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The Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollar Fund

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 15, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 46.

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The Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollar Fund

By I. H. Evans

For Special Work at Home and Abroad

A Suggestion for Thanksgiving

As business is generally suspended on Thanksgiving day, we have a suggestion to make for a very profitable use of the occasion in the interest of this message. * In the first place, as we consider the many encouraging tokens in connection with the cause of God, not only in the home field, but also in distant lands, we have great reason for thanking the Lord. Most cheering reports come from every foreign mission station. Japan, Korea, India, China, the Levant, darkest Africa, South America, the West Indies, and the islands of the Pacific, all send the cheering news of a large ingathering of souls, and general prosperity.
A large number of workers have been selected by the Mission Board and sent abroad the past year. Various out-stations have been opened up in numerous mission fields, so that nearly every mail brings us the cheering report of advancement of the work in distant fields.
Again, the tithes have greatly increased during the last year. The last statistical report we have for the year 1905 shows a marvelous increase in the tithes over that of the preceding year.
Our schools are full almost to the limit. Some of them are even obliged to refuse to take more students, because there is not sufficient accommodations for all who desire to come. This is a very encouraging feature of our work; for many from this large army of young people will come from these schools to spread the third angel’s message.
The health of those who have been directly engaged in the advancement of the work has been more than ordinarily good, and but few of our missionaries or leading men have fallen in death during the last year. This should be a cause for great gratitude to the Lord on our part.
A spirit of unity and love seems to prevail throughout the field, such as has not been experienced before for many years. Most of the conferences are in a prosperous condition, and are enjoying a large measure of the blessing of God in the work that is being done throughout the field.
A liberal attitude on the part of the various State conferences toward the denominational work in the donation of tithes from their State funds to the mission fields, gives indication of confidence and co-operation. During 1906 the various conferences in the United States have contributed to the mission fund from their tithe not less than $60,878.61. This is very encouraging indeed.
On the part of the workers throughout the wide field there has never been, perhaps, in the history of our denominational work a time when there was a greater willingness on the part of the various laborers to go to any field to which they are called, than at the present. It is no longer difficult to find men who are willing to go to India, and China, and Africa.
The camp-meetings the past year have been especially blessed with a large measure of the Spirit of God. Many conversions have been reported in almost every conference, and there is every indication that those who were in attendance at the meetings received much of the blessing of God.
The offerings that have been given to foreign missions, and Sabbath-school and special donations, have been most liberal on the part of our people this year. We truly expect the year 1906 to be the banner year in our missionary work, not only in the prosperity that has attended the work in the foreign fields, but in the liberal donations on the part of those in the home land.
These and many other reasons can be offered why it would be proper for Seventh-day Adventists everywhere to meet in their respective places of worship, and conduct a Thanksgiving service in honor of the God who has given us so many blessings.
It has been thought proper by the officers of the General Conference to suggest that Thanksgiving day be set apart as a day when those who have not yet begun to raise the $150,000 fund should bring in their offerings. If all would respond to this call, there could easily be gathered in a large sum on this occasion. We would not be the poorer, and the institutions that are to receive the benefit of this donation would be greatly helped.
The needs of these various institutions will be set forth from week to week in the columns of the REVIEW. We hope our people will carefully read all that shall be written concerning them.
It has also been recommended that after we have taken our donation on Thanksgiving day, each member of the church, so far as willing, agree to lay aside at home a daily offering for the $150,000 fund, until the first day of January, 1907. This offering should be brought weekly to the church, and placed in the envelope, and properly marked, so it will go into the $150,000 fund. Then the church treasurer will forward these donations from week to week to the State conference treasurer.
Is it not possible, if we should all take hold of this fund in a systematic, earnest way, that we should have our $150,000 raised by the first of January, 1907? This would enable us to go on with our usual work in behalf of foreign missions.
We ask our people in each church throughout the field to consider this matter, where the conference has not yet made other arrangements, and see what can be done on this important occasion in the matter of making a large donation toward the $150,000 fund.
I. H. EVANS.