On Sabbath, February 3, an offering is to be received in all our churches in the North American Division for the reconstruction of our work in mission fields and lands ravaged by war. The aim set for this offering is one million dollars. Undoubtedly all have read J. L. McElhany's earnest appeal concerning this offering in the November 28 issue of the Review and Herald.
Here is an enterprise of unusual dimension and importance, brethren in the ministry. Never before have we attempted to raise such a sum in one offering. The undertaking calls for the united and wholehearted support of every worker in every conference and institution throughout the land.
With God there are no emergencies and no crises. But through the centuries He has permitted these to come to His church on earth, that in the crucible of trial and affliction His people might be purified and His church enlarged.
An emergency that has grown out of the world upheaval that has so sorely afflicted the nations of earth, has assailed the remnant church in regard to its world work. In this favored land of comparative peace and plenty, we have been sheltered and shielded from the storm of destruction, devastation, and death, that to those directly affected by it must have seemed almost like the end of all things temporal. And now, to us comes the challenge to remember in a very special way the sufferings and loss of our brethren and sisters in the stricken areas of earth; to do for them what we can, as we would wish them to do for us all they possibly could were we where they are.
Millions of dollars' worth of our property in overseas fields has been destroyed or seriously damaged. Churches, schools, publishing houses, sanitariums, hospitals, clinics, and homes have been bombed. Many of these buildings have been damaged beyond repair. It is impossible at this time to compute the loss, but we know that it is tremendous. Literally millions of dollars will be required to rebuild the institutions, churches, and homes that have been destroyed, and millions more will be required to meet the demands of an expanding work in all the fields of the world.
The people of the advent cause are now in an attitude of alert expectancy. They seem to feel that the time has come for a great forward move to be made in our program of world missions. Surely they are right in this. What they feel should now be done is in harmony with what the General Conference Committee, assembled in Autumn Council recently, were led to feel ought to' be done when it was decided to ask our churches to provide in one offering, in addition to all other' regular offerings, the tremendous sum of one million dollars for the reconstruction of our work jot all lands. No one can say that there is before us a time of peace in which to advance the message, for we know that it is to be advanced even in the face of grave difficulties, and we know from the more sure word of prophecy that the time has come for the finishing of the work in preparation for the coming of Jesus.
Our people in this country are looking confidently to our workers for example and for leadership in this hour of the church's responsibility and opportunity. From other countries where the fury of the storm that has swept over the nations has somewhat abated, come messages of courage and hope and expectation. One brother—a leader in the work in a country that has long been cut off from communication with us—writes, "May God bless you and help you in what you think to do for us."
And so there devolves upon us as workers a. special responsibility to the Lord and to our people in relation to this important undertaking. What shall we say to them, brethren? We would suggest that we tell them: (1 ) That they are right in believing this is a time when the cause of God i& in need of the loyal and ardent support of every member of the remnant church ; (2) that we, as workers in the organized work, are first of all church members and stand with them in this special undertaking, desiring by example as well as precept to avail ourselves fully of this opportunity to advance the cause of the gospel ; (3) that we see in this call of the General Conference for a million-dollar offering something very much out of the ordinary that calls for a very special effort on the part of each and every one of us ; (4) that our offering toward this fund to accomplish its purpose should be in addition to our regular offerings for the support of the various activities of the cause.
God's Work a Great Going Concern
The organized work of God has grown into a great going concern and must be maintained from day to day. The appropriations that have been voted at the recent Autumn Council in Cleveland for the regular support of our world work are dependent upon sustained offerings from the Sabbath school, the Thirteenth Sabbath, Week of Sacrifice, Ingathering, and other offerings: Special offerings listed in our church calendar for particular Sabbaths, such as the Religious Liberty Offering to be received on January 27, must be remembered by our people in their planning. And we must be careful in bringing our offerings for the special million dollar fund, not to cut down in our giving to these other important enterprises that mean so much to the onward march of the cause of truth.
Let us look to the Lord and teach our people also to seek Him for individual guidance in this important matter. It will help us to help our members if we take time to review carefully and prayerfully the divine philosophy of finance in its relation to the plan of salvation and the work of the gospel. The Majesty of heaven needs not the poor and, at best, meager offerings we may bring to His treasury. Reasoning with His ancient people regarding their spiritual deficiencies, He said, "If I were hungry I would not tell thee, for the world is Mine and the fullness thereof." Yet, how wonderful it is to think that He, to whom the universe belongs, "has made the advancement of His cause dependent upon the personal efforts of His people, and upon their freewill offerings." (Testimonies, Vol. IV, p. 464.) Concerning repeated calls that came in Old Testament times for means for the support of His work, we read:
"These draughts were made by God upon the people for their own good, as well as to sustain His service."—/bid., p. 468. It is significant that here, as in the Scriptures, the primary purpose of these calls that come is stated to be for our good as His people.
Over against the purpose of God regarding offerings to His cause in the earth, there stands in contrast the plan of the adversary. He, too, is vitally interested in these special calls that come to God's people.
Someone has suggested that every offering made for the work of God falls into one of three categories: selfish, sentimental, or sacrificial. The enemy of souls desires that professed Christians withhold their gifts, finding any and every excuse for so doing. But if they will give,.then he would have them give selfishly. Selfish interest on the part pf the giver has spoiled the value of many a good gift to the work of the Lord. It is just as true that a sentimental interest in a good enterprise is a poor and unworthy motive for the giving of gifts to the cause of the world's Redeemer.
Sacrificial giving alone answers to the plan of God for those who have responded to His invitation to become participants in the great closing work of the gospel. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich." 2 Cor. 8:9. Only as the people of the advent cause give at this time all that they can give sacrificially will this offering be truly a success and its real goal attained.
In such an hour as this,
In such a cause as this,
In the face of so tremendous a need,
And so grand an opportunity,
Surely the very most we can give
Is the very least we can do.
