Your ShelfYour Projects

Christian Greetings:

17%

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 23, 1902

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 79, No. 51.

Read the full edition

Christian Greetings:

By A Layman

I have read with much interest your good article in the REVIEW AND HERALD, and would like to express my full sympathy with the points as you have brought them out there. I am much pleased to notice your decided stand that the old debts on our schools should be paid off by the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons” before any other use is made of money from that source.
I am sure our officers will be watched eagerly by the lay members — at least I shall do so — to see whether or not they will keep strictly to it. Many have run headlong into debt without having any just knowledge as to how they would get out of debt in a straight, honest way. Surely, if our people should find out that the same old dance was going on, they would get discouraged, and would entirely lose all interest in the payment of debts, and the good of co-operating in wiping out our denominational debts would be lost. I was forcibly impressed with the hint in your article that something of that kind was coming on us again. It would surely be too bad if it were so. I am glad to say (and I thank God for the privilege) that I, too, am taking a hand in wiping out the debts, having sold about one hundred and twenty copies of “Christ’s Object Lessons,” besides contributing to the Material Fund; so I believe I am entitled to an opinion on this question, even if my opinion is wrong. The Lord knows my heart is in his cause. This debt of ours is a reproach upon his work. This point of being so largely indebted struck me awfully when I first took a stand for the truth. I was almost struggling then whether or not the Seventh-day Adventists could be God’s people with debts to such an enormous extent. Excuse my bad English. I am German, so I cannot do any better. I just thought a hint from lay members might sometimes help more in clearing away mists and clouds, etc., than any help which might come from those who are right in it.
May God bless you and all the workers, and make them chosen vessels of God to do his work.
I always read with great interest the good articles which appear in our papers, and am always eagerly watching and looking for them.
Yours in the blessed hope, A LAYMAN.