Words in Season by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 22, 1883

Words in Season.

By Editor

IN a report in the Review and Herald from Sweden, Bro. Matteson uses the following language, to which we call special attention:—

“We do not wish to mention names, but we wish our brethren in America, as well as in Sweden, to understand that it is not for the advancement of the cause to send papers and money to such men, even though they make long reports and strong appeals for money. One person who has done this has now united with another to publish a paper in Stockholm. We have received the first number. The last-named person published an article in a political paper some time ago, stating that he was no S. D. Adventist. He said he kept the seventh day, and believed in the soon coming of the Lord, the sleep of the dead, and the destruction of the wicked, but, nevertheless, he was persuaded, and wished others to understand, that S. D. Adventists, as well as other churches, belonged to the great harlot, Babylon, that is fallen. This paper was sent to us. He has a burden to make people believe that the mark of the beast is a literal mark, which will be branded into the foreheads and hands of those who receive it, either by a hot iron or by some chemical preparation. Some have embraced this new light, and seem to rejoice in it, because it gives them a chance to find fault with our views.”

We digress from the main design of these remarks to say that we have known a few in this country to take the same fanciful view of the mark of the beast, which destroys the harmony of Revelation 13 and 14, and sadly unhinges the Third Angel's Message. But, fortunately, most of our people are too well grounded in the principles of the present truth to be unsettled by the “new light.” Again Bro. Matteson says:—

“We desire that those brethren in America and elsewhere, who are in harmony with us and desire to help the Swedish Mission with their means, will do so through the General Conference Committee.”

This is a matter which ought to receive the earnest attention of all benevolent individuals, and of all the denomination. The abuse here spoken of has existed from the very beginning of our work. Before we adopted the tithing system, or any system of raising means, we were struck with the want of discernment manifested by many of our brethren in giving to the cause or to individuals, and the consequent inequality of the recompense bestowed on different laborers. Two ministers would go out to labor; one, a self-sacrificing, devoted man, whose mind was wholly on his work. Himself and his wants were kept out of sight, while he labored zealously for the cause. The brethren would be delighted with his labors; they would rejoice in his sermons and listen to his counsels, but seem to forget that he needed anything, because he had not the disposition to press his wants upon their notice. If he had a family he would often return to them with a sad heart, because he could not bring to them the means of providing even necessary food.

The other, of a different mould, would seek to attract people to himself; was always ready to present his own wants, real or supposed; would magnify the trials attending the work of the ministry, and thus enlist the sympathies of those among whom he labored. Having created a greater interest in himself than in the cause which he professed to represent, he would return to his home loaded with presents, though he had done but little good to the people among whom he had labored. And he would soon come to look upon this as his right, even though he knew that his fellow-laborers did not fare as well as himself, and was the first to murmur and complain of neglect. This is no fancy sketch; we have seen it acted over and over. The formation of Conferences and the introduction of system in our financial affairs, did much to remedy the evil, but it was not by any means cured. There have always been some who did not like to be bound by rules; did not like to conform to that which was adopted by the body. Sometimes they objected to it as inconsistent with their personal liberty, and sometimes excused themselves on the ground that their circumstances were peculiar, and they ought to be made exceptions to the rules which were applied to others. These stood exactly where their sympathies could be perverted and misdirected, and a complaining, selfish person could work upon their sympathies, and obtain means to a liberal amount from them, where the most urgent appeals for some suffering branch of the cause would fail to move them, especially if made by those who bore responsibilities, and were laboring in harmony with the system adopted by our people. These things we have witnessed very often.

And there is still another class, composed of conscientious, self-denying, benevolent people, whose feelings are in harmony with every branch of our work. They are very anxious to see the cause prosper, and their anxiety prompts them to do that which should only be done by, or under the counsel of, the Conference Committee. They will bend all their energies to respond to some urgent appeal, and not only give all they had to spare, but secure all that the brethren could spare as far as their influence extended, actually robbing the treasury of its due to meet a want, the merits of which they did not understand. We have known the resources of whole churches to be drained in this manner, and the Conference crippled, and worthy, faithful laborers left to suffer, while unworthy ones were liberally supplied. For, in such cases, it almost always turns out that the means so raised have been misapplied, and the cause has been injured and not benefited by a misappreportion of funds; by discouraging the faithful workers, and by strengthening the hands of those who are serving themselves and not the work of God, and who, sometimes, as in the case cited by Bro. Matteson, are fighting against the cause which the brethren, who bestow the means, dearly love and are anxious to advance.

Our Conference Committees are all finance committees according to the Constitution of the Conferences. In addition to this the General Conference Committee, by an article in the Constitution of that body, is constituted a Committee on Missions, all mission-fields, both home and foreign, being placed under its supervision.

No words are needed to prove that individuals and the cause will be best and most fairly served if the distribution of the funds is left to the proper committees. It is their duty to inquire into the circumstances of the applicants, and they have the means of acquiring an understanding of the case which others seldom have. And especially is this true of foreign fields. Our methods of operation have been well and carefully planned, and thoroughly proved, and no irregular, unorganized action will ever improve them. In most cases the gift of money in this irregular manner has led to many regrets; in some instances the donors have been so greatly disappointed with the results as to become discouraged, and for some time give little or nothing in any manner. Instead of complaining of those who received the funds they ought to bewail their own want of discernment whereby they have permitted funds to be diverted from their proper channel and lost to the cause. And instead of suffering the fountains of benevolence to dry up, they should be more earnest to “redeem the time,” and as far as possible remedy the errors of the past.

We suggest a few rules which, if followed, will leave little cause for regret in time to come:—

1. “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse” of the Lord. Do not withhold from the treasury that which is its just due.

2. If private calls are made for special help, to any large extent, seek counsel of those whose duty and privilege it is to understand the wants of the cause at large, and inquire concerning these two points: (1) Whether the person making the call is worthy and needy, and (2) Whether the outlay would be judicious, that is, whether you are not aiding a cause or person not greatly in need to the neglect of some branch of the work which may be suffering for the aid which you can give.

3. If you feel called upon to bestow a gift or make an offering to a cause in a distant field, especially in a foreign field, or wherever you are not acquainted with the circumstances, make it through the committees who have the oversight of that field and that work. They will be glad to convey your charities, as they are in that business, and they may be able to make suggestions to you which will prevent injudicious actions and consequent regrets.

If these rules were faithfully followed by all, there would be plenty in the treasury to meet the requirements of the work, all reasonable wants would be promptly met, and there would exist no possible causes of regret.

We ask our brethren and sisters to read this article a second time, and examine the subject carefully, and consider whether it does not present a remedy for many existing difficulties. God will bless us if we walk uprightly, and give us a cheerful courage in our work.