The Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollar Fund by Arthur G. Daniells

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 22, 1906

The Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollar Fund

By Arthur G. Daniells

For Special Work at Home and Abroad

To Ministers, Church Officers, and People

SINCE the final decision at the recent Washington Council to raise $150,000 for the advancement of our cause in home and foreign fields, many conference presidents have expressed a desire to have the campaign started soon, and, as far as conditions permit, to have it started all along the line at the same time.

Some have suggested that Thanksgiving day would be a good date to inaugurate the general movement. The officers of the General Conference Committee and a number of conference presidents have accepted this, and are making every preparation for it. This date is agreed upon because there is a desire to start the campaign now, before the holidays, and Thanksgiving day makes a good general starting-point. We do not observe days religiously simply because they are set apart by the nation for religious purposes. But we do make appointments ourselves for religious services on days which the Lord permits us to devote to secular pursuits. Gratitude, thanksgiving, and praise to our kind Father in heaven for all his mercies and blessings to us may flow from our hearts on any day of the week, month, or year. Some of the dearest memories of my childhood days are connected with the meetings held by our little church on the fourth of July. While the masses were celebrating the day in festivity, our church-members repaired to some pleasant, retired place in the woods for quiet recreation and earnest religious services.

As a people we have a great deal to be grateful for in this year of our Lord 1906. This has been a year of signal providences. The world has been visited with marvelous favors, and with terrible judgments. Whether we deserve it or not, welcome, cheering, uplifting blessings have come to us. The world over, our people have, to a large degree, been shielded from the perils and appalling disasters that have been the portion of millions of our fellow men.

In view of the glorious light of the third angel's message which God has given us, of the protection from disasters which he has afforded us, and the prosperity with which he has favored us, it would surely be pleasing to God and beneficial to us and our fellow men if all our people would lay aside their work and meet together on Thursday, November 29, for a service of thanksgiving and thank-offerings to the Lord.

There will be some, of course, who can not very well meet with the brethren on that day. All such can make it a day of special prayer at home, and can definitely set apart an offering for the $150,000 fund, and take it to the church officers the first time they meet.

If all our people would enter heartily into this arrangement for worship and giving, a large share of the fund would be contributed that day. Then, following that day, every believer should set apart something each day until the entire sum is raised.

How we wish all our people could see clearly and quickly the tremendous possibilities in this arrangement for united, general, continuous giving for one short month. We would learn the secret of doing great things for God.

We appeal to all — conference officers, ministers; church officers, and people — to take hold of this blessed work with enthusiasm. Why should not this people be truly enthusiastic for the cause of God? It has been said recently that men show enthusiasm for everything under heaven except the religion of Jesus. In religious matters men and women are cool, formal, and half-hearted. It was not so with Jesus and his followers. Of him it was written, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." The disciples said, "Did not our hearts burn within us?" O, let us pray for holy zeal, for heavenly enthusiasm for the cause of our God!

A reasonable donation on Thanksgiving day and a daily offering during the month of December by every church-member will raise every dollar of the $150,000 fund before the first day of January, 1907. Then let it be done.

A. G. DANIELLS.