p. 24 | Review and Herald, Vol. 81, No. 23. (6/9/1904)

Earlier text: Review and Herald Publishing Association of Washington, D. C

Mental Dissipation

THOUSANDS of people have been driven to the insane asylum by the novel-reading mania. It is a species of intemperance that almost rivals the liquor traffic in its blighting influence. It is creeping in among our young people to an extent that is not realized. The June number of The Life Boat is a special anti-fiction number which not only endeavors to create an appetite for wholesome and uplifting literature, but it also calls attention to the real underlying causes of this widespread evil, for it is as true of this as of any other, that “the curse causeless shall not come.”

Among those who have contributed to this number are W. S. Sadler, Mrs. M. C. Wilcox, Mrs. E. H. Whitney, Mrs. E. E. Kellogg, and other experienced workers.

This number should be placed in the hands of pastors, Sunday-school teachers, Y. M. C. A. workers, and educators everywhere. They will appreciate it, and many will be led to look for truth on other subjects.

The Life Boat will be furnished at two cents a copy. Address The Life Boat, Hinsdale, Ill.

New England Sanitarium and Benevolent Association

By ALBERT E. PLACE; W. MILTON LEE

THE fifth annual meeting of the New England Sanitarium and Benevolent Association, for the purpose of electing five members of the constituent body and eight trustees, and transacting any other business that may properly come before the meeting, will be held on Monday, June 20, 1904, at 10 A. M., in the sanitarium building in the township of Stoneham, Mass.

ALBERT E. PLACE, President,

W. MILTON LEE, Secretary.

Change of Address

DURING the summer, the Washington address of the following-named persons is Takoma Park, D. C.: Mrs. Ellen G. White, Mrs. W. C. White, Clarence C. Crisler, Mrs. L. M. Hall, Miss Sara McEnterfer, Miss Maggie Hare.

Letters for these persons, and for others known to be residing at Takoma Park and employed in our work there, will reach the ones addressed several hours sooner, if sent to Takoma Park direct, than if sent to 222 North Capitol St.

Publications Wanted

N. B.—Attention has been repeatedly called to the necessity of having papers properly wrapped. Do not roll or wrap too small. Cover papers well, so that they will be clean when received. Some have paid double the postage necessary, while others have forwarded literature by express when it would have been cheaper to send it by mail, at four ounces for one cent.

[SPECIAL NOTE.—All who receive periodicals in answer to these calls are advised to examine them carefully before distributing them.—[ED.]

The following persons desire late, clean copies of our publications, postpaid:—

E. C. Rogers, 517 N. 4th St., Wilmington, N. C.

Arthur C. Logan, Du Quoin, Ill., Life Boat, Instructor, and tracts.

W. W. Guin, Cleveland, Tenn., Signs, Life Boat, Instructor, and tracts.

Newton B. Jenkins and W. B. Jenkins, Blythewood, S. C., REVIEW, Signs, Life Boat, Good Health, Instructor, and Little Friend.

Wm. C. Hopkins, Bishop, Cal., one or more copies of the old pamphlet, “The Vindication of the True Sabbath,” by Elder J. W. Morton.

ADDRESS WANTED.—Some one from McCook, Neb., asks for literature, but neglects to sign any name. We will insert the request on receipt of the name.

Our Mid-Summer Offering

By W. T. Bland

The one great work in which all our people are interested, and in which every one has an opportunity of engaging, is that of carrying this message of the soon-coming Saviour to the entire world. It must be done in this generation, and the privilege of doing it is offered to this people. Many are offering themselves to this last great work, and are going in person to the various parts of the earth, their lives wholly consecrated to the one purpose. Others are now making preparation to go, feeling that the Lord has especially laid this burden upon their hearts. They do it gladly, willing to sacrifice the comforts of home, of relatives and friends, and to endure hardships in strange lands for the sake of helping to carry this great truth to the world.

But while the large majority of our people can not go to these distant lands, still they are just as deeply interested in the work, and just as willing and ready to make sacrifices for it, as are those who go. The Lord is just as surely moving upon the hearts of his people to give of their means to help carry forward this work as he is laying the burden upon the hearts of others to go.

Never before have our people been impressed to support the work in foreign lands as during the past year. The offering made during the last week of prayer was almost double that of previous years. The weekly offerings are steadily increasing. Even those not members of our church have sent in good contributions for the work in foreign lands.

Last year the Mid-summer Offering was taken on the fourth day of July, and was all sent to assist our brethren in Australia, $10,927.72 being realized. This was a wonderful blessing to the work in that field.

This year the offering will be for our mission fields throughout the world. There come pleading calls from many lands—calls so full of earnestness that we can not resist making a special plea to our people everywhere to make this a most liberal offering. Make your gifts to the most needy fields, or if the Lord has given you a burden for some particular field, make mention of the matter, and your desires shall be carried out.

July 2

The date set for this offering is the first Sabbath in July. Shall we not on this day remember our brethren in foreign lands, the work that is being carried forward, and that which is yet to be done? When this offering is taken, a special prayer service for our foreign missions would be most appropriate. May not this Mid-summer Offering be double that of last year, as has been the week-of-prayer offering over that of the previous year? W. T. BLAND.

Washington, D. C.

By J. S. Washburn

WE are receiving in response to the appeals for means to establish the headquarters of our work in this city, many letters that reveal the fact that the Spirit of God has deeply impressed the hearts of our people with the thought that this present move means the beginning of the end, the closing of the great work of God in the earth. I have been deeply touched by many of the letters of those in limited circumstances, who send their contributions fragrant with sympathy and prayer for the great work. I have thought that many of the readers of the REVIEW would be deeply interested in these letters, and I take the liberty to publish a part of a letter just received from the elder of the church in Hamilton, Mont.

“J. S. Washburn, “Washington, D. C.

“DEAR BROTHER: I write you at present to assure you of our interest in the work at Washington. We (the Hamilton church) are not able to respond to the appeal for the one hundred thousand dollar fund to any great extent; and as we are all dependent on farming for means, we thought it best to send our contributions later, so as to do our best.

“We are deeply impressed that this is the beginning of the end, and we can not afford to miss giving until we feel it, to such an all-important movement.

“We realize that the upper chamber is in process of erection, as it were, where the outpouring of the latter rain may soon be expected. I venture the prediction that the word will have to go to the friends of the message that “the people bring much more than enough for the service of the work,” for “thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.” There is surely a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees. The Lord is stirring up his people to give with willing hearts. I am rejoicing over the fact that we can see the actual gleams of the golden morning. I pray for the success of the work at Washington.

“I again assure you that we have a heartfelt interest in the work, and you can count on our doing to the full extent of our ability in means or in any service we are capable of rendering in any way.

“With kindest wishes, I am “Your brother in the message.”

We can not express the help that comes with these messages in the knowledge that God himself is stirring up the hearts of the loyal soldiers of the great cause to support the work by their prayers and by their means. O that there may come to every one who has ability to give large or small contributions, the spirit to help to the full extent of his ability!

We publish on page 20 a further list of donations to this work. One ninth of the whole amount has been raised, and the number of contributions that are flowing in is largely increasing; and yet, unless there are donations of one thousand dollars or more, it will be a long time before the work will be finished. We are hoping to be able to head our next list with a donation of at least one thousand dollars. We believe that there are at least one hundred persons in our denomination who could easily give that amount. We feel assured that with the reading of these words there comes to some one a strong conviction from the Spirit of God, impressing him to make a liberal donation at once. We are meeting constant perplexities and difficulties that seem to retard the work, but we believe that God permits delay only that the means may be raised for the work more rapidly than they are expended. There ought to be at least twenty-five thousand dollars raised during the next four weeks, that the real work of building may be practically begun. If the spirit which possessed the church of God in the days of Pentecost were but received to-day by our people, this whole amount, yes, and many times this amount, could be raised in a single day.

We do not ask these donations simply because they are needed here. Those who have the privilege of giving are invited to invest in that, which is the only safe investment on earth to-day. The means will be used to build the only lifeboat that shall safely outride the last terrific storm when the world shall sink in utter shipwreck. Who will invest his God-given means in a winning enterprise; yes, truly, the only winning enterprise in all the world to-day?

J. S. WASHBURN.

Donations to Mission Work

A TABLE of figures does not always look inviting, but the tabular statement on page 20 ought to interest every reader of the REVIEW. It gives an itemized report of all donations to our mission work for the quarter ending March 31, 1904, and is worthy of careful study.

Review and Herald Association Officers

THE trustees of the Review and Herald Publishing Association who were elected at the recent meeting of the constituency at Berrien Springs, Mich., have organized by the choice of the following officers: W. W. Prescott, President; W. C. White, Vice-President; W. B. Walters, Secretary; S. N. Curtiss, Treasurer and Business Manager.

A. S. Baird Goes to Washington

Brother A. S. Baird, who has served as architect and superintendent of construction for two years at Berrien Springs, Mich., has now removed to Washington, and will take up the same duties in connection with the erection of the buildings required for the institutions to be established here. Several students who have been under his instruction at Berrien Springs will join him in the work at this place.

The Special Watchman Issue

By Editor

ON page 9 will be found an article written by Elder G. I. Butler for the special number of The Southern Watchman. This will indicate the character of the matter to be found in the Signs number of the Watchman. We also call attention to the announcement on our second page relating to the circulation of this special issue. The attention of hundreds of thousands of people can thus be called to the thrilling theme of the soon-coming Saviour.