WASHINGTON, D. C by J. S. Washburn

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 4, 1903

WASHINGTON, D. C.

By J. S. Washburn

The day of miracles is not past. God has wrought for us here in a way simply miraculous.

The same glorious, everlasting Gospel proclaimed by the SIGNS OF THE TIMES for many years has been known to a limited extent in the nation's capital. But the work thus far, as far as location is concerned, has been “done in a corner.” A recent number of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES has explained the providential opening for the work in a most excellent location in the very heart of Northwest Washington. Beyond all expectation the Lord opened the way to establish the work on a sure basis here. A most excellent church building in an unsurpassed location came into our hands for the sum of $12,900. The believers are few, and have but small means. They knew it would be impossible for them to pay this amount. In their perplexity light came to them in the memory of a proposition made by one of the regular and best-known writers for the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Mrs. E. G. White. That was that all the believers in the great truth which this paper represents should unite to establish in the nation's capital a memorial of the truth which the whole world, but especially this nation and every man in it, must hear. Seeing before us the tremendous, the thrilling conflict that must center here in the capital city, and confident that God would reveal to all believers in this truth the importance of this step, we made the first payment of $500, and have put into the fund, in all, over $1,200, and will do yet all we can do. A payment of $2,500 was to be made on February 2, and for several reasons I can not here explain, the general appeal to the friends outside of Washington was made on very short notice. These matters require time to get started, and it was not surprising that on Monday morning, the day of payment, only about $1,000 was actually in hand. But the first mail brought us in $1,523, $1,000 of which was from the fund opened by the Review and Herald, Battle Creek, Mich.; the balance was general contributions all over the United States, from those who had heard the appeal for immediate help, and responded. By later mails and by telegraph the money kept coming in all day, until, at 7:30 P. M., when the hour had come to make the payment, we were able to turn over to the former owners of the church $4,500, instead of $2,500. Of this amount $3,200 was direct clear payment, and the $1,300 balance was a loan, without interest, by friends. The interest on the whole amount from November 1 was also paid up to date.

The original price of the church was $12,900. The amount owing on the church now is $7,900. This, with the amount still owing to the friends who made the loan, brings the entire indebtedness to the sum of $8,950. We believe that this amount can be paid in a few weeks, if all will help as God has given ability to help. A friend who had been instrumental in securing help for this fund wrote that his church would send the “widow's MIGHT.” If all would spell the “widow's MIGHT” as this friend has done, it would convey a vastly different idea from the usually-understood meaning of the phrase. The “widow's mite” meant “all the living she had.”

Since this fund was started some most pathetic letters have come to us, showing that there are those who still are willing to send all to help in the Lord's work. If all our good friends who have means would follow this principle, there would stand at the nation's capital a church free of all debt, ready to bear clear witness to the light, and the everlasting Gospel would go to all the world, and dark places would be lightened with the glory of the coming King. May the blessed Spirit of Him who was rich, and became poor, that we through His poverty might become rich, and who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,”—may His blessed Spirit be received and manifested by all who read this article.

What is given here will come back to the work in influence and means. Two Congressmen were at our meetings Sunday, January 25, and seemed deeply interested. Here, as in no other place in the world, this Gospel of the kingdom will reach men who will be able to help the grand work forward rapidly, till the last dark corner of this world has been lightened by the glory of God, and the kingdom has come, and God's will is done on earth as in heaven. Beyond all worldly consideration of loss or gain is this infinite privilege. Will not every reader of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES help to swell the fund already started, and hasten the coming of the King?

J. S. WASHBURN. 1728 14th Street N. W., Washington, D. C.