THE COLLECTION FOR THE SOUTH.
By G. I. Butler
AT the session of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists at Washington, D. C., last May, that assembly, representing the whole body of this denomination throughout the world, endorsed the collection for the colored work in the South. They appointed the time for it to be taken, Sabbath, October 7. The time is now rapidly approaching, and no time should be lost in calling the attention of our people to this important collection. This Seventh-day Adventist movement is a world-wide movement. It is to be proclaimed "to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." It is to go with a "loud voice." It is to "lighten the earth with its glory." It is indeed the embodiment of the last warning the world will ever receive, to prepare a people for the coming of Christ. When we consider the progress it has made in the last half century, from little more than nothing to about one hundred thousand, the message being proclaimed in nearly every nation on earth, it is really wonderful. It practically doubled every ten years, and, should the same ratio continue, what a rapid progress would be made. And why may it not continue? Surely, it will, should the long-promised "latter rain" be poured out; yea, and a much greater increase be seen. What have these facts to do with this annual collection for the colored work in the South?—Much every way. While such rapid progress is being witnessed among the white races of men, how can we be clear before God unless we make strong efforts for other races not so highly favored? God declares that He is no respecter of persons. Hence He is no respecter of races, as races are composed of persons. He seemed to have just as much interest in the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch as in any white-skinned dignitary in the early days of the Gospel. A wonderful miracle was performed. The Lord sent Philip a long distance out into the desert to convert this one man. The Spirit of God specially inspired Philip to go near, and join himself to this colored man's chariot. His mind was in a receptive condition, reading that wonderful fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, concerning Christ's being led like "a lamb to the slaughter." From that glorious text Philip "preached unto him Jesus." Espying water, the colored eunuch desired baptism. It was administered, "The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip," and this colored brother went on his way back to Ethiopia rejoicing in God. There can be little doubt that he was the one who planted the Gospel in his native land, where it still exists to-day. It was a high honor to find that this church which, after being lost to the knowledge of Europeans for more than a thousand years, was paying more respect to the true Sabbath of the Bible than any other church in the world. All honor, then, to the noble Ethiopian who founded it. Promises are made in the prophecies to such as he. Openings, more or less favorable for mental and moral improvement, present themselves among the colored people of America to-day. The Bible is at their command. And the precious truths it contains belong to them as well as to the more favored. How can we doubt but that God has been in all the providences which have attended them, designing good for this unfortunate race? There are some nine million of colored people in these United States of America, and upward of six million of them are within the bounds of the Southern Union Conference. Brethren and sisters, of both North and South, what have we been doing for the enlightenment of this unfortunate race?—But very, very little, in comparison with what we ought to have done. To the best of our judgment, four or five hundred would exceed the number of colored Seventh-day Adventists in the United States. Even the work among the whites has dragged heavily in this field; but several times the effort has been made for the whites that has been put forth for the colored people. The Lord has been calling for years to our people to take hold of this work with more interest. Really, the most energetic movement ever made by Seventh-day Adventists in behalf of these people was that made by the steamer Morning Star, a small river boat, with a small party on board. It worked in the vicinity of Vicksburg, Miss., for several years. Meetings were held on the little steamer, as it was tied up by the river bank, and some sixty or seventy were brought into the truth. Night schools, and some day schools, were held in connection with this work. This was the beginning of the Southern Missionary Society. It was a good work; a noble work; a work of much self-sacrifice; and great good has been done. Fully, yea, probably more than one-half of the Mississippi Conference membership has arisen from this weak movement. Eternity alone can tell the final results of this effort. Probably one-half of all the colored converts in this Union Conference have resulted from the operations of the Morning Star. If such a weak effort as this could accomplish so much, what might not have been the result had our strong conferences organized strong missionary enterprises, and sent them forth backed up by means, and properly sustained by the gifts of our people? Our colored work has merely begun. Its present organization is very weak and inefficient. Yet it is far better than nothing. A beginning has been made, and the work is advancing in many directions. The Southern Missionary Society needs help to carry on its work, supporting colored schools and teachers, assisting in erecting humble houses of worship, using large quantities of literature and various other agencies. Our training-school near Huntsville, Ala., has a valuable farm of about 360 acres of land, and several buildings, all of them very plain and common affairs. A school of some seventy pupils was held last winter; but no more could be accommodated. The Lord's instruction to us was that at least one hundred should have been receiving the benefits of the school last year, and that from two hundred to two hundred and fifty should be provided for in the immediate future. This means addition of buildings, and greater accommodations should be provided at once. Could our people see the poverty, the lack of many necessary appliances, the need of bathing and laundry facilities, and various other great needs and pressing wants, they would be impressed most forcibly that something must be done, and at once. The use of the Southern Union Conference funds for the support of the teachers has greatly impoverished the conference treasury, and forced it to run in debt. Great perplexities have been the consequence. The Lord has told us over and over, that a small sanitarium should be built at the Huntsville Training-school, so that the sick could be cared for, and the colored pupils taught the blessed principles of health and temperance. How reasonable and consistent this is. Very little instruction of this kind have they ever received, and none are more needy of it. A small orphanage should also be built on the farm, where the children of pious colored Sabbath-keepers who have died in the faith could be reared in the truth, and prepared for usefulness. The cellar was dug, and preparations to build were made, but funds gave out, and the work has had to stop for months. Various other improvements should also be made. Again, several of the state conferences composing the Southern Union have no colored laborers, whatever. Yet these states have hundreds of thousands, yea, some of them millions, of this race within their borders, and not a single laborer of their race working for their salvation. These things ought not to be so, my brethren. And what is the reason for this dearth of laborers? 1. Because funds are so very scarce in most of our state conferences that they absolutely can not support colored laborers. 2. Because of the financial weakness of our training-school, laborers are not trained and developed sufficiently to supply the exceeding needs of the field. The different features and branches of the colored work are so intertwined and linked together that they are mutually dependent upon each other. They stand or fall together, mutually supporting or else tearing each other down. The present crying need of the colored work is means with which to make the work efficient. It has many other needs, but this stands first in order. This proposed collection of October 7 ought to be a most liberal one, and then be followed by a continued interest in this great work. Will not our people rally as one man, and help in this great emergency? May the Lord stir up their hearts to be liberal to this unfortunate, most needy race. G. I. BUTLER,
President Southern Union Conference.