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The Midsummer Offering

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 18, 1912

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 89, No. 29.

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The Midsummer Offering

By A. G. Daniells

Another Opportunity to Advance Our Cause

THE most important and the most precious thing in the world to-day is God's message for to-day. That is the third angel's message of Revelation 14.
The greatest gift, the greatest blessing, that can come to any one to-day is a saving knowledge of the third angel's message. Those who receive it are brought under great obligations to God and humanity.
This is the view that was taken by the pioneers of the cause set on foot by this threefold message. They reckoned themselves debtors to all men. They abandoned the pleasures and riches of the world, and addressed themselves to the one great task of making the message known to all the world.
Their view was right, and it must still dominate this people. The supreme question of the hour is the proclamation of the third angel's message to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.
When the pioneers began this work, they scarcely realized the proportions to which it would grow. It is one thing to read that the message must be given to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, and quite another actually to give it. To give it means the consecration of life and possessions to the service of God. To give the message means sacrifice and toil. There is no other way.
The knowledge we have of this message makes us debtors to our fellow men who know it not. "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10. One way of ministering this blessed gift to others is by giving our means to the cause of missions. This is as practical, effective, and acceptable a ministry, in its way and as far as required, as any that can be performed. The apostolic church recognized this when they laid down all that they had at the apostles' feet for distribution to others.
The consecration, the sacrifice, the toil, must be continuous and expansive. Not until the work is finished may our labor and gifts cease. And until it is finished, our service and gifts must enlarge. The work started in a little corner is to expand until it encircles the earth. Hence every step taken prepares the way for another. Every missionary sent abroad is a sure token that two more will be called for. Every dollar given to missions is a signal for five more. This must be so in the very nature of things, and it is true in our experience. To change this would be to destroy the movement with which we are connected.
Our usual midsummer offering is to be taken this year on Sabbath, July 27. All that is given by each church in this offering is applied on the Fifteen-cent-a-week Fund. A great effort is now being made by all the conferences to raise the full amount of fifteen cents a week for each church-member.
A large offering is greatly desired by all the conferences, and also by the missionaries in the foreign fields, so that we may have the means required to answer the pressing calls for more help. So once more we ask for a liberal offering.
A. G. DANIELLS.