Contribution Box by John Norton Loughborough

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · May 30, 1878

Contribution Box.

By John Norton Loughborough

WE have introduced an addition to our tent outfit on this coast which works so well that I will mention it for the consideration of tent companies, in other States. It is a "contribution box." Not a box to be passed through the house to each individual, at every meeting, as is practiced in most of the churches of the day upon this coast, but it is a nice black-walnut box six inches long, five inches wide, and four inches high, with a lid sliding in groved sides and secured when in, by a very small drawer lock.

The box itself is screwed down upon the end of the pulpit top. Upon the front side is a card with the word, "Contributions" upon it, in large letters. Under this card, and hanging down in front of the desk is a card, on which in quite large letters are these words, "Those wishing to aid in the expenses of these meetings will please place their contributions in the above box." Thus all are informed that they can help if they want to, and are told how they can do it and yet it is left optional with each, and none are driven away from the meeting with the idea that they can't attend unless they put something into the hat as it is passed.

Tent No. 1 at San Francisco has received in its box since this tent meeting commenced nearly $30, sufficient to pay for lights, lamp chimneys, fuel for heating the tent, and Sunday advertising of the meetings in two daily papers of the city.

Tent No. 2 reports that their "box has received enough to meet all running expenses." No. 3 reports enough received to meet all advertising bills."

We recommend this kind of contribution box to our fellow ministers believing it to be an improvement on the old plan of giving no opportunity for those who wish to aid in the expenses and avoiding at the same time the unpleasant and abused custom of always passing the hat. Think of it.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.