What the Sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons” Has Accomplished
By P. T. Magan
Union College
Original Debt, $79,000
Not long ago an article was published in the REVIEW, from the pen of Sister E. G. White, entitled “What the Sale of ‘Christ’s Object Lessons’ Will Accomplish.” This article did not deal altogether with the future. It told of many blessed experiences already a matter of record. It related the spiritual gains to the church and the world as a result of this work. These are so manifold and so marked that we love to halt awhile and ponder upon them.
The present article is one of a series designed to show what has actually been accomplished by the sale of the book in the work of paying off the debts of the schools.
When plans for the founding of Union College were first laid, there was no intention upon the part of any one of building the school in debt. All over the Middle West our people called loudly for a college of their own. Battle Creek was too far away; and besides, there existed a prejudice upon the part of many against sending their sons and daughters to that overcrowded center. The Middle West conferences had grown in numbers, wealth, and influence, and they felt that it was only fair that they should have a college situated in the heart of their own territory.
The different conferences agreed to raise certain, specified amounts of money for the new school, and the business men of Lincoln, Neb., donated a considerable amount of land. The money from the different States came in slowly, and those managing the work were obliged to sell off a considerable portion of the land in village lots, in order to get sufficient means with which to carry on the work. Many of our people purchased lots, believing that in so doing they were benefiting the school, and at the same time helping themselves.
Now, if all these lots had been sold and paid for, there would never have been any debt on Union College. It is true that some years the operating receipts have not equaled the operating expenses, but it is also true that during good financial years these deficiencies have been more than overbalanced.
But the hard times came, and very many of those who had bought land were unable to pay for it, and some have never been able to pay for it. Had the college been able to get all this money, as was expected in the beginning, there never would have been any debt.
It has never seemed to me reasonable to censure any one for this debt. The plan of providing means for the erection of Union College was, to all human appearances, a good one,—one which would enable our people to have a fine school plant without calling for much means in gifts and donations. Had men been able to foresee the financial stringency which was coming, and the consequent lowering of real estate values, they would undoubtedly have planned differently.
When the war for the relief of Union College began, the indebtedness, according to the signed statement of Brother Joseph Sutherland, the Union College business manager, amounted to $79,000. The total amount received from the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons,” up to Sept. 30, 1902, is $42,349.54. Besides this there have been received by donations $1,216.79, making the total amount received $43,566.33. Of this amount, $39,000 had been paid on the principal of the debt, and $4,566.33 on interest.
This is a most encouraging showing. It proves that more has been paid on the Union College debt during the last two years and a half than in all the previous years. It demonstrates that God’s plans are best, not only for our spiritual welfare, but also for our temporal. For all this we bless and praise his holy name.
