An Important Question to Be Decided Now
By Arthur G. Daniells
WHAT shall be the policy or program of Seventh-day Adventists regarding the missions for the year 1904? Shall we advance, stand still, or retreat? We are bound to do one of these. To retreat means to withdraw some of our laborers, and possibly to abandon some of our missions. Shall this be our policy for 1904? No doubt every one who reads this suggestion will promptly say, No. We can not pull down our flags, surrender our forts, and abandon the field for the enemy to recapture. No true Seventh-day Adventist will consent to this. Then why raise the question?—Because of its bearing on our present financial condition. A very essential factor in the problem of missions is money. Missions can not be opened, operated, and maintained without money. It takes cash to stay on the field, hold the forts, and keep the banners unfurled. Every man at home who shouts to his comrades to hold the forts is in duty bound to send them supplies to sustain them on the battle field. How long can our comrades hold the forts without food? It takes money to live in mission fields, the same as it does in the home land. The only possible gain to the denomination in beating a retreat from our mission stations would be smaller gifts to missions. That is all. Do you say that that is not sufficient to compensate for the loss we would sustain by the retreat, and that you would rather give more than ever? Very well, there shall be no retreat; that is settled. Now shall we stand still or advance? To stand still means that we shall aim at nothing more than to hold our own. It means that we shall simply work to the point of maintaining the missions we have already established. It means no further advance on the enemy’s territory, the taking of no more fortresses held by the enemy, and the lifting of no more standards of Prince Emmanuel for the people to rally around. Will this do? Is this the program this denomination wishes to adopt for 1904? This is not in harmony with the character and purpose of our message. But it has this point: it will relieve us from greatly enlarging our gifts to missions. I doubt whether a single believer who gives this question thoughtful study will feel that merely a saving of expenditure of money will justify us in adopting a “stand still” policy. No one would dare to instruct the Board to adopt this program. We are left, then, with but one course to pursue; namely, to advance. To advance means to enter new territory, to capture new fortresses now held by the enemy, and to unfurl more banners bearing the inscription, “The Commandments of God, and the Faith of Jesus.” But to do this means to send to the front fresh recruits. Our comrades now in the fields abroad are few and scattered. They face enormous forces and tremendous obstacles. They have very meager facilities. Many of them are working to the utmost of their strength. Some are breaking down under the strain. It is impossible to think of advancing without reckoning on sending out more laborers from the home land. This means the raising of more money. Missionaries can not fly to distant fields. They must travel by the same facilities that other mortals do—by coaches, railroads, and steamships; and when they reach their fields, they can not live nor carry on their work without money. They must have food and clothes, the same as those who remain at home. They must pay street-car fares, hire halls, and distribute literature. All this must be done among strangers, who do not know our message, and can not be expected to contribute much toward the support of our work. The raising or giving of money for missions is a very practical phase of our great problem regarding missions. The gifts of our people during the coming week of prayer will determine what our program for missions shall be for 1904. The field is before us to enter. Fortresses are to be taken. Our General is at the front, commanding us to advance. Consecrated workers are ready to go. But we have no money to send them. We have used all that has come7from our people, and yet we have not supplied the fields with all that was promised last spring to keep the work going that had been already started. Brethren, if there is to be any advance, there must be larger giving. We can scarcely hold the ground we now occupy with the contributions we are receiving. We appeal to you in the name of the God of Israel to take this matter to heart. We appeal to you in behalf of the millions of suffering men, women, and children who need this message of light, life, and hope that has come to you. We appeal to you in behalf of the glorious triumph of this great movement under the third angel’s message to make large gifts during the coming week of prayer to the cause of missions. You are literally covered with blessings from the good hand of God. You have the light of the third angel’s message. You are in a land of great personal freedom and financial prosperity. If there is any one in the world who has reason to give liberally to missions, and who can give liberally, it is you. If there was ever a time that you could make large gifts, it is now.