The Week of Prayer for 1904
By Arthur G. Daniells
At the General Conference Committee council recently held at College View, Neb., various questions relating to the week of prayer for 1904 received thoughtful consideration. This council was attended by a large number of union and local conference officers and ministers, all of whom were invited to join in the deliberations of the council. After free and thorough discussion, the following recommendations were passed, expressing the agreement arrived at:— 1. That the time for the week of prayer be set for December 10-17. 2. That the following be the program of readings:— Sabbath: “What this Denomination Exists For,” by E. W. Farnsworth. Sunday: Reading by Mrs. E. G. White. Monday: “The Spirit and Power of the Message in the Early Days,” by S. N. Haskell. Tuesday: “Our Message and Work To-day,” by W. W. Prescott. Wednesday: “Incentives to Service in Current Signs of the Times,” by E. T. Russell. Thursday: “Review of the Field,” by W. A. Spicer. Friday: Reading from Mrs. E. G. White. Sabbath: “The Mission Outlook,” by A. G. Daniells. (The offering to be taken at this service.) For Christmas or the Sabbath preceding (optional with each church), Missionary Program for Children, Estella Houser. 3. That in event of failure in any of these plans, the officers of the General Conference be empowered to arrange for the deficiency. 4. That W. A. Spicer, W. A. Colcord, and Estella Houser be an editorial committee on week-of-prayer readings. 5. That general officers and conference presidents be requested to write articles for the REVIEW, setting forth the aims and objects of the week-of-prayer season. 6. That conference laborers be recommended to use their conference papers for the same purpose. Whereas, We have now opened missions in nearly every country in the world, thus permanently establishing our cause in all lands; and,— Whereas, The steps we have already taken bring us most pressing calls for more laborers and means; therefore,— We recommend, That a call be made for an annual offering of $80,000, and that we earnestly request the vigilant co-operation of all conference officers, ministers, church officers, and people everywhere in raising this amount during the next week of prayer. There was a general and deep conviction expressed by all who took part in the discussion of this question, that7most earnest efforts ought to be made throughout the world to make the coming week of prayer a great blessing to the cause of God. It was claimed that, in order to make this season set apart for Bible study, prayer, and service for God all that it should be, there must be united, earnest, prayerful co-operation on the part of the conference officers, ministers, and church officers throughout the denomination. Brethren, it is none too soon to begin to give this matter earnest attention. We should study the needs of such an occasion, the blessings it will bring to the cause if observed as it should be, and the loss that will be sustained by failure on our part to do this. We should begin early to place these considerations before our people. Speak earnestly to them through the papers at your command, and from the pulpit. Talk of them in the families you visit. If we do our part faithfully, we can consistently look for great blessings from God, and he will not disappoint us. It will be seen that one of the recommendations provides that a call be made this year for an annual offering of eighty thousand dollars. Last year we called for fifty thousand dollars, and received over forty thousand dollars. This large contribution has been a great boon to our missions. But the great, destitute fields we have now entered are calling for more laborers, and this means larger gifts. Larger giving on our part is possible because of the continued prosperity God is granting to us. He is bestowing his gifts most bountifully. Eighty thousand dollars can be given to missions by this denomination during the coming week of prayer. In behalf of our missionaries who are struggling along with meager facilities in difficult mission fields, and in behalf of the teeming millions who are perishing without hope, I appeal to all our people to begin early to plan for an annual offering of eighty thousand dollars. I believe the Lord calls for this. Shall we fail? We must not.