Gifts from Our American Conferences During 1906
By Arthur G. Daniells
THE REVIEW of July 5, and Nov. 15, 1906, contained acknowledgments of appropriations from surplus tithes made by local conferences to the General Conference for mission fields. The amount that had been appropriated up to July was $22,515.47. By November, this had been increased to $47,450.47. By December 31, this handsome sum had been raised to $52,450.47—more than one thousand dollars a week for the entire year. This acknowledgment of the gift for the entire year certainly seems tardy, but the tardiness is not due to forgetfulness. Lack of time and space may properly be given as the cause of delay. The list of appropriations for the entire year stands as follows:—
Atlantic Union Conference....$ 2,000.00
Iowa Conference .......... 6,000.00
Maine Conference .......... 300.00
West Michigan Conference... 4,150.00
Northern Union Conference.. 2,000.00
Central Union Conference ... 2,000.00
Pacific Union Conference ... 2,000.00
California Conference ...... 1,000.00
Lake Union Conference ..... 3,767.11
Southern California Conf. .. 5,398.36
Upper Columbia Conference.. 3,000.00
Western Washington Conf. ... 1,200.00
Minnesota Conference ....... 500.00
South Dakota Conference .... 500.00
Western Oregon Conference . 1,000.00
Nebraska Conference ........ 10,095.00
Kansas Conference .......... 1,000.00
Oklahoma Conference ........ 2,540.00
Missouri Conference ........ 1,000.00
Colorado Conference ........ 1,000.00
North Dakota Conference ... 2,000.00
Total ....................$52,450.4718 This amount, it should be understood, is in addition to all that was given by various conferences for the support of laborers who have gone from these conferences to mission fields in recent years. This thousand dollars a week is above and outside of all the regular gifts that have formerly come to the General Conference for missions. These gifts testify to the deep interest these conferences have in the missionary enterprises of this cause. The president of the Nebraska Conference in his annual address expressed the interest felt by the conference committee and the people, as follows:— “It has been a great source of joy to the conference committee, and I may say to all our people through the conference as well, many of whom have expressed the same, that we have been able this year to assist the Foreign Mission Board to the amount of over seven thousand dollars in their efforts to lengthen the cords and strengthen the stakes in fields abroad. And one of the gladdest messages I have to bring to this conference is a recommendation that we add to our appropriation to foreign missions from our surplus tithes for 1906, the sum of three thousand dollars, which will raise the appropriation for the year to little more than ten thousand dollars, and to assure the conference that we are able to do this without crippling our finances. To show how this help has been appreciated by the Mission Board, I will read a few extracts from a letter received from Elder Daniells. (Extracts read.) “This is not a movement that has been worked up by the president of the conference or by the conference officers. It is a movement that has taken its rise in the hearts of the people, prompted, I believe, by the Holy Spirit. The people have shown an increased faithfulness in the payment of the tithe, and the movement to pass on the surplus to the foreign fields has been spontaneous on the part of the people. No question touched upon at our four camp-meetings this year met with such a vigorous and heartfelt response as did the presentation of the foreign missionary work and the proposals to donate for its support from our surplus tithes. Nor would I speak of this matter as though we had done more than we ought to have done and that now we can rest content to do less along this line. I expect to see a steady and a healthy growth of sentiment in this effort until the larger portion of the tithe will be used to extend the message in foreign lands, and we shall say to every worker upon whom the Lord lays the burden to go to the foreign fields, “Go, and our tithes will follow you as a means of support.” I have come to believe that we do not need very many paid laborers in our home field. With over two thousand loyal Sabbath-keepers in Nebraska who are willing and anxious to work if they only knew how, and with such marvelous facilities at our command, all we need is clearly defined plans and a few good leaders and the message can be quickly given to every soul within the borders of our conference.” Greater than the joy experienced by those who make these appropriations is the joy of those who receive them in the great, dark mission fields where they are working. Only the Lord of the whole earth can fully understand the value of these gifts to his cause. Why should not these appropriations be duplicated during 1907? They are as sorely needed as they were during 1906. If the Lord who gives his people power to get wealth continues to liberally bestow his bounties upon us, why should not our conferences continue to send their surplus to the mission fields instead of banking it or planning to use it? We believe, from the many hearty assurances given us, that these gifts will be more than duplicated this year. In behalf of the General Conference Committee, the missionaries in the field, and the people for whom the work is being done, I sincerely thank our conferences for these gifts. A. G. DANIELLS.