p. 224 | The Dime Tabernacle by James White

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jul 25, 1878

The Dime Tabernacle.

By James White

PROBABLY no enterprise has been taken hold of by our people with greater zeal than the building of a house for the Lord, at Battle Creek, Michigan. The growth of the cause at that point has demanded larger houses of worship from time to time. The first, 18x22, was built in 1854. This was soon too small to convene the church, to say nothing of our General Conferences. The second, 22x44, was built in 1858. But this soon was insufficient to convene General Conferences; and the third, 42x66, was built in 1866. In this house the church has worshiped until the present time, and till the past year it would hold the congregation by filling the gallery and by supplying extra seats. But the house thus packed is always uncomfortable, so much so that feeble persons from the Sanitarium seldom attend worship, and the citizens of Battle Creek do not attend even on funeral occasions, from the fact that they know there are no seats for them. During the past winter some of the College students were literally driven from the house after Sabbath-school to give room for the resident congregation. The reader will not therefore wonder that the work of building a house of sufficient capacity to take in the crowd is taken hold of with a good degree of enthusiasm.

The plan by which means is to be raised to build this house, and the name of it, may seem somewhat novel to our people, but we think they will be convinced that a good plan has been adopted. The building is to be substantial and warm, with one thickness of brick, like the Sanitarium. This not being a solid wall is usually called brick veneering. This house will be of sufficient size to convene three thousand persons. It will be of respectable hight, with plain belfry, in which our good bell will be placed. The inside will be finished in a plain, neat style, and the ceiling above will be in hight to compare with the seating capacity of the house. This place will be of sufficient size to convene the entire Sabbath-school, which had to be divided last winter for want of room, and, to take in the crowd on special occasions. This house will be one-third larger than any house of worship in Michigan; as we are credibly informed that the largest in the State will seat only two thousand persons.

The dime Tabernacle takes its name from the plan of raising the means to build it which is as follows:—

1. All persons, inside or outside of the churches of Seventh-day Adventists, wherever they may be in the four quarters of the globe, saints or sinners, rich or poor, white or colored, high or low, and of all nationalities, who will of a willing heart and a ready mind give the sum of ten cents each month for the period of one year, are invited so to do. Payments to be made monthly, commencing with July. Those persons who choose to do so, and we hope most of the friends will, can pay the sum of $1.20 in advance. This will enable the building committee to prosecute the work rapidly, and have the house ready to dedicate the first of December. As circulars will be sent out everywhere, more fully illustrating the manner of raising and forwarding the dimes, we will pass to notice,

2. That there are not less than twenty-five thousand persons, including men, women, and children, in the ranks of S. D. Adventists, and should all of these give a dime each month, the sum of $30,000 would be raised. Probably not more than $20,000 will be needed. In this case however there would be the handsome sum of $10,000 to put into the treasury of European missions. Will $30,000 be raised? Certainly it will be. For a moment let us see how much must be saved in each of the secular days in the year in order for twenty-five thousand persons to raise $30,000. This can be ascertained by dividing the sum for each person to raise by 312, the number of secular days in the year, and the result is three mills and eleven-thirteenths of a mill on each laboring day in the year! Only three mills and eleven-thirteenths of a mill on each of the laboring days of the year!! Will the $30,000 dollars be raised? Will it? Certainly it will.

And when the Dime Tabernacle shall be completed, all the cheerful doners will be invited to the dedication. Then they can see the house they have built for the Lord, and enjoy at least one service in it. And then a full report of the history of the building of the house, with a complete statement of the cost will be given. And the doners names and addresses will be given in pamphlet form in connection with the aforesaid statements and mailed to the doners. Will the Dime Tabernacle go up at once? It will! It will!! Already the old building is removed and masons and carpenters are at work on the very cite where God has been worshiped by the Battle Creek church during the past twelve years. We again urge promptness by all who wish to help build the Dime Tabernacle that the builders be not hindered in their work from want of ready cash.

GENERAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE. JAMES WHITE, Chairman.