Washington, D. C by J. S. Washburn

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 10, 1903

Washington, D. C.

By J. S. Washburn

The providences of God are as wonderful as on that day when the Red Sea rolled back, and God's people passed through on dry land, or on the day when the walls of Jericho fell down.

We had been looking forward to the decisive payment on February 2, with some anxiety, but with absolute assurance that it would be met. Monday morning we had about $1,000 in hand. The morning mail brought us $1,523. This includes the $1,000 that came from Battle Creek. By later mails and by telegraph the money kept pouring in until when the hour for the payment of $2,500 came, we were able to pay $4,500, two thousand dollars more than the required amount, and the interest on the whole amount from November 1 up to date. Thirty-two hundred dollars was a payment, $1,300 and the interest was loaned by friends, without interest. The original debt was $12,900. The church paid $500 in November, and that, with the $4,500 paid last night, reduces the debt to $7,900, which bears interest at 5½ per cent, payable semiannually. We have the privilege of making a payment of five hundred dollars or the whole amount on sixty days' notice. Now that such a deep interest has been manifested by our people, we believe surely that the debt will be met at once. How easily this could be done if all would do that which the Lord has put into their power to do! I do not believe for one moment that the Lord wishes, or that our people wish, to have as a monument to the work of the last saving message a church in debt, that the memorial of our work in the nation's capital shall be a debt dragging for years or never paid till the Lord shall come.

In all the work in the nation's capital this summer the credit of the cause has been at stake. It has made the strain of the work very great. The Lord has wonderfully vindicated the honor of his truth, and the payment of February 2 has done more to lift us into a creditable position in the capital city than anything ever done before. We are more thankful to God, more grateful to our people who gave so liberally, than we can express. Will not every one give liberally during the next few days? Then Washington will have what it has long needed to have—a memorial of the great message of eternal truth. Other churches, notably the Lutheran, have memorial churches here to counteract the tremendous power of Romanism. Shall we who have the only weapon that can meet and overthrow Romanism do less than they? All invested here will return to the work at large in money and influence. The large list of subscribers reveals the interest in this work. May it increase until the work is finished. J. S. Washburn.