Conferences and the Mission Fields
By W. A. S.
The conferences are reaching out, in their efforts, toward unentered fields as never before. This means much to the cause of missions. It enabled the Mission Board to meet the sudden call to open a new mission in Nyassaland, and the same missionary spirit on the part of conferences is helping in a score of fields. On account of this desire on the part of conferences to help as conferences in the mission fields abroad, as well as on other accounts, the people ought certainly to respond faithfully in bringing the tithe into the conference treasuries. Some, upon whose hearts the burden of the mission fields has been pressed heavily, have felt that, inasmuch as a disproportionate amount of means was being expended in the home fields, they would like their tithe to go direct to the missions. This, however, would not be the right way to regulate the matter, and would lead to confusion, which, in the end, would not further the missionary cause. And now that the conferences are anxious to spend more and more of their resources in helping beyond their own borders, the tithe payers may feel that in strengthening the hands of the home workers they are directly building up the cause abroad. The field is one. The conferences realize that the needs of Europe, of Asia, of Africa, press upon each and every home conference. We are lined up in one solid phalanx to press this battle to the gate. It is worth remarking that the conferences find nothing is lost to the home work by the effort to help in the regions beyond. Again and again we find conferences that are doing the most beyond their own borders reporting that the tithes and other funds have so increased that there has been more for home interests than ever before. “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth.” The proverb is as true of conference work as of the individual. The call of the hour is to a systematic campaign for planting the standard in unoccupied fields in all the earth, and as we move all together in line with God’s call, he opens his treasury in the hearts of the people. Some time ago Wisconsin was giving over twenty per cent of its income for work beyond its own borders. The people have felt the inspiration of this missionary policy, and have responded in tithes and offerings for conference needs more freely than ever. The same report, in general, might be made of other conferences that are helping according to their ability. If a full tithe were paid into every conference treasury, our conferences, without neglect of their local work, could take on vast responsibilities in the great and populous mission fields. We know that conference committees are desirous of extending their work in the mission fields, and for this reason are the more anxious to see the tithe fund increase. One cannot help rejoicing as one sees how easily an awakened people can fill the earth with the sound of the truth. The crusade with “Christ’s Object Lessons” is suggesting how great a part the rank and file of our people are to act in evangelizing the home field. Stirred by God’s call to meet the final issue, our whole denomination may quickly carry the truth through every community within organized conference boundaries. As this burden rolls upon the people, bringing the blessing of service with it, the public laborers can more and more freely be sent abroad into the populous fields where the many millions are waiting. Let us never take our eyes off the mark until every land has had the witness borne within its borders.