p. 24 | It Sounds Good by T. E. Bowen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 17, 1916

It Sounds Good

By T. E. Bowen

THE other day when glancing through union conference papers, I saw so many good things reported here and there, especially the paying of institutional indebtedness, that somehow it seemed as if some of these good things ought to be collected so that we might get one good look at what is actually being done before our very eyes. Here are a few of the “good things” I saw that did my soul good:—

First, the Northern Union Reaper, in Brother Charles Thompson’s biennial report, said:—

“The thing that has been paramount upon our hearts, and which we have endeavored to emphasize in our administration, has been the winning of souls to Christ, and the upbuilding and advancement of the kingdom of righteousness in the earth. While we are in no sense satisfied with results, we do view with gratitude of heart and thankfulness to God the fact that 1,224 persons have been baptized by our ministers into the faith during the past two years. Nineteen churches have been organized, and fifteen meetinghouses have been secured or erected, and dedicated.”

“Two years ago the total indebtedness reported was, Notes payable, $121,400. Today it is approximately $76,000, with $36,000 of this provided for.”

The first article in the Lake Union Herald is from the president of Emmanuel Missionary College, entitled “The College Debt is Paid.” Somewhat over a year ago the students set out with a determination that the debt must be paid. It surely seemed a large undertaking for them, but the plan for freedom from debt was successfully carried out, and now they are singing their jubilee song. This paragraph tells their joy at the meeting when the final report was given:—

“The members of the board were on the platform, and the friends and patrons of the school had gathered in to hear the annual speeches of the board members, which had been announced the previous day. But during the night the plans for the program had been changed. Elder L. H. Christian, the president of the board, after a few preliminary remarks, came to the keynote of the whole meeting, and the school was fairly electrified as he made the statement, ‘The College debt is paid!’ Scarcely had the last words fallen from his lips when the appreciation of the students and teachers found expression in a spontaneous outburst of applause.”

In the same paper the story of the debt of Adelphian Academy is told. In it we are informed that this school in East Michigan was born in debt, like many others. But the climax of this story is that its debt of $14,000 has been wiped off the records, and the school enters upon its new career of “freedom from debt” with properties worth $30,000.

The Pacific Union Recorder came out recently with all the squares of its oft-printed block of squares marked off. These represented $150,000, which the union has been struggling to raise for paying indebtedness on the large training schools in its territory. This large goal is now reached, in cash paid in and in good pledges to be paid soon.

Then we learn that by the close of the present school year it is expected that the great debt on Union College will have been provided for, including possibly the German Seminary. This is in the Central Union.

The Columbia Union Conference paid during 1914 the last of the $33,000 debt on Mount Vernon Academy, and this year paid off the last of the big debt which formerly was on the Pennsylvania Sanitarium. That conference has also given this year $10,000 for the payment of the debt on the Washington Missionary College, and has already begun its large campaign to raise $27,000, $25,000 of which goes for a new building at the Washington Missionary College, and $2,000 for industrial facilities at Mount Vernon Academy.

With all this good news before us, and remembering that this year for the first time in the history of the denomination the Mission Board was able to vote in its budget practically all the requests from distant mission fields, surely it would seem that we all have cause for great rejoicing, and reason for sincere gratitude to God for his prospering hand which has attended the efforts put forth by his people to extend his cause at home and abroad. The work of the third angel’s message has grown to such proportions as we scarcely dreamed of a few years ago, and in its onward progress has gathered such great strength that could its pioneers now behold it all, we fancy it would be a great surprise as well as cause of rejoicing to them.

In view of what is being accomplished, truly it is appropriate that we look up, and lift up our heads and rejoice, for our “redemption draweth nigh.”

T. E. BOWEN.