IN this issue are several articles calling attention to the needs of the Australasian field, and inviting gifts of means from our people in America. We must not get the impression, however, that the main thing that is needed in the cause, in any part of the world, is money. What is retarding the work, and has retarded it all along, is not the lack of money, but the lack of consecration. The lack of consecration occasioned a lack of means, it is true; but if there had been consecration enough, there would have been no lack of anything else. God has all the gold and silver in the world at his command, but without consecration on the part of those to whom he has entrusted his message to mankind, the mere wealth would be useless. It would become a curse instead of a blessing. So the gift that is most needed, now as always, is the gift of one's self to the cause which this money is needed to advance. “Son, give Me thine heart.” First, give your own selves, and then the gift of your means will be proportioned as it ought.
Are We All Lifting?
By C. McReynolds
WHEN a great weight is to be lifted, one of the most important points is so to arrange it that a large number of people can get hold to lift. If some can only lift a few pounds, if enough get hold, it will go; but you must also have the people that have an interest in the undertaking and are willing to make some exertion to see it accomplished, do the lifting.
Every Seventh-day Adventist who is one because he understands that the message that makes him a Seventh-day Adventist, is the last message that will ever be given to the world, is willing to put forth earnest effort to accomplish the work to which this denomination is called,—the work of carrying the message to all the world.
It requires much money to accomplish this work, and the Mission Board has called for $205,000 to use in support of the work already begun in the various parts of the world. Does this look like a large sum? It would be a large sum if it had to be raised by only a few, but if all of the sixty thousand members in this country will take hold and lift just to the amount of ten cents a week, there will be over $300,000 raised. Now the practical question is, Shall we do this? Let us take it up as individuals, and encourage others to do so by talking it to them; and that which looks like a great sum to raise, will be raised, and no one will feel the load to be great, simply because so many are lifting a small portion.
Will you take this up anew? Many have never adopted that plan, which is so easy to follow, if entered upon with a will. Have you an interest in the undertaking? Will you lift every week this much? This money must be raised. Who will help? It will be a great relief to those who are called upon to send out this money, if we will all just now, at once, adopt the ten-cent-a-week plan. May the Lord help you to say “I will,” and then to fulfill the vow.
