Mission Needs for 1916 by W. T. Knox

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Jan 6, 1916

Mission Needs for 1916

By W. T. Knox

THE work of providing for the needs of the mission fields for 1916 was one of the principal items considered at the fall council. The demands coming from our various missions for additional laborers and increased appropriations were found, by careful investigation, to be based upon the actual needs of the rapidly growing work of the message, in most cases verified by the personal investigation of some member of the General Conference Committee. So pressing were these requirements that it seemed impossible to the council to very greatly modify the budgets under consideration. The final action of the body is herewith submitted:—

Appropriations for 1916

Asiatic Division: General ......................$ 36,071.00 Signs of the Times Publishing House ............ 12,254.00 China Missions Training School ............ 2,610.00 East China Mission ........ 18,624.00 West China Mission ....... 7,946.00 Central China Mission ..... 45,135.00 North China Mission ....... 5,511.00 South China Mission ....... 49,712.00 India Union Mission ....... 87,867.00 Japan Mission ............. 22,671.00 Korean Mission ............ 19,481.00 Philippine Islands ........ 21,590.00 Malaysian Mission ......... 18,355.00 Manchuria ................. 13,384.00 Bahamas Mission ........... 395.00 Brazilian Union Conference ... 24,652.00 Hawaiian Islands .......... 3,250.00 Central American Conference ... 256.00 Cuban Mission ............. 6,704.00 Guatemala Mission ......... 2,660.00 Haitien Mission ........... 3,245.00 Mexican Mission ........... 8,000.00 Porto Rican Mission ....... 3,190.00 Salvador Mission .......... 1,100.00 Southern Honduras ......... 975.00 South African Union Conf. .. 54,140.00 South American Union Conf. . 37,678.00 South American Div. Conf. .. 3,244.00 West Indian Union Conf. .... 18,508.00 Special appropriations ..... 6,590.00 Sustentation Fund .......... 11,659.00 Missionary appointees’ salary ... 4,500.00 Harvest Ingath. promotion ... 25,000.00 Total ......................$576,957.00 Executive Department ...... 17,000.00 Educational Department .... 2,500.00 Missionary Volunteer Dept. ... 3,000.00

Medical Department ........$ 2,500.00 Publishing Department ..... 2,500.00 Home Missionary Dept. ..... 3,000.00 Sabbath School Department .. 4,000.00 General laborers .......... 6,000.00 Total ......................$ 40,500.00 Total appropriations ....... 617,457.00 Amount appropriated for 1915 504,464.14 Net increase in appropriations for 1916 ...................$112,992.86

Consideration of this statement reveals that the year 1916 marks a new era in our foreign mission work. Never before have there been such heavy appropriations to our foreign fields. Never before has such a large percentage of our mission funds been definitely set apart for actual work in the foreign fields, and so little used in the administrative and departmental work.

The increased appropriations are in part to provide for the transportation and support of approximately seventy-five to eighty new workers, whose services are immediately required. This will mean a corresponding number of families to be supplied from our home fields, and later, homes for them.

In attempting to provide for this large appropriation, some slight modification has been made in our method of raising funds in North America. The basis, as in the past two years, will remain at an amount equivalent to fifteen cents a week per member for the foreign missions, and five cents a week for the relief of our institutions, but with the understanding that all over twenty cents a week is to be applied to the mission treasury, thus helping us to meet the increasing demands that are sure to come throughout the year.

It is evident that this is the day of opportunity for the people of God. The reports coming from our workers in every mission station reveal that open doors are constantly multiplying, and that the peoples of every land are ready to hear and receive this gospel message. It behooves us therefore to avail ourselves of our opportunities, and with the very beginning of the year take up anew our responsibility of supplying from the blessings bestowed upon us the necessary means to meet these ever-increasing demands.

W. T. KNOX.