COME OVER AND HELP US by J. E. Fulton

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 5, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 10.

“COME OVER AND HELP US.”

By J. E. Fulton

We are not going to ask just now for more missionaries, altho we need them. There would be little use to send missionaries when our mission is so weak financially. But we have enterprises under way that need your help. If your hearts are in the work being carried on for the island people, send in some money to help this work along. It will be in vain for us to sing and pray about the preaching of the Third Angel’s Message to all the world in this generation, if we do no more than sing and pray. As General Booth said, it would be foolish to try to save a shipwrecked crew by having a fine choir of voices stand on the beach, and sing,—

“Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying.”

We may pride ourselves that we are doing more than we were a few years ago; but are we doing enough to save the millions who are in need of the help we can give them? A short time ago in one part of the home-field we were giving only a cent per week per member to advance the work in foreign fields. How paltry the sum! To quote a rather homely illustration used by another, a good hen devoted to missions would be better. Eggs in Fiji are worth three cents each, and no doubt they are worth at least one cent each almost everywhere. Now it is a very poor hen that lays only one egg per week. Such a fowl would soon lose her life because of her uselessness. How long-suffering is our God, who spares the lives of those who profess to love Him with all their hearts, and sing,—

“Take my silver and my gold, Not a mite would I withhold.”

and then only give such a trifle to save the lost! What marvelous ingratitude for those who could easily give dollars where they give dimes.

Let us make this matter a business. Sit down, and figure out how God has prospered you. Then note the millions unwarned of a soon-coming Saviour, and give not from impulse simply, but because it is our business to give. Christ said, “Go;” He said, “Give;” and He said, “Work.” We are His servants, and must do His bidding. If you are farmers, give a corner of the farm to the Lord for foreign missions, and cultivate that corner well. If you are raising cattle and horses, rear a good colt or calf for this needy work. How we wish we might have a good horse to work on our little mission farm! Sisters, give the eggs of a good laying hen or two to the cause of foreign missions, and don’t forget to feed the fowls some wheat or other good food, so that they may lay well and long. How cheering to the toiling missionary would be the cackle of such hens!—much more so than songs and prayers with no “do” in them.

Now in Fiji we are needing an oil-launch. We have lost our sailboat and can not do without some boat. Australia is helping us some; but we shall need perhaps more than we shall get from that quarter. If we get too much for a launch, we will devote it to literature. We wish very much to get Sister White’s “Christ our Saviour” translated and printed in Fijian. I am satisfied that some of the readers of the SIGNS wish to aid us. We understand that some have already sent in to the SIGNS office some money for us. In behalf of the work here, we thank you. Can some others help us? J. E. FULTON.