Our July Offering by Arthur G. Daniells

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Jun 23, 1904

Our July Offering

By Arthur G. Daniells

WHY should Seventh-day Adventists make a July offering to mission fields instead of spending money in Fourth-of-July festivities?

A number of good reasons could be given, but there is one that includes all. It is this: There are thousands of men and women dying without hope of a future life because they do not know the truth of the gospel as it has been made known to Seventh-day Adventists in the third angel’s message. They never can know this truth until it has been proclaimed to them, and this can not be done without money. Therefore it is plain and consistent that we should contribute our means to the cause of missions instead of wasting it in the festivities of the Fourth-of-July celebrations.

The third angel’s message lights up the past, present, and future. Those who know this message look at the affairs of this world in an altogether different light from those who do not know the message. The object of life, the meaning of all that is taking place,—everything has a different and a deeper significance under the light of this message.

How glad we are that the light of this message has come to us. There is nothing fanciful nor fanatical about it. We have not followed cunningly devised fables. If there is anything in the realm of the spiritual of which men and women may be certain, it is the truth as revealed in the third angel’s message. If we do not know these truths, we do not know anything about spiritual matters.

But the knowledge we have of this message makes us debtors to our fellow men who know it not. “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10. One way of ministering this blessed gift to others is by giving our means to the cause of missions. This is as practical, effective, and acceptable a ministry in its way, and as far as required, as any that can be performed.

The apostolic church recognized this when they laid down all that they had at the apostles’ feet for distribution to others.

This important part of Christian missions must be more generally and keenly realized by our people. We must fully appreciate the fact that the missionary operations of this denomination are not the affairs of the Board alone. They belong to the whole body. They are an inseparable part of the great movement with which we are connected. We can no more conceive of this movement without missions than without a message.

When the pioneers began this work, they scarcely realized the proportions to which it would grow. It is one thing to read that the message must be given to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, and quite another to actually give it. To give it means the consecration of life and possessions to the service of God. To give the message means sacrifice and toil. There is no other way. And the consecration, the sacrifice, the toil, must be continuous and expansive. Not until the work is finished may our labor and gifts cease. And until it is finished, our service and gifts must enlarge. The work started in a little corner is to expand until it encircles the earth. Hence every step taken prepares the way for another. Every missionary sent abroad is a sure token that two more will be called for. Every dollar given to missions is a signal for five more. This must be so in the very nature of things, and it is true in our experience. To change this would be to destroy the movement with which we are connected.

We thank God for the greatness and vitality of his cause. He foresaw all this, and will supply us with all the resources to meet the demands. Let us, then, renew our consecration of all we are and all we have to the finishing of this work. We believe every intelligent, true-hearted Seventh-day Adventist will be glad that an arrangement is made by the General Conference Committee to take a Sabbath offering for missions at a time when the masses will be spending their money so foolishly.

Shall we not decide now, before Sabbath, July 2, the day appointed for the offering, to make our gift at this time in harmony with the greatness of the needs?

A. G. DANIELLS.