A Matter Which Should Have Immediate Attention.
By John Harvey Kellogg
EVERY person who recognizes and believes the truths which are held by Seventh-day Adventists, for the promotion and propagation of which all our organizations and institutions have been created, owes himself and the cause a duty, the performance of which should receive immediate attention. This duty is nothing more nor less than the consecration of himself, soul and body, to the carrying forward of this great work in the world. This work and the principles which it represents are either a tremendous delusion, or else the most solemn, the most wonderful, and most important matter the human mind is capable of comprehending, a truth and a work the value of which the world has never before known. The light which Providence has permitted this people, to receive is incomparably greater and clearer than that which stirred the hearts of the noble army of martyrs who, during the ages, have yielded up all their worldly possessions, and even laid down their lives, for the truth. How many of the thousands who have received and profess to believe what we call present truth are really prepared to make any genuine sacrifice in its behalf? There certainly are some, many without doubt, as is evidenced by the generous support which has been accorded various institutions and denominational enterprises, and the half-million dollars which is annually raised in carrying forward the various lines of our missionary work. But has not the time come when the first thought and the first business of every man and woman who believes this truth should be the promotion of the cause of truth in the earth? The ordinary affairs of life, common commercial business, buying and selling for gain, sowing and reaping, various vocations of life,—do not these things keep the larger share of the attention of the great majority of those who call themselves Seventh-day Adventists? Why should the work of promulgating the truth be left to the ministers and Bible workers? Why should not every man and woman who believes the truth recognize what we call the cause as his cause, and regard the work of presenting this truth to the world as his work? Why should farmers plow, sow, and reap simply to make money to buy more land to plow and sow and reap to buy more land to plow and sow and reap, and so continue to add to their earthly possessions from year to year, while multitudes about them and millions in every land are dying in ignorance and darkness? It is right to plow and sow and reap, but the profits of the harvest which are not needed beyond one's necessities belong to God. To invest the fruit of one's labors in land or business simply for the sake of building up a business is to bury one's talents in the earth in the most literal sense. There is great need for preachers to proclaim truth, for more Bible workers to unfold the Scriptures from house to house, for more canvassers to circulate the printed page, for more doctors and nurses to administer to the needs of sin-sick souls and bodies. There is just as great need for missionary farmers and business men who will conduct their business not for worldly gain, but to earn means with which to replenish the Lord's treasury and carry forward the noble enterprises which have been established in the interests of truth. Many thousands of dollars are lost to the cause every year by bad investments, by failure of banks, by the neglect of those whose hearts are really in the work to make a will or otherwise to provide for the proper use of their competence after death. There is no bank in which money can be deposited so safely as in the cause of truth. There is no way in which a person can invest means on which the returns will be so great as to contribute to the advancement of the cause of truth in the world. A wealthy capitalist of Chicago said to the writer a few days ago, “I am not going to leave any money for the heirs to squabble over, or for the State to collect an inheritance tax upon. I am going to see that all my property is distributed before I am dead.” And this gentleman is carrying out his project. He has given careful study to the subject, and has seen great results from his contributions, which have amounted to more than half a million dollars, and he has millions more to give away. He has adopted a most unique method of giving. He gives fifty thousand or one hundred thousand dollars to some worthy enterprise, with the understanding that he shall receive an annuity amounting to two per cent. He stated that he has given away nearly a million dollars in this way. This allows him an income which he can use in giving to help in various other enterprises as he may see fit. This plan is an ideal one. There are many readers of this paper who might profit by this suggestion. Instead of waiting until you are dead to have your property invested in the cause of truth, make an investment while you are alive, reserving a stated income. This may perhaps be arranged anywhere from three to five per cent. Arrangements of this kind can safely be made with any of our institutions. There are farmers whose property does not yield them a profit of more than three or four per cent annual interest on the money invested. In such a case, the property might be sold, and the money invested in some worthy institution yielding an annual cash income, while the farmer and his family would be entirely relieved of the burden of care and anxiety respecting probable losses, and could devote their time to missionary work. Quite a number have already adopted this plan, and there are doubtless many more who might wisely consider it; not, however, that all should sell their farms. This plan is especially adapted to those advanced in years, and who are wholly or in part incapacitated for active muscular effort. The thought that ought to be uppermost in the mind of every person who knows the truth that this people profess is, “What can I do which will to the highest degree promote its advancement, and in what way can I so arrange my financial or other affairs as to help and encourage this noble cause to the greatest degree?”