Money in Our Hands by H. W. Cottrell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · May 4, 1905

Money in Our Hands

By H. W. Cottrell

We are just now called to action as minutemen in war, to complete the raising of the One Hundred Thousand Dollar Fund to begin the work of establishing our denominational headquarters at the capital of this great nation. Let us take hold of this work at once, and answer the call of the Master. The spirit of prophecy tells us that the means is already in our hands with which to meet the demands of this work. I quote from an article by Mrs. E. G. White, as follows: “We are intensely desirous that the Washington fund shall be closed as quickly as possible. . . . This means is in the hands of His stewards, and I pray that he will make them willing to give liberally.”

There being no lack of money in our hands to turn into the treasury of the Lord the remainder of the fund, shall the angels record that there is a lack of willingness to do so on either your part or mine? Let each of us act his part under the Lord, and thus see to it that inasmuch as the money is now in our hands, it is placed in the treasury during the General Conference, May 11-30, 1905. The appeal is not alone to a select few who give to every good cause, but to the stewards of the Lord, that is, to every one to whom the Lord has entrusted means, and in proportion to the amount entrusted.

Then again, on account of the dearth of means in the Mission Board treasury, and because we can not conscientiously overwhelm the cause of God in debt, we have been compelled to place a check on aggressive missionary work, which is a heart-rending thing to do when this work is the dearest of all things to us.

A goodly number of devoted, active persons have offered themselves to the Mission Board to go to heathen countries, and to give their lives to the uplifting, under God, of the benighted heathen; but there being a depleted treasury, we were compelled to request them to tarry here, where the people have heard more or less of present truth for sixty years. And these people with whom these missionaries are by force of circumstances compelled to tarry, when compared in numbers to the population of one heathen nation, China, are equal only to three fourths of one fourth of its population. And we have only fifty-seven Sabbath-keepers in China.

Then consider the many other heathen countries. Can we not, under the Lord, bestir ourselves and all others with whom we come in contact, to replenish the treasury? Let a few thousand dollars come in from the churches and isolated Sabbath-keepers in this Atlantic Union Conference to supply the mission treasury by the time of the opening of the General Conference. Send all money to your conference treasurer, and state plainly whether it is for the One Hundred Thousand Dollar Fund, or for the foreign mission work.

In the ancient days, when the Lord called his people to worship him in the holy convocations, he commanded that those who came up before him should bring an offering with them. “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him.” 1 Chron. 16:29. When the tabernacle was being built in the wilderness, the following record is given: “And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering.” Ex. 35:21. We believe that a large number, if not all, of those who come to the General Conference to be held in Washington, May 11-30, will bring with them an offering for the Washington building fund in one hand, and one for foreign mission work in the other. And will not the people see that their delegates are furnished with a representative offering in every State and conference? Remember that the population of the Atlantic Union Conference is more than one third that of the whole of the United States; therefore we should not come short in our gifts. We believe that the brethren and sisters of the Atlantic Union Conference will realize that, as the headquarters of our work (Washington, D. C.) is situated within the bounds of their territory, there comes to them a special duty and privilege to support this great work. Let them read the notice on the last page of this paper, and act upon it. H. W. COTTRELL.