Your ShelfYour Projects

MISSIONARY EFFORTS

11%

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 22, 1860

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 15, No. 18.

Read the full edition

MISSIONARY EFFORTS.

By James White

Our people seem to be waking up to make efforts to spread abroad the knowledge of the truths connected with the third message in this wide western field. The feeble efforts already put forth have been greatly blest of God. The standard of truth is being raised in many places in Iowa, and quite an army of faithful souls are gathering round it. The interest to hear, and the calls for labor in new places, exceeds anything we have before witnessed.
It is now thought best to run two tents in this State the coming tent season. This we think advisable, provided that two tents can be suitably manned with preachers. This will probably be decided at the Knoxville meeting, March 31st, and April 1st. If thought best to run two tents, we shall immediately purchase them, and have them shipped to the State, and depend upon the payment of pledges and notes for money we shall have to advance.
We venture to say that there is at least five times the strength in this State to sustain the cause there was one year since. One thousand dollars should be expended in the State the next six months. And judging from the past, we might hope that such an effort would increase the cause five fold from its present strength. The friends of truth in Iowa are poorly prepared to help the cause for want of ready cash. Many of them have much land, which they cannot sell, and have hard work to raise the cash to pay taxes. Yet the brethren in the West are really worth more property than the brethren East. And we cannot view it right for the brethren in this State to make the hard times an excuse for doing but little in sustaining the cause, and let eastern brethren, poorer than themselves, send their means here.
But something must be done just now. We therefore say to the friends of Bible truth in Iowa, that we can obtain money in the East by giving our note for six months, a year, or longer, and will agree to furnish money when needed to advance the cause in the State to the amount of one thousand dollars if needed, provided the friends give their pledges, or the promise of their notes. We prefer the promise of good notes, which notes need not be given until we have sent the means to the State either in tents, books or cash.
This proposition may appear to some risky, and that we are taking heavy responsibilities. But we prefer the pledges of brethren, and the hand of Providence, which we know is in this work, to mortgages on the best real estate in Iowa.
Come, brethren, venture out liberally on your faith in God and in the message. Your crops may be better for so doing. Do venture out and give the Lord a chance to work for you. One dollar now may do more to help the cause in this State than fifty in two years from this when friends may be numerous.
We expect to be in Battle Creek the 18th of April, and hope to find letters on this subject from the friends in this State that we do not see. Address Eld. James White.
J. W.