The Thanksgiving Ingathering for 1908 by I. H. Evans

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 4, 1909

The Thanksgiving Ingathering for 1908

By I. H. Evans

The Ingathering for 1908 was a real blessing to our missionaries in foreign fields, as well as to those who contributed to this good work. Sometimes we are inclined to forget the great opportunity the Christian enjoys of being connected with the Lord in proclaiming the gospel to a lost world. For a moment let us conceive God to have appointed angels to preach the gospel to sinners, and to have given man no part in helping his fellows. What misfortune could have come to us that would be greater than to be separated from any part in helping to save our fellow men? It was in infinite love to man that God granted him the privilege of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In last year's Thanksgiving call, there was gathered $43,359.91. This was a small ingathering, speaking from the riches of the world and the blessings which our Heavenly Father has given to us in this land; yet forty-three thousand dollars will do much toward supporting missionaries in heathen lands.

On the basis of our Mission Board estimates, that amount of money would support three white families and five native missionaries during an entire year in each of the following countries: China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, the East Indies, India proper, Tibet, Manchuria, Siberia, and Central Africa. That means that thirty white families and fifty native workers could be maintained for a year in heathen lands on the donation received from last year's ingathering. This certainly is doing something for these needy fields, and the results of the work done by these servants of the Lord will be lasting as eternity.

While the ingathering was being taken in 1908, it was my privilege to be in inland China, in the province of Honan, at the mission station of Hsiao Tao. The day before I arrived at this station, twenty-three precious souls were baptized into Christ, and it was my privilege to talk to them about the love of God, and the spread of the gospel of his Son Jesus Christ. The crowd gathered to hear was so great that it was impossible to assemble them in the little chapel. An overflow meeting was held outside, while I spoke to those within. I do not remember of having ever spoken to more appreciative audiences than those loyal believers in inland China.

WORKERS AT GENERAL MEETING, LUCKNOW, INDIA

It would seem that this year we ought to raise one hundred thousand dollars for this good work, and it is with this special object in view that we solicit funds from our friends and those who are in favor of the spread of the gospel among the heathen nations of the world. Some who are solicited to give, may have other church obligations which require from them regular donations to maintain their own denominational work. To all such we wish God-speed, and trust all the contributions made will be used to the glory and honor of God.

Surely God has greatly blessed us in the United States with riches and with prosperous times beyond anything in the history of the world. We are under a great obligation to the Lord for these temporal blessings which he has given to us in such abundance, and it should be a privilege for us to contribute of our means for the advancement of God's work.

The Seventh-day Adventist Mission Board has appropriated to the foreign mission fields for the year 1909:— Polynesian field ............ $ 8,500.00 China ...................... 42,000.00 Fields bordering on the Mediterranean ............ 10,000.00 India ...................... 26,000.00 Japan ...................... 11,000.00 Korea ...................... 8,000.00 South Africa ............... 23,000.00 West Africa ................ 3,000.00 South America .............. 20,000.00 West Indies ................ 19,000.00 Mexico ..................... 8,000.00

This does not include money raised in Europe and Australia for missionary work, nor in the above-mentioned fields.

I. H. EVANS, Acting Treasurer Mission Board.