The Semiannual Offering for Foreign Missions
By I. H. Evans
Not only has the annual offering for foreign missions become a strong factor in supplying funds for the support of our foreign mission work, but also the semiannual offering has not infrequently supplied some needy field with funds, without which it must have suffered great financial embarrassment. Twice was Christiania succored, once Australia, while both the General Conference Association and the Mission Board have received funds from this donation which has brought relief to their exhausted treasuries. The annual offering comes at the close of the year, when the treasury is nearly empty, and all the fields generally short of their appropriations. Besides this, the audits have to be reckoned with, which means several thousand dollars more to be paid out of the annual offering. When the audits have all been met, we find that the treasury is again low, and often the Mission Board is short of funds before midsummer arrives. The midsummer offering is greatly needed by the Mission Board for the maintenance of our workers abroad. In the past this offering has reached as high as twelve thousand dollars. This means much when the pay-roll of the Mission Board reaches nearly two hundred thousand dollars per annum. The General Conference Committee has appointed Sabbath, July 1, as the day on which to take this offering. Up to April 10, there has been received on annual offerings for 1904, the sum of $35,570.92. This is considerably short of what was received on the offering in 1903, but we hope to receive several thousand dollars more on the 1904 offering. Be this as it may, the Mission Board will be in desperate need of additional resources before the season closes. Could we make the donation on July 1 reach twenty thousand dollars, it would be none too much to carry even our present corps of laborers; but our present corps of laborers should be largely increased. Many fields must have additional laborers sent to them, or else the work can not be carried forward with strength and vigor. It is not alone the opening of new places, but also the sending of additional forces to those already entered that will make our work progress rapidly, and build up solidly. Some of our workers have failing health, and will have to be recalled. Others must be sent to the field at once to take their places. New missions must be opened in various parts of Asia and Africa, and thus the call to the Mission Board for men and means for these various fields comes with ever-increasing intensity. Last year we came short of having sufficient funds with which to carry forward our evangelical work. We ought to have sufficient funds in the treasury to carry the evangelical work through the year, without embarrassment or shortage in any way. The fourth of July is a noisy, boisterous day for many people in the United States. This day stands first among our national holidays. Millions of dollars are spent on this day by the American people in wanton pleasure, in a way that does not bring any lasting benefit or blessing to any one. To such, it is a day of pleasure and revelry; but God's people do not care for the sensual pleasures which this day is supposed to supply. Rejoicing in our national independence, and respecting our country and its laws as but few people do, still we feel that our nation is neither helped nor honored by this wanton pleasure, nor by the spending of considerable sums of money for selfish gratification. It is, therefore, with pleasure and satisfaction that God's people can take the money which other people spend in the ways of the world, and consecrate it to the cause of God. When we consider that demands for help are increasing year by year; that fields a few years ago absolutely sealed, so far as preaching our message was concerned, are presenting opportunities for work; that open doors are upon every hand; that calls are coming from every field, and nation, and tongue, saying, “Send us help,” I say, when we consider all these, and remember that this message must go to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, it demands of us a serious, intense, and earnest effort. Surely God expects and demands that we shall answer these Macedonian cries. The means with which to answer these calls must be near at hand. If the Spirit of God has prepared the hearts of eunuchs to receive his truth, he must have his Philips ready to teach them the way of life. These open doors are God's voice to his people. Could he speak in plainer tones for us to arise, and finish the work committed to our charge, than in these multitudinous calls, appealing for the light of the gospel? Let us remember that July 1 will soon be here. Each one should plan to have ready upon this day a suitable offering consecrated to the carrying forward of the mission work in foreign fields. The Mission Board will see that envelopes are supplied for each church upon this occasion. Let us all look forward to this day with confidence and hope that God will give us generous hearts, and make it possible for us to contribute a liberal offering for the support of his work.