The Midsummer Offering by William T. Knox

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 15, 1915

The Midsummer Offering

By William T. Knox

Greater Difficulties, Greater Opportunities, Greater Demands

THE General and Division Conferences have requested the membership in North America to make a special offering to foreign missions on Sabbath, July 24. This will be the regular Midsummer Offering usually received the first Sabbath of July. In view of the present fearful conditions existing in the greater part of the world, and the crying need of the work of God in all lands, it would seem that every Seventh-day Adventist should at this time seriously inquire concerning his individual responsibility in the maintenance of the work of the gospel.

Seven great nations are now engaged in the most deadly war the world has ever witnessed. Belgium as a nation has been well-nigh destroyed. Daily we are expecting to hear of some if not all of the Balkan States being drawn into this terrible carnage, and there is none too much assurance that the United States may not become involved in the struggle. Day after day and night after night, from fifteen to twenty million men stand arrayed against one another, each side striving for the advantage that can be gained only by untold loss of life and property and unimaginable human suffering. To bring this about, resort is made to every deadly agency that can be produced by the inventive genius of man. The brightest intellects and the highest genius of every land have been requisitioned by these great nations, not to minister to human suffering nor to contribute to the welfare and enjoyment of mankind, but to destroy life and property in the most effective manner possible. It is almost beyond human imagination to conceive of a worse situation short of the fearful Armageddon.

Entire provinces of the fairest and most fruitful portions of Europe have been utterly destroyed. The toll in human life to each of the contending nations has already run into the hundreds of thousands, while the financial loss is beyond computation, and the end is not yet in sight.

While the nations are angry, and are, as a result, entailing upon mankind such cruel suffering, men and women in every land are blindly seeking for that relief that can be found only in the Prince of Peace. From India, China, Japan, Korea, and the islands of the sea, their cries come to us for that help that can be found only in that gospel in whose benefits we now rejoice. In all the history of the denomination, there have never been such great demands made upon us for workers and facilities for the great mission fields as at present. The laborers we have already sent to these distant lands are working to their limit; but what are these few to the vast hosts that are in darkness, and are groping for light? From these mission fields our brethren send us the urgent assurance that we must immediately strengthen their forces and greatly enlarge our work. To do otherwise, will be to ignore the manifest providences of God, and in not a few instances, actually endanger the work we have already established at such great labor and sacrifice.

In presenting this appeal, therefore, it is with confidence that it will meet with a hearty response from our brethren. If opportunity were given, all would surely say to the General Conference Committee that every possible provision must be made to meet these demands. The Lord in his wisdom and love has given to us the privilege, and honored us with the responsibility, of carrying this message in person, or by other means, to all that dwell upon the earth. We cannot all go in person, but every one can have some part in this great work. We are told to honor the Lord with our substance, and with the first fruits of all our increase. We as a people have endeavored to do this in the past, with the result that a strong financial policy for foreign mission work has been created. This has been accomplished without loss to any of us, and surely the present is no time to slacken our efforts. Our expanding work with its increasing demands is the harbinger of that glad day that will end the reign of sin and reveal to the faithful, expectant ones the King of kings coming in the clouds of heaven to reward his followers.

While doubtless with our present plan for raising funds for foreign missions, it will be impossible for the Mission Board to accomplish very much in enlarging our foreign work during the present year, or at least until after the autumn council, yet progress may be greatly hastened and assured by placing the General Conference treasury in as favorable a condition as possible.

The last report issued from the General Conference treasury, covering the first five months of the year, showed that in our Twenty-cent-a-week Fund we had in that time created a shortage of $116,775. The offering for July 24 should go a great way in making up this amount. The action of the fall council in appropriating for foreign missions for 1916 will doubtless be greatly influenced by the volume of offerings received between now and the convening of that council.

With the greatest ease the Lord could supply funds in abundance for all the necessities of this work and meet every proper desire of his workers, for he reminds us: “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine;” “every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills:” but in his infinite wisdom and kindness of heart a better way for man has been devised by the Lord. A portion of the wealth of God has been placed in the hands of his children as his stewards. He requests us to provide for his work on the earth, thus appealing to our liberality and love of souls. By yielding to the Spirit’s suggestions in these matters, our covetousness will be overcome, our liberality will be increased, and treasure will be laid up by us in heaven.

Last year we were requested to make up a Midsummer Offering of not less than $30,000. This year we cannot, in view of the existing conditions, ask for a less amount.

W. T. KNOX.