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The Week of Prayer and the Annual Offering

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 30, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 59.

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The Week of Prayer and the Annual Offering

By I. H. Evans

DECEMBER 2 brings to us another annual season of prayer and offering. These occasions serve as reminders that “time and tide wait for no man,” and help us to appreciate the rapidity with which the years pass, as one after the other takes its place in history. For many years the week of prayer has meant much to this people; and as the stirring events and signs of the time of the end multiply about us, this season of devotion should call us to a deeper consecration.
One of our greatest dangers is the tendency to become engrossed with the cares of this life. We should call a halt in our business affairs, and often take our bearings in our march toward the kingdom of God. The week of prayer gives an opportunity to every one of us to examine himself, whether he “be in the faith.” The season of devotion must not be permitted to slip by without bringing into the church and into the lives of its members a richer Christian experience and greater consecration to the Lord and his work.
The benefits of the week of prayer to the church as a whole are proportional to those received by its individual members. If we receive the uplift that we need during this week of prayer, the church will be greatly blessed; but if our own souls miss the blessing, the church will be greatly hindered in its onward movements; for the church can accomplish only what the Holy Spirit can do through its members. This season of prayer will bring rich spiritual blessings to some; others will fail to receive the blessings they need so much, because they will neglect to seek God with all their hearts. “Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
Deep heart searching and critical self-examination, oftentimes accompanied by fasting, should be our experience during the week of prayer. All should put sin out of their hearts and lives, receive the confidence of full forgiveness, and enjoy the peace of complete trust in and resignation to the will of God. There should be reconciliation between offended members of families and between brethren who are at variance with one another. This reconciliation should be sought early in the week, lest the enemy defeat the purpose of the meeting, and many blessings be lost. Backsliders should be sought out, and every endeavor be made to bring them back to the fold.
The young people should have a large place in our prayers, and every possible endeavor should be made to win them to Christ, and to help them to enter heartily into the Master's service. A few kind words, a warm handshake, the invitation to pray and to speak in social meeting, oftentimes have a wonderful influence upon the timid and hesitating.
The unconverted should be invited to surrender to the Lord. The Holy Spirit can do much more through such invitations than we realize.
Often the week of prayer can be made the beginning of a neighborhood revival, by asking those for whom you have been laboring and praying to join in your worship. Invite your friends and neighbors to seek the Lord during this week of prayer. Many will appreciate this opportunity, which they may not have in the church of which they are members.

The Annual Offering

Then we must not neglect the annual offering. This has become an important part of our mission offerings; for it is the time when we try to make up the remainder of the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund for the year. The past two years the annual offerings were as follows:—
1914, $46,275.42 1915, $41,604.44
Thus the offering last year was $4,670.98 less than that of 1914. The offering this year should pass $50,000. Fifteen cents of the twenty cents a week this year goes to foreign missions, and five cents is returned to the union conferences to apply on the indebtedness of the conferences and institutions.
The past year has been a most prosperous one. Probably our people never found it easier to get hold of money than they have this year. Yet many must plan ahead in order to make a liberal offering on this occasion. Why not plan to give an amount that will help your church to go far beyond its quota of the twenty cents a week? The denomination has never yet made up the full twenty cents a week for each member. Last year the shortage was $8,924.29. This year the fund should pass beyond the twenty cents, so that the overflow can make a big reduction in the indebtedness of our institutions. Next year the Division Conference has promised that the General Conference shall have sixteen cents out of the twenty. So there never will be another such excellent opportunity to help in reducing the indebtedness on conferences and institutions as is offered the present year.
Many will be glad to learn that during the year 1915 the institutions and conferences in the Division territory reduced their liabilities $364,723.43, and increased their assets $152,157.90, thus increasing their net worth $516,881.33.
It is greatly desired that the indebtedness on all our institutions be wiped out, so that the curse of debt may be removed from our denomination. We urge all to make as liberal an offering as possible, and to seek for rich spiritual blessings. I. H. EVANS.