by Brother White at that time, concerning the agitation over religion in the public schools. THE REVIEW AND HERALD is full of this just now, and we hope all our workers are supplied with these very interesting reports. “The following is a portion of my letter to Brother White:— “‘You will remember how the hearts of all were stirred by the presentation made by yourself and others, of the situation, last Sunday morning in chapel exercises. At that time Brethren Hall and Nordyke, and myself were appointed a committee to devise a plan for taking a collection in the Pacific Press Office in behalf of foreign missions, the same to be sent to Washington by Elder Wilcox, president of the Board. It occurred to the committee that it might be somewhat embarrassing to circulate a subscription paper, for sometimes it is a little hard for one whose income is small, and whose desires are great, to enter his name for fifty cents or a dollar, just below some other name with a subscription of five or ten dollars. We felt, also, that it would be interesting and profitable to the employees to know some facts concerning the true situation, aside from what had been narrated to them, so we took Brother Daniells’s letter, and compiled from it two pages of quotations. We duplicated these, and placed them in the hands of those who were to take charge of morning worship in the departments Monday morning. The latter read these paragraphs, and then announced that all the employees would meet in the chapel for fifteen minutes the following morning to present their gifts, and to join in a prayer dedicating them to the mission fields. During the day we prepared a little pledge blank and a small cash envelope, placed them in a plain white envelope, and handed them out personally to each employee, with a friendly word concerning the enterprise. “‘The next morning every employee, or nearly every one, came to the chapel, and it was evident from the time of the opening song that a deep impression and a definite conviction were resting upon the employees. The song was full of feeling and enthusiasm. Two of the employees collected the envelopes, during which time a few remarks were made explaining further the situation. The gifts were brought forward in a basket, and placed on a chair, and Brother Wilcox came forward and offered the dedicatory prayer. The meeting, which had lasted only about fifteen minutes, was closed by singing “From Greenland’s icy mountains,” led vigorously by Brother Jones. “‘The opening of the gifts a few minutes later in the Circulating Department, revealed a happy surprise to every one. The gifts amounted to $163.10, and they have since increased to $171. About one hundred dollars of this was cash. We gave the employees from three to four weeks’ time in which to pay their pledges, as that time could easily be allowed before Brother Wilcox’s departure for the General Conference. The opening of the gifts revealed several interesting features. Two employees gave twenty-five dollars each, and another twenty dollars, and quite a number gave five dollars. We noticed with much appreciation that quite a number of apprentices (young boys and girls, who were drawing only five or six dollars a week) gave from $2.50 to $5 to this fund. “‘There has been no special stir over this movement. Meetings have been very short, and only a little has been said. It is intended that the movement shall be extended to all members of the church, and it is evident that this gift, in such a spontaneous way, is likely to exceed the last annual offering. I consider this the beginning of what will become an emphatic protest from our people everywhere against the closing of foreign mission doors, and a protest of that kind which will enable the brethren to keep the doors open. This is a move that God can greatly bless to his people in the field and to the General Conference session. I am greatly interested in the matter, and am praying daily—yes, almost each hour—that the Lord will help you and your mother and Brother Corliss to get this movement before our people in such a tangible, vigorous way that the good spirit will run through every church and institution in the United States. What a splendid showing there might be as the result!’”