It Is Not too Late by Arthur G. Daniells

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Jan 21, 1904

It Is Not too Late

By Arthur G. Daniells

We are receiving many letters at the General Conference office enclosing offerings for missions, and expressing the hope that the gift will not reach us too late to be placed in the annual offering taken in the churches during the last week of prayer.

To all who have sent offerings to our office since the week of prayer, I will say that the gifts are not too late to be placed in the last annual offering. And to all others I will say that it will be several weeks yet before the final returns are in from the week-of-prayer offering. There is still opportunity to help swell the annual offering to $50,000.

But that which prompted me to write this article was to tell of the impression made on my mind by the oft-repeated and anxious expressions of the givers—“I hope this is in time,” “I hope this is not too late,” “Am I too late for the annual offering?” These statements have awakened me to a realization I have never before experienced of what it will mean to our people when it will indeed be too late—not to place their gifts in the regular annual offering, but to place their money anywhere in the cause of God.

In the letters referred to, some of the donors have said, “If this donation is too late for the annual offering, apply it to China, or to India, or where needed most.” The privilege of having the money used in the cause somewhere, makes the matter of being too late for the annual offering not so serious after all.

But the time is coming when the work of God in the earth will be finished. It will be said, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous

let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22: 11, 12.

Then it will be too late to use our means in the cause of God for the salvation of men. No one will be able to say, “If this is too late for the regular offering, apply it to Africa, or to Japan.” The work for these countries will have been finished. There will not be left a single place in this world where money can be used for gospel work. Gospel work will have closed. There will not be a single gospel enterprise to which our money can be devoted. There will be absolutely no use for money in gospel service. Then it will be too late.

Thank God, that day is drawing near. The last generation has come. Matt. 24: 34. We are now in the hour of God’s judgment. Rev. 14: 6, 7. This is the day of God’s preparation. Nahum 2: 3. It is the eleventh hour. Matt. 20: 6. Now every one can devote his time, energies, and means to the cause of God for the salvation of the world. This is our opportunity. My heart is deeply moved as I think of the possibilities of this hour. May the Spirit of the living God awaken and arouse his people.

When this hour of opportunity for gospel service closes, it will close all opportunity to use our means for any purpose whatsoever. Every dollar unused then will be utterly worthless. In deep remorse and unutterable anguish the silver and gold will be thrown to the moles and the bats.

The great purpose of all heaven at this time is to finish the gospel work, and this should be the great all-consuming purpose of the church on earth. No talents, no treasure, should be esteemed too precious for this work. No toil, no sacrifice, should be considered too great for this work.

It is high time for every person connected with the movement of the third angel’s message to settle the question fully in his own mind whether this movement is from heaven or not. If this movement is genuine, if it is all that it claims to be, all that we have claimed for it, we are certainly justified in pronouncing it to be the most important and serious movement in the world. If it is, it should be treated as such by those identified with it.

The brother in one of our Western churches who has a large farm, well stocked with horses and cattle, did not treat this cause as the greatest thing in the world, when he made a contribution of twenty-five cents to the annual offering at the close of the week of prayer.

That brother in one of our Eastern churches who has not paid tithe for two years is not treating this movement as though he believes it to be the last solemn call of God to a perishing world.

We rejoice to be permitted to say that it is not too late to devote the means God has given us to the promotion of this glorious work.

A. G. DANIELLS.