Our Strength Lies in Unity by Irwin H. Evans

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 16, 1913

Our Strength Lies in Unity

By Irwin H. Evans

UNITY among believers is one great source of strength with the children of God. This unity binds hearts together, uniting them in love, worship, and service. Unity creates a oneness out of many, and combines the strength of individuals, centralizing a united effort upon a definite work for God and humanity. When alone, each individual represents his own strength, with such power as he receives from the Lord. He can do the work of one man, and, when connected with the Lord, that work may be great and oftentimes is most important; but still it is the work that man does either in his own strength or with the help and aid of the Holy Spirit, and seldom rises to the magnitude of the work done by the combination of many individuals acting as a unit.

Here is a large stone to be lifted. It is far more than one man can lift by himself. It requires the combined strength of ten men. If each of ten men lift on that stone alone, they cannot move it. It is only when the ten take hold of the stone at the same time and lift together that it is moved.

Nations have armies. Now an army is many men acting as one man, doing one man's bidding. Why do they combine many men into what we call an army?—That through discipline and learning to work together as one man they may become as strong against the foe as the combined strength of all the men in the army. One hundred thousand drilled and well-disciplined men can do infinitely more when working together in an organized capacity than the same number of men can do when working separately, though each does his best.

The Word of God recognizes strength in unity. It says: “How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight?” Here one man is supposed to do a great work, but two men do ten times that amount of work. Again, the Scriptures say that a threefold cord is not quickly broken. In natural things, we continually recognize the strength of combinations. If the sailor wants a rope with which to lift a heavy load, he knows, other things being equal, that the larger the rope the heavier the weight it will lift. In the larger rope there are more single threads united, hence the combined strength of all is sufficient to lift a heavy load.

We find combinations in the business world. Capitalists pool their interests and their money in financing gigantic undertakings. We talk about the steel trust, the shipping trust, and many other large interests in which men and capital have been combined to act as a unit, creating so strong a colossus that even nations and governments fear these combinations.

In the church, unity is taught of God. Christ said of himself and his Father, “I and my Father are one;” and in that memorable prayer just before his ascension, Christ prayed for his followers that they might be one in him as he and his Father were one. Thus in thought, in service, and in worship the people of God are to be one. This is essential for strength and the carrying out of an aggressive policy in the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom to the world.

What individual would be able financially to undertake giving the third angel's message to the Chinese nation alone? There is no one in our ranks who would be able to finance such an enterprise. The individual therefore is unable to carry on aggressive missionary work, because of his limited resources and his lack of available help. The church cannot carry on this missionary campaign of itself. It has not the financial strength to do this, nor does it have control of sufficient men or missionaries who would be able or willing to work under the direction of the church. We, therefore, organize our individuals into churches, our churches into conferences, our conferences into union conferences, our union conferences into division conferences, and our division conferences into the General Conference. Each organization is stronger than the preceding. Each gathers together a larger number of single units combined in the organizations, so that when we reach the General Conference, we have the strongest organized body in our work. The General Conference, therefore, is the one to carry on aggressive work which neither the division, union, nor local conferences are able to carry on as efficiently and as well.

The General Conference is the highest body among Seventh-day Adventists. When it speaks, during a session of the Conference, it represents all the believers in the world. It speaks for the church, for each individual is represented by his proper delegate, and through him speaks on every proposition.

At its late session, the General Conference adopted recommendations concerning the support of our mission work and the relief of our institutions. The plan recommended by the General Conference reads as follows:—

Whereas, It is more clearly revealed, with each passing year, that schools, sanitariums, and publishing houses are most helpful and necessary facilities for the rapid and efficient carrying forward of the work of God throughout the world; and,—

Whereas, These institutions can accomplish their purpose only to the extent that they are understood, appreciated, and supported by our people; and realizing that in the establishment and maintenance of the institutions we now have, there has not been given the careful study, the efficient management, and the proper financial support they should have had; therefore be it—

3. Resolved, That we take these institutions, with their workers and their great interests and needs, more fully upon our hearts and into our plans and fostering care than heretofore; and, further,—

That we commend to the study, the interest, and the support of our people everywhere, the schools, sanitariums, and publishing houses among us.

4. Resolved, That we adopt the following arrangement for removing the present liabilities of these institutions, and for maintaining them without creating further indebtedness: The standard of offerings for missions to be raised from fifteen to twenty cents a week per member in the United States and Canada, and that twenty-five per cent of the total amount thus raised be devoted to the liquidation of the liabilities of all training-schools, and those academies, intermediate schools, and sanitariums whose liabilities equal or exceed twenty-five per cent of their assets. We further—

5. Recommended, That the carrying out of this plan be governed by the following provisions:—

a. That the entire amount received on the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund be kept intact, and remitted to the North American Division Conference treasury.

b. That the twenty-five per cent to be devoted to the liquidation of the liabilities of the schools and sanitariums be divided annually, by the North American Division Conference Committee, among the institutions, on the pro rata basis of their indebtedness.

c. That in the apportionment due consideration be given to the conditions prevailing in each institution, as to its financial situation, earnings, available assets that can be realized upon without detriment to the work, annuity contracts, etc., a complete report and financial statement being rendered each year to the North American Division Conference by the institutions.

d. In case the total amount raised falls short of the twenty cents per member, so as to interfere with the operations of our foreign mission enterprises, the shortage shall be deducted from the relief fund rather than from the foreign funds.

e. That each institution receiving appropriations from this fund shall apply the full amount it shall receive to the liquidation of its liabilities.

f. That an institution sharing the benefits of this fund shall not by any means add to its present indebtedness either by buildings, by equipment, or in its operations.

g. That for the enlargement, repairs, equipment, or loss in operating, the needed funds shall be raised by direct gifts from the people.

h. Where it is demonstrated that an institution cannot maintain itself without increasing its liabilities or encroaching upon the proposed relief fund, such institution shall, upon the advice of the North American Division Conference Committee, and the union conference in which it is located, be closed, and its assets be disposed of to the best advantage, or diverted to other denominational use.

i. That failure on the part of any institution to comply with these provisions shall debar it from receiving the benefits of this plan.

j. That there be constituted a finance commission of four members, one member to be appointed by the General Conference Committee, another member by the North American Division Conference Committee; these two to give their entire time to the work; the other two to be the treasurers of the General and the North American Division Conferences; and that the expenses of the commission be divided equally between the two conferences.

k. That this plan go into effect July 1, 1913.

These recommendations have already been adopted by the General Conference, at its late session, and are to be carried out by the churches throughout the field. The General Conference having spoken, now it is our duty to act. We trust that our brethren and sisters everywhere will see the importance of these recommendations, and that each church will at once undertake the task of raising its full quota of twenty cents a week per member. This can be done more easily by far when we take hold of it at once, unitedly, and all pull together. It will require persevering, continued activity and earnest study and planning to reach this amount. It can be done, and by the uniting of our efforts throughout the entire field, we can greatly strengthen our work both at home and abroad.

I. H. EVANS.