Battle Creek, Michigan
By Frances L. Case
THE fourteenth Sabbath of the third quarter, 1916, was a blessed day for the Battle Creek Sabbath school. During the entire year the Lord has especially blessed, and the response at the end of each quarter has borne evidence of this, the offerings showing a steady increase. While the goal set for each quarter has been $500, the offerings have thus far exceeded that amount. The membership at the beginning of the year was about five hundred. The first quarter showed a gain of 175 members, the second quarter closed with a membership of 728, but the third quarter ran somewhat less, especially during the months of July and August. Schools were closed, and many of the children, as well as others, were out of the city for their vacations. The annual camp meeting was also held during the month of August, and that took most of the officers and many of the members away for two Sabbaths. But during September the attendance gradually increased, until on the fourteenth Sabbath the membership was 606, with an attendance that day of 499. Early in the quarter the subject of the offering on the fourteenth Sabbath was taken up. The Missions Quarterly was thoroughly studied, and the subject matter presented to the school each Sabbath. The story of the carrying back of the stone made a deep impression on the minds and hearts of all, and at the close of the session, on the day on which this was presented, a brother passed in one dollar as a nucleus for a fund for this purpose, and while such a fund would require a larger amount than probably can be raised here, yet our efforts have made a beginning. September 30 dawned bright and beautiful, with a good attendance. After the opening exercises, a very interesting program was presented. The primary department sang the Jewel Song and, “A Hint from the Kindergarten,” was given by little Florence Judd. “Let Her Alone” was well rendered by Mildred Griffin. Messrs. Canright and James presented the dialogue between the superintendent and teacher, and then followed the “Missionaries’ Farewell Song.” About six hundred copies of this song had been printed, and were distributed among the members, all of whom joined heartily in the singing. The hour was then given over to the consideration of the lessons of the past quarter. The division secretaries had been instructed to see that the offerings were taken up early in the classes and brought to the office, so that the total amount could be announced at the close of the session, as is the custom here on each thirteenth Sabbath. It might be added, that, in order to prevent any who might have been tardy from being left out on the wing;19and upon further investigation, it proved to be one of mercy also; for bound to its neck was a small package labeled South America, and upon inspection, this package was found to contain fifty dollars in gold, dedicated to the spread of the gospel in that field. Instantly the mute appeal of this messenger of mercy was understood; and since this was the field to which the offerings of the day were to go, we added our contribution to the precious package of gold, making $319.13, and sent this bird on its way rejoicing, and we praised God that his people had responded so generously to this appeal. After singing “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,” Elder Wiest offered a fervent prayer that many souls might be born into the kingdom of heaven as the result of the day’s work. The offerings for the first three quarters of the year have amounted to $1,846, and we feel sure that we shall reach our goal of $2,000 for the year. FRANCES L. CASE,
Secretary.