Discharging an Obligation
By Editor
The apostle Paul felt himself to be “debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.” When it was the good pleasure of God to reveal his Son in the apostle to the Gentiles, he was thereby placed under obligation to all who had not heard the gospel, and he gave his whole life to the work of discharging this obligation. The same principle holds good now. Those who have received the light of this closing message of the gospel have become indebted to the whole world, and the debt is the greatest to those who are in the deepest darkness. To discharge this obligation is their first duty. In doing this will also be found their truest happiness. For these reasons we feel that we are pointing out the path both of duty and of happiness when we place before our people in a clear and emphatic manner the special needs which present themselves in this work, and urge them to accept cheerfully and thankfully the responsibility of proclaiming this third angel’s message to all peoples in all lands. It becomes the duty of those who have been selected to exercise a watch-care over the development of this work to study the needs of the whole field, and to recommend such general plans as will enable all the people to act unitedly for the best interests of the work as a whole. In this way our efforts are not haphazard and fruitless, but well directed and much more satisfactory in their results. In this way there is also a more symmetrical development of the work in all its departments and in all fields. In pursuance of this plan, the General Conference, or the General Conference Committee, makes recommendations to our people concerning the raising and disbursing of funds required for the extension of the work, and appoints general collections in the churches. We know that those who love this truth desire to aid in sending it to others. It is impossible for all to go in person to the different fields, but all can be represented in the various missionary enterprises by uniting in their support. In the large council of representative brethren recently held at College View, Neb., it was unanimously recommended that on Sabbath, November 5, a general collection be taken in all the churches in this country, in order to provide funds for the more rapid extension of the work among the colored people of the South. The facts upon which this recommendation is based are briefly these: There are nearly nine million colored people in the Southern States; our work among the white people is not sufficiently developed to make the local conferences strong enough financially to assume, unaided, the burden of carrying the message to the colored people among them; the general trend of events in the South indicates plainly that it may be only a short time before it will be exceedingly difficult for white workers to4labor in behalf of the colored people, and this emphasizes the necessity of making the most of the present opportunities. Such are the facts. They are in themselves an earnest appeal for financial assistance. The General Conference Committee has regarded the South as a mission field, and in its annual appropriations it has included an item of seven thousand five hundred dollars for the benefit of the work in the Southern Union Conference, and, in addition to this, the General Conference pays several workers in that field, but this is found inadequate to meet the pressing demands for building up the interests of this cause among both the white and the colored people. For this reason this special collection has been recommended. We know that there are many calls for means, but we are glad of it. We hope that they will increase. It is a healthy sign. It shows that there are openings for the truth, and that something is being done. Instead of murmuring at the frequent calls for help, let us thank the Lord that this work is enlarging, and let us be glad that our Master has so ordered it that we can feel that we have a part in his work. Having thus presented the situation plainly, we feel assured that our people will respond to the recommendation of the council, and that a substantial sum will be realized from the collection. If there is united action, none need be burdened in order to provide what may reasonably be expected. Do you really feel that you are a debtor to the colored people of the South? Here is an opportunity to do something toward discharging this obligation. Another deposit can thus be made in the bank of heaven.