Commendable Missionary Zeal by Wm. Penniman

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 28, 1906

Commendable Missionary Zeal

By Wm. Penniman

WM. PENNIMAN

We quote the following paragraphs from the Stanford Morning Star of February 13:—

“The Christian Church, or Disciples of Christ, number 1,220,831, a gain of 33,464 during the past year. The churches number 10,983, or a gain over one year ago of 126. The ministers number 6,507. In comparatively a few years this church has come to be one of the largest religious bodies of the country; nor is that all. Last year this people raised $681,065 for missions, $339,000 for education, $575,000 for new church buildings, $345,000 for literature, $915,000 for incidental church expenses, $4,270,000 for support of ministers of the church, or a grand total for all purposes of $7,125,065. These are certainly interesting figures.

“The Foreign Christian Missionary Society of this church, which does work

in foreign lands only, was not organized till 1875. Since that time it has raised and expended $2,032,833. It does work in Japan, China, India, Africa, Turkey, England, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Cuba, Hawaii, Philippine Islands, and Tibet. The receipts last year were $210,000. An effort is being made, with bright prospects of success, to raise a quarter of a million dollars this year. The number of missionary workers employed by this society is four hundred and seven. Last year forty-two schools were supported in foreign lands, with an attendance of about two thousand, and sixteen hospitals and dispensaries were conducted by eleven medical missionaries, and nearly seventy thousand patients were treated. The number gathered into the Sunday-school is about seven thousand. Last year the converts in the mission fields in foreign lands raised nearly thirty thousand dollars for the work.

“The time for the offering in all the churches of this denomination for this great and important work is the first Sunday in March. That is always a great day, to which the members look forward with great expectancy and joy. The ministers preach their best sermons, and the churches give most generously.”

It will be seen from the preceding that there is a united, systematic, aggressive, and zealous effort by this people in missionary work. They are looking for a temporal millennium, and think the world is growing better. If this church has so much zeal, believing as they do, how much greater should Seventh-day Adventists have, who are looking for Christ in this generation! We are glad to see what the other churches are doing, as it is all preparing the way for the closing message.

We can not better close this article than to quote briefly from a paper entitled, “A Plea for Our Missions,” as follows:—

“The purpose of this plea for our missions is to sound a trumpet call to the whole denomination to turn their attention to this problem. Think of our missions. Read the reports that come from them. Pray for their prosperity. Study their conditions and needs. Give steadily and liberally for their support. If all our churches would become fired with a burning zeal in behalf of our missions, what a change would come over the denomination! Let no one fear that this would mean the neglect and ruin of the home work. Through the spirit of prophecy the Lord emphatically declares:—

“‘The home missionary work will be further advanced in every way when a more liberal, self-denying, self-sacrificing spirit is manifested for the prosperity of foreign missions; for the prosperity of the home work depends largely, under God, upon the reflex influence of the evangelical work done in countries afar off. It is in working actively to supply the necessities of the cause of God that we bring our souls in touch with the Source of all power.’”