The Coming Missionary Campaign by Arthur G. Daniells

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 26, 1909

The Coming Missionary Campaign

By Arthur G. Daniells

It is now nearly a year since we, as a people, carried forward what we called a Thanksgiving Missionary Campaign. This was the first undertaking of the kind we ever attempted. We lacked both the knowledge and the experience necessary to secure the largest results. Yet, all things considered, that campaign was a grand success.

Seven hundred thousand copies of the special number of the REVIEW AND HERALD were ordered by our churches and by individuals, and we suppose the larger number of these were distributed among those not of our faith. The specific object of the special number of the REVIEW was to give those not belonging to our people a true knowledge of the world-wide work being carried forward by Seventh-day Adventists. Should three persons, on an average, have read each copy of the REVIEW, two million one hundred thousand persons would have read something concerning the world-wide message which we are endeavoring to carry to the world.

In addition to the information given in the REVIEW, doubtless many of our missionaries had good talks with their neighbors and friends concerning our denominational work. This was helpful, both to the one who gave the talk, and to the one with whom the conversation was held. Viewing the work of last year from the standpoint of the information concerning our missionary undertakings

imparted to our neighbors, we believe that the campaign was a splendid success.

The ingathering of funds was not so large as we had hoped, yet it was a goodly sum that was collected. There has been received into the office of the General Conference, up to Aug. 1, 1909, from this ingathering, the sum of $43,-359.91. When we think that we undertook this campaign without any previous experience as a guide, that we had never, during our denominational history of more than half a century, gone to the world soliciting funds with which to carry forward our work, but had depended entirely upon the gifts and donations of our own people for the development of all the enterprises that we had undertaken, we believe that the ingathering was most encouraging. It brought substantial help to the treasury of the General Conference for the support of missionaries in many heathen lands. The funds gathered at this time were scattered to all the nations of the world, and there is scarcely a heathen country where some of this money has not found its way.

Some held that the ingathering, coming so late in the year, and so closely preceding the week of prayer, would greatly lessen the annual offering of our people. But it did not work that way. The annual offering last year was a good one, aggregating $28,898.51. Taking from the ingathering, $14,000 for expense, we have as a net income to the mission treasury $58,258.42 from the Thanksgiving ingathering and the annual offering combined. This is by far the largest sum ever received by the Mission Board at the close of any year for the support of the mission fields.

At the late session of the General Conference, it was voted that we should have another harvest ingathering, the time to be fixed by the General Conference Committee. This matter has been taken up by the members of the General Conference Committee, and the date for the commencement of the ingathering for 1909 has been fixed for November 1.

It is planned that the special number of the REVIEW for circulation at this time, shall consist of thirty-two pages, printed on better stock than was used last year, and that it shall be ready by the first of October. This special number of the REVIEW will excel last year’s paper in make-up. We are endeavoring to make the illustrations appear better. There will be articles from some of our general men, giving an outline of the work that we are carrying forward.

We have faith to believe that our people will do better work this year than last. The 1908 effort was a new experience to our people, and they did splendid work. This year we have the knowledge acquired by last year’s experience, and we can undertake our effort more intelligently. In view of all this, we surely have reason to look for far larger results from our efforts.

It is not necessary for us to set before our own people the great needs of our General Conference treasury and the imperative demands made upon us to supply workers for nearly every field in the world. Those who have read the General Conference Bulletin, and closely followed the reports of the superintendents and delegates from the mission fields, know how imperative it is that recruits be sent to most of our mission stations at an early date. There is scarcely a country in the world that did not make heavy demands upon us for men, and for the expenditure of funds for equipping the stations that we already occupy. A halt must be made in all aggressive work, or additional funds must be supplied with which to carry the work forward.

Is not this opportunity to go to our neighbors and friends, showing them the great work that God has given us to do, one of God’s means by which his work may be carried forward? If so, should not every Seventh-day Adventist have a part in extending a knowledge of the work that we are doing, and in gathering funds for the accomplishment of that work?

Plans will be laid by union and local conferences to organize the churches into working bands for this coming campaign. We earnestly appeal to our people to plan for definite work at this time. The special REVIEW will be ready for delivery by the first of October, and it is greatly desired that all will place their orders early for as many copies as they shall need. Last year we were unable to supply the orders that came to us late. We had not only provided for all orders that had been placed with us, but had printed fifty thousand additional copies, supposing that they would supply every need. At the last moment, however, many thousands of copies were ordered by telegraph, and we were unable to fill these orders promptly. We wish to obviate a like difficulty this year, and earnestly entreat our people to give their orders early attention.

Information concerning this campaign will be given from time to time in the REVIEW. We hope our people everywhere will heartily engage in this undertaking, not only giving of their time, but also most earnestly seeking the Lord for his blessing upon us, and upon our work, that there may be a large ingathering during this coming campaign.

Let us not forget the date when the effort is to begin — Nov. 1, 1909. It will continue during the entire month of November, thus including Thanksgiving week.

A. G. DANIELLS.