Where Does the Second Sabbath Missionary Offering Go? by T. E. Bowen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 24, 1907

“Where Does the Second Sabbath Missionary Offering Go?”

By T. E. Bowen

Of late several letters have been received at the Mission Board office in which the above question has been asked. We are glad to reply with a personal letter to every such inquiry; for it shows that the writer has an interest in missions, and also that the church to which the inquirer belongs makes an offering each second Sabbath, when the readings prepared for that day are read.

There are three regular offerings which serve to form a continuous revenue for the support of our missions, besides the annual offering taken up at the close of the week-of-prayer services, and the weekly Sabbath-school offering. These are “First-day offering,” “Ten-cent-a-week offering,” and the “Second Sabbath offering.” The First-day offering and the Ten-cent-a-week offering may be one and the same. That is, an individual may be paying ten cents a week and laying that aside each First-day morning. Others may be continuing the First-day offering, but putting in more than ten cents a week. This is so much the better; for no one can be doing better service for God, or supplementing his prayers for the success of God’s closing work in the earth in a more practical and acceptable way, than by laying aside each First-day as God has prospered him, an offering for missions.

But aside from these offerings, all can join, at the close of the second Sabbath missionary service, in making up a church offering for missions. Our hearts at that time are warmed and cheered by the good reports from our faithful missionaries out on the frontier struggling with the problems and difficulties confronting them in their work for God; and how fitting it is that we manifest our love and devotion to the cause of Christ by giving of our means as a tribute of thanksgiving and loyalty at this time.

All the offerings above mentioned—the First-day, the Ten-cent-a-week, and the Second Sabbath church offering—go into the general mission treasury. They are accounted for in separate funds

by our treasurers, but are all drawn upon from the general treasury, in support of the large list of mission fields being supported by missionary funds donated by this people.

We trust a lively interest will be kept up by the officers in all our churches in this second Sabbath missionary service, and also in the offering that follows. Let not these funds be diverted from the mission treasury, nor other demands press this offering aside. We have no greater or more important work before us as a people than the finishing of this work in the dark lands afar-off. The need of these down-trodden peoples appeals to Heaven, and surely must appeal to every true child of God. Let us be faithful to our trust as stewards of the grace of Christ. If we are Christ’s, if we have in a special sense given ourselves to him, then we are indebted to the least of his creatures. And, more, Christ has given us to these very people in a special sense. Carefully study the following words of the spirit of prophecy just received:—

“You who claim to have given yourselves to me, I give you to the world, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. He who came as the light of the world that he might bring many souls to the Father, now sends you forth as the light of the world.”

Let the young people also join in making the second Sabbath missionary service an interesting one; also join in making the offering for that day a liberal one. The Lord will certainly bless all who thus seek to honor him by helping to bring the light to those sitting in darkness. T. E. BOWEN.