Calls for Help by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 8, 1875

Calls for Help.

By James White

During the period of our connection with the work of the third angel’s message, which has been not far from a quarter of a century, we have not made calls for help in any branch of the work unless we saw real and pressing need; nor have we called for charity for the poor and suffering unless we could have the best assurance that it would be properly appropriated. And in all cases, we have been as careful to see that the conscientious, liberal poor did not give too much as we have been to induce the more wealthy to give of their abundance for the Lord’s cause. As proof of the last statement we could call out testimonies from many poor persons from whom we have refused to take money, and also those to whom we have returned money which was sent to us.

We have felt a most solemn duty to act as above stated in our business relations to the cause for these reasons: 1. That the poor might not do more than they were able to do. 2. That the wealthy might share the blessings of the cheerful giver. 3. That we might, by a course of conscientious carefulness, hold that confidence of a devoted and liberal people,

necessary to their constant and increasing liberalities as calls increase to meet the rapidly increasing efforts to extend the work of warning the world. 4. That the Lord’s means in the hands of his people might be used in a manner to really advance the cause, and at the same time to secure a reward in Heaven to the cheerful giver.

Twenty years ago, we held the same views of the nature of our message, and of the great work it would do for the world, that we do now. And we then made up our mind that the great work of warning the world would be accomplished by those to whom God had entrusted the third angel’s message. And we have not seen reasons to change from this position. We have pleaded, and shall continue to plead, that we should, as a people, unite our small forces to the point of helping forward those enterprises which are directly aimed to the advancement of the cause, and to warning the world of its swiftly approaching doom.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so much greater are the spiritual wants of the people than their temporal wants. The most severe and heart-rending famine the world ever knew will soon be the famine for the word of the Lord. Now, we may give the bread of life, the word of God, to those who will soon perish for the want of it. Soon it will be too late.

God bless those who have a heart to feed the hungry with the bread that perisheth, and to visit the sick, and who sympathize with suffering humanity. But should Seventh-day Adventists devote all their means and all their time to the relief of the poor and the suffering, their short arms could not reach a hundredth part of the continued want and woe of our world. And what would then become of the sacred trust committed to them to feed the hungry with the word of God? Who would care for the several branches of the work connected with our message? We do not hesitate to here state that our very first and chief efforts are demanded to advance the specific work of the cause of the third angel’s message. But all do not see this point. But few really feel that the work is one of greater importance than any other under the broad heavens. But very few really believe in the great facts of our message. Hence, most of our people scatter their influence and efforts, and use their means to no special benefit to the one great and most important end.

Our people are very confiding in their leaders. This is as it should be. But it is a most cruel business for those who handle the confidence of our people, to use the Lord’s means in a reckless manner that will surely shake their confidence, and open a door of temptation before them. We object to calls being made where there is not real need. And we protest against general calls for means where there is no well-organized system that will secure proper appropriations.

From 1865 to 1869 donations were called for and received from conferences, churches, and from individuals, for the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association, amounting to more than $5,000. And that sum, and a good deal with it, was squandered by inexperienced and unconsecrated hands. Calls were repeated, cash came in, and was handled carelessly, for the very reason, doubtless, that it came in promptly and abundantly. The Association had stood the high prices of the war, and should have increased rapidly in means from 1865 to 1869 without these donations. Then money was plenty, and prices were rapidly falling. There has been no better time for business than during those four years, and yet with these donations the Association hardly held its own. During the four years following 1869, under a different administration, the value of the Association was doubled by its own earnings. And this was at a period when money was comparatively scarce. We write the things we know as a duty we owe to our faithful brethren. We state the facts in the case for their information.

The S. D. A. Publishing Association has needed no donations since its incorporation in 1861. All that has been needed to meet the increasing business has been to bring about equality among all the friends of the cause in holding stock in this Association. We have urged this, and from our Rocky-Mountain retreat prepared a work in 1872, of 168 pages, entitled “An Appeal to Working Men and Women,” &c., in which we appealed to the Tract and Missionary workers to take this matter in hand, and labor to induce those who had not taken stock in the Publishing Association, to come up and stand equal with the old hands who had responded liberally to calls of this kind for a number of years. But up to this date we are without evidence that any attention has been given to the work set forth in that book by those who have managed the finances of the cause. It is evidently much easier to give unqualified and pressing calls, that move the poorer and more conscientious class, than to attend to the more practical and disagreeable work of patiently laboring to bring around equality. Many have given under these general calls who should not have been allowed to give, and when under these pressing calls means comes so abundantly in, there is, to say the least, great reasons to fear that means will not always be used as it should be. We are sure that we have seen carelessness in the management of many matters pertaining to the cause, which we attribute chiefly to abundance of means flowing in as the result of strong calls.

We mention, as a sample, a single fact in connection with tract and book circulation. We will first state that it has been with the most careful study and prudent management that our tracts have been furnished at extremely low prices. This has been done to encourage liberality and activity on the part of our people. But these very persons who have worked very hard to bring out and print these tracts, while practicing great economy and industry, have been pained to see the very profits they have labored to save to the Tract Societies, thrown away on express charges, when the books could have been forwarded at very much less expense as rail-road freight. Tons of books are sent out from our Office at Battle Creek, annually, by express, that could just as well, with a little care and forethought on the part of the receiver, be forwarded as common freight. This is a simple item among many others that might be named. We enter a solemn protest against that recklessness, in the use of means, that arises from the short-sighted and rash impulse, that because the Lord is soon coming, it is a sin rather than a virtue to use means carefully.

It is a mistaken idea that we should first raise all the means necessary for any enterprise, before entering upon it. In this case, it is generally the poorer classes that raise most of the means. It is a better way to move out by faith when the time has come to move, and, if necessary, create a debt, and then give the more wealthy a chance to choose or refuse to pay it. The wealthy ones must have a chance to show what they are, and where they stand. But very few of them will go through to the kingdom of God. “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God.” “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Mark 10: 23–25. Every proper inducement should, in a Christian manner, be set before the more wealthy to induce them to unload some of their burden of care, and send means forward to the next life. They should have the matter kept before them, as an opportunity to gain great wealth to be enjoyed by themselves throughout endless ages. Says Christ, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven.”

And it is a mistake to call in means until the treasury in all departments has a surplus. The publishing work was never done more faithfully and well, than when it was being rescued from influences which had plunged it in debt. And the most prosperous period of our Health Institute, in respect to numbers of patients, and amount of good done for the physical and spiritual good of its inmates, was when there was a general interest with all connected to raise heavy debts. At present, both the Publishing Association and the Health Institute, at Battle Creek, are in great need of more sanctified talent to run them properly; while both could do as well with less means. These institutions have both been fostered by our people in a liberal way, and if those who manage them do it with care, and the same spirit of self-sacrifice in which they came into existence, they will have great strength within themselves, needing no further assistance, and can be the means of doing much good. But where are the men imbued with the same spirit with which their founders were baptized? Where? May God give the cause devoted, able, and good men, to defend these institutions brought into existence by charity, and self-sacrificing toil.

We are entering more fully each year into the grave realities of the work of warning the world. And at every step in advance there is increasing importance to our general movements. The times and the work which God has called us to do, demand that we should gird up the loins of the mind, watch, and soberly, and in the fear of God, ponder well every step. None but God can guide us, and the cause we love, and for which we labor, safely through the perils of this time. Who can properly estimate the importance of Bro. Andrews’ movements in Europe? May God help him and our dear European brethren to publish in the French and German languages as soon as possible. Should Bro. A. wait for this work to be done up to his standard of thoroughness, loss might be sustained. He should bear in mind that God accepted and greatly blessed our imperfect work twenty-five years since. It was best to do what we did, when we did, the best we could then do it. At present we look to Europe for pure translations of our tracts into the German language, to be reprinted in this country. Something may be done in France and Germany in Europe with our English works; but a hundred times more with them in the languages of the people. Bro. A. must have the help he needs, and the means he needs, and let this work go right on.

A great work is advancing upon the Pacific Coast, and for a time it must have the sympathy and assistance of our people in older fields. We are in need of help. Our people in California pledged far beyond their ability at the camp-meeting last fall, unless the time of payment can be extended. Men pledged one hundred dollars each who work by days’ works to support their families, and to pay high rents, as they are not able to own a humble dwelling place of their own. And others pledged as high as five hundred dollars who are paying twelve per cent on thousands of hired money. These men must not be pressed. Give them time, and with the blessing of God they will meet their pledges. Most of the brethren are depending upon this summer’s crop to pay their pledges. A more willing, honorable, and liberal people cannot be found on the face of the earth than our brethren on the Pacific Coast. But the poorer ones can do but little at present, and the more wealthy ones always move slowly and cautiously.

But the work must not be hindered. The publishing house must go right up, and be furnished with material and stock to carry forward the work of publishing, as soon as possible. There must be an outlay of not far from $25,000 for a publishing house in California during the year 1875. And besides this, The Signs of the Times must be largely sustained by donations. Our eastern brethren are urgently invited to assist in this great work. Fifteen years since we appealed to the few there to do the same in Michigan, and stated that when established that Association would be more than self-sustaining. Our words have proved true. Our people have not been disappointed. The enterprise has proved a grand success. Our people own property in their Publishing Association worth $100,000 which has cost them from first to last less than $50,000. That institution is placed above want forever. The same results can be realized here by taking the same course. Thousands of brethren and sisters have embraced present truth since the few so liberally donated for the Battle Creek Office. And as that institution does not need their help, we shall expect them to help here.

The site is purchased at Oakland, Cal., and Bro. O. B. Jones, who put up our printing houses and college at Battle Creek, is on the ground, and goes immediately at the work of building. And we propose to attend the several camp-meetings, extend the circulation of the Signs, and receive the free-will offerings of the people that may be ready at that time, if we can have assurances of co-operation. A publishing association will be formed in a few weeks according to favorable existing laws of California, and certificates of stock, of probably ten dollars, gold value, a share, will then be issued. At present, it takes eleven dollars and fifty cents of greenbacks to make ten dollars in gold.

We now call upon the friends of the cause, far and near, to help us in this time of great need. Let the free-will offerings come, and certificates of stock will be issued in due time to the amount taken. Only about enough has been paid in of the California pledges to pay for the site. It will require $10,000, and a portion of this immediately to carry forward this work, and there is not a dollar of it in the treasury. But it will come when we must have it. The waters will part when we get to them. We go forward. Our plan is as follows:—

To thankfully receive means pledged by our people in California when it is consistent for them to pay it in.
To collect notes due in California or in Michigan, and some that are not due, if possible, and put the money into this building without interest until brethren can pay their pledges.
Attend all the camp-meetings, if responses from Conference Committees, and personal friends are favorable. Serve the general cause according to ability and strength, and give especial attention to the circulation of The Signs of the Times, and receive free-will offerings for the California publishing house and for the North Pacific Mission.

We were never more active than now. And with faith, hope, and good courage in the Lord, we go forward. God has dealt mercifully with us. He is blessing us and our dear children, who are all living with us at the work here. But our watch admonishes us to close this lengthy article. And we lay down the pen twenty-five minutes past one in the morning, and after bowing and asking the blessing of God to attend what we have written, envelope it for the early morning mail.

JAMES WHITE.

Oakland, Cal., March 26, 1875.