The Collection for Orphanages
By I. H. Evans
THE first Sabbath in April has been set apart by the General Conference as the day on which to make an offering for the support of the Haskell Home, and other orphanages maintained by our denomination. The word “orphan” appeals in a special manner to every true heart. One of the saddest misfortunes of childhood is to be thrown upon the charities of a busy, selfish world, without a home and an education. These little helpless ones can not care for themselves; nor can they know what they have lost by not having a Christian home, with the sweet, uplifting influences of such environment, until later in life. How often have we sung that sweet melody,— “How dear to this heart are the scenes of my childhood, When fond recollections present them to view; The orchard, the meadow, the deep tangled wildwood, And every loved spot which my infancy knew.” Most of us have homes. Many of us are almost strangers to want and penury. When our own children are under the parental roof, with every need supplied, is it not a pleasure to consecrate an7offering to help the homeless and those in need? Oftentimes it is not possible to take these little ones into our own homes. The lack of health, care of our own children, or our limited accommodations, often tend to make it impossible to take an extra child into one's family; but most of us can make an offering to help sustain orphanages already established, where these needy ones can find not only a shelter, but where they may receive a Christian education. Various orphanages have been established in different parts of the country, and are operated by our own people. Generally, there is a large item of expense connected with these homes, and very few among our people are sufficiently well supplied with funds to enable them to establish and maintain a public orphanage at their own expense. It is, therefore, necessary that these enterprises be supported by the contributions of those who are in sympathy with the lines of work that they are carrying forward. Our people have generously supported orphanages that have existed among us in the past. Year by year they have contributed large sums of money for the maintenance of these homes. All these gifts are remembered by our kind Heavenly Father. The word of God is full of benedictions on those who are kind to the unfortunate and to the helpless. When our Master was here on earth, he said: “For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. “Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” And in a description of an acceptable fast unto the Lord, we find these words:— “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. . . . “And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” Remember Sabbath, April 7, 1906, is the day on which this offering will be taken. Shall it not be a liberal one?