General Conference Bulletin, vol. 4

REPORT OF THE RECORDING SECRETARY OF THE INTERNATIONAL SABBATH-SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

M. H. BROWN

The following table shows the membership of our schools, the total contributions, and the amount donated to missions each year during the last fourteen years:— GCB April 4, 1901, page 62.16

YEAR.	MEMBERS CONTRIBUTIONS	TOTAL TO MISSIONS	DONATIONS TO ORPHANS.	DONATIONS
1887 23,700	$16,751.83	$10,615.72
1888 25, 375	18,485.77	10,755.34
1889 28,900	22,541.24	11,767.95
1890 32,000	28,642.75	17,707.39
1891 33,400	29,435.05	16,750.94
1892 35,300	37,542.27	23,618.77
1893 40,100	37,936.11	24,162.50
1894 49,626	39,562.42	20,850.05
1895 50,266	37,336.35	19,809.76
1896 54,070	40,125.13	23,666.08
1897 52,045	41,541.40	33,409.32
1898 55,160	40,301.87	21,475.18	$4,795.16
1899 55,967	39,071.79	21,842.09	5,107.02
1900 55,255	46,794.40	25,235.47	5,861.06
Total		$476,118.38	$281,666.56	$15,763.24

The following figures show the amount of donations to each mission field, and the time when they were given:— GCB April 4, 1901, page 62.17

South Africa, four quarters 1887	$10,615.72
London, four quarters 1888	10,755.34
Missionary ship “Pitcairn,” first quarter 1889 and first two quarters 1890.	12,035.22
Russian field, second quarter 1889	2,783.48
Hamburg Mission, last two quarters 1889	6,377.97
South America, last two quarters 1890	8,278.67
“Pitcairn” running expenses, first two quarters 1891	7,338.33
European Mission, last two quarters 1891	9,412.61
Haskell Home, first quarter 1892	7,079.94
West Indies and Polynesia, second quarter 1892	5,364.04
Mexico and Central America, last two quarters 1892	11,174.79
India, first two quarters 1893	11,999.66
Hamburg, last two quarters 1893	12,162.84
Africa, first two quarters 1894	10,736.94
Japan, last two quarters 1894	10,113.11
Zambesia, first two quarters 1895	9,132.32
China, and missionary boat for Caribbean Sea, last two quarters 1895	10,677.44
Southern field, first two quarters 1896	11,574.04
India, last two quarters 1896	12,092.04
Japan, first two quarters 1897	12,050.81
Mediterranean field, last two quarters 1897	12,239.42
Haskell Home, two collections 1897	9,119.00
*Most needy fields	68,552.74
Haskell Home, 1898	4,795.16
Haskell Home, 1899	5,107.02
Haskell Home, 1900	5,861.06
Total	297,429.80
*This includes the donations for 1898, 1899, and 1900.

The following is a condensed summary showing the amount given to each missionary enterprise:— GCB April 4, 1901, page 63.1

Africa	$30,484.98
London	10,755.34
“Pitcairn”	19,373.55
Hamburg	18,540.81
India	24,091.70
Mexico and Central America	11,174.79
China	10,677.44
Japan	22,163.92
Southern field	11,574.04
European Mission	9,412.61
South America	8,278.67
Haskell Home	31,962.27
West Indies and Polynesia	5,364.04
Russia	2,783.48
Mediterranean field	12,239.42
Most needy fields	68,552.74
Total	$297,429.80

There has been much discussion and some confusion in regard to the use of the Sabbath-school donations. We therefore take this opportunity to place before our people a few facts and thoughts on the subject, trusting that it may result in more harmony of action and a better understanding of the matter. We will first call attention to the facts. GCB April 4, 1901, page 63.2

1. When the plan of making Sabbath-school donations was first adopted they were designed and used for Sabbath-school supplies only. That was the original plan. GCB April 4, 1901, page 63.3

2. Afterward the plan was proposed and adopted of giving a portion of the donations for some particular foreign field. This plan originated in California, and was subsequently adopted by the International Association. GCB April 4, 1901, page 63.4

3. The idea of giving all the Sabbath-school donations to foreign missions was donations to foreign missions was never proposed nor approved by either the General Conference or the International Sabbath-school Association. If any of our laborers have used their influence in our schools to have them do this, it has not been authorized or warranted by the action of our people. GCB April 4, 1901, page 63.5

In view of the foregoing facts we trust that all our workers will use their in favor of the present plan, viz., using from the donations to purchase necessary Sabbath-school supplies, and sending the surplus to the Foreign Mission Board for the work in foreign lands. It is evidently our duty to carry out, and use our influence in favor of, the present plan, till it is changed by the official action of the denomination. To do otherwise is to cause confusion, and injury the work. GCB April 4, 1901, page 63.6

[CD-ROM Editor’s Note: Table incomplete - will be completed in future edition of CD-ROM]

Quarterly Summary of Sabbath-school Reports.
FOR QUARTER ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1900.
NAME OF ASSOCIATION.	Number of Schools	Present Membership	Av. Attends.	No. Classes	Total Contributions	Donation for Org.	Tithes from Schools	Donations to Missions	Tithe to International
Argentina
Arkansas	15	225	179	27	$ 30.38	$ 2.53	$ 26.09	$ 0.25
Atlantic	22	678	518	94	271.15	$ 38.07	22.59	111.66	2.30
Brazil
California	146	4,236	3,434	599	2,301.45	137.15	120.04	436.55	12.00
Chesapeake
Colorado	64	1,769	1,373	250	438.16	19.41	45.05	186.15	4.50
Cumberland	16	411	21	60	82.30	15.11	6.50	19.45	.65
Dakota	87	1,530	1,082	202	296.46	30.81	27.81	199.91	2.78
+European	262	5,298	4,108	733	1,030.15	67.80	863.40
Florida	27	391	229	43	64.45	5.91	6.72	8.40	.68
Illinois	62	1,602	1,239	237	237.93	28.08	33.86	155.30	3.40
Indiana	77	1,689	1,249	245	367.07	55.35	28.69	113.45	2.67
Iowa	182	3,016	2,308	449	577.06	77.90	56.71	284.55	5.58
Kansas	120	2,310	1,674	305	546.47	144.23	42.19	219.24	4.21
Maine	29	466	324	71	87.63	1.37	9.43	58.13	.94
Manitoba
Maritime Provinces	11	242	182	30	60.36	3.75	4.17	37.06	.41
Michigan	164	5,434	8,707	741	1,134.92	198.31	99.69	480.50	9.97
Minnesota	123	2,840	1,798	375	573.95	133.82	46.38	120.10	4.64
Missouri	49	1,376	1,033	202	260.32	35.27	18.37	54.61	1.84
Montana	22	309	230	46	311.59	47.91	11.26	145.13	1.13
Nebraska	105	2,271	1,742	351	378.43	52.03	52.03	380.51	5.20
New England	44	1,064	763	140	559.42	191.00	32.48	173.46	3.25
New South Wales
New York	90	1,575	950	186	280.58		23.11	106.27	2.31
+New Zealand	36	641	416	83	177.91			157.49
North Pacific	86	1,951	1,320	229	298.75		43.86	254.93	4.39
Ohio
Oklahoma	64	1,159	953	174	130.97	16.42	13.53	61.83	1.35
*Ontario	14	307	239	39	180.67	16.62	22.45	88.12	2.25
Pennsylvania	85	1,632	1,000	218	325.75	53.25	37.66	193.67	3.77
Quebec	15	131	99	23	24.05	2.10	2.61	19.80	.26
+Queensland	7	280	203	37	93.50		7.65	45.47
South Africa
Southern District	53	890	680	123	164.34	19.84	16.27	53.87	1.63
South Australia
Tasmania
Tennessee River	16	332	232	48	35.08	1.84	3.92	18.93	.39
Texas
Upper Columbia
Utah	4	141	101	21	33.70	1.45	3.25	3.66	.33
Vermont	38	408	285	72	149.99	32.83	8.99	67.12	1.00
Victoria
Virginia	10	193	142	24	32.42	3.93	3.34	12.50	.33
+West Indian	41	1,185		59.76			2.38
West Virginia	15	191	137	29	21.47			2.50	18.97	.25
Wisconsin	130	2,926	2,108	402	593.13	78.28	56.62	332.42	5.66
Mission schools	3	97	73	11	11.67		3.30	1.07
Totals	2,334	50,804	36,261	6,920	12,223.39	1,442.04	1,001.44	5,572.45	91.39
[* For two quarters.]
[+ Quarter ending Sept. 30, 1900]

It is well for us to remember that no plan has ever been found by which to pay for Sabbath-school supplies, except the present one. This plan has been in operation through our entire history as a people since our schools were organized, and it has become well established. We can also add that it has been successful in its working, and has given excellent and almost universal satisfaction. Is it wise to change to an untried plan from one that has worked so well? GCB April 4, 1901, page 63.7

The same argument can be made in favor of continuing the present plan of giving the surplus donations for the work in foreign fields. The help given by our schools to the foreign mission work by this plan has been a great blessing to our schools as well as to our missions. Shall this plan be changed, and an effort be made to have all the donations given to foreign missions? Will such a change be an improvement, and will it result in greater good to the cause?—Manifestly not. GCB April 4, 1901, page 64.1

We are aware that some have advocated such a change. It has seemed sometimes as if some of our laborers saw in our Sabbath-schools simply a money-raising agency, and all the interest they would manifest in them would be to appeal to them for money for foreign missions, or some other enterprise. But there is such a thing as killing (or starving) the goose that lays the golden egg. If the schools are robbed of the material support, which is one of the elements of success and prosperity, their vitality and strength will be correspondingly lessened. If all their life-blood is sapped for supporting other enterprises, how long will they thrive and prosper? The result would be disastrous. GCB April 4, 1901, page 64.2

What would we think of the business ability of a man who spends all his income for the support of others, and then undertakes to earn or procure another income for the support of himself and his family?—We would say that he is a foolish man. So if our schools give all their income to foreign missions, they will be obliged to raise another income to provide for themselves. Is that wise? Who can say that it is? It is a source of comfort and congratulation that there are very few indeed who have advocated such an idea, and we sincerely trust that their numbers will continually grow less. GCB April 4, 1901, page 64.3

There is another important fact that has a strong bearing on this question, and it deserves careful consideration. It is this: According to the present plan, our people are urged to give a weekly offering for foreign missions in addition to the annual offering, and services are held in all our churches on the second Sabbath of each month in the interests of that branch of our work. This plan reaches all our people, old and young, who attend the Sabbath services in our various churches. All these weekly offerings are devoted to the foreign mission work. This is an excellent plan, and deserves our cordial support. Shall we ask another weekly offering from the same people for the same purpose, and urge them to give it all, and leave no means for the home work? To ask the question is to answer it. GCB April 4, 1901, page 64.4

The truth is that the home work must be supported, and not left to suffer. Donations must be made for the poor, for church schools, for missionary supplies, for Sabbath-school supplies, for church expenses, for the erection of church buildings, and last, but not least, for the payment of debts on our churches and our institutions. We should remember that there is a limit to the ability of our people to give, and wisdom and sanctified judgment must be exercised in our appeals for financial aid. GCB April 4, 1901, page 64.5

In conclusion we would raise these questions for the consideration of our workers: What effect will it have upon the weekly offerings to foreign missions to urge our Sabbath-schools to give liberally, or give all their donations, for the foreign work? If the latter plan is pushed, will it not lessen the amount received from the weekly offerings? Is it wise to push both plans aggressively, and thus make prominent the fact that we are calling upon the same people for two weekly offerings for the same purpose? Which will produce the best results, to push a plan for supporting foreign missions in which all the donations are held sacred for that purpose, or one in which nearly half is used for another purpose, and in which a habit of making small donations has been formed and established by years of custom? GCB April 4, 1901, page 64.6

We will not attempt to answer these questions, but will leave them for the consideration of our workers. We sincerely trust that they will awaken thought, lead to right conclusions, and result in good to our work. GCB April 4, 1901, page 64.7

We now have fifty-four associations, comprising about two thousand seven hundred schools, with an approximate membership of fifty-eight thousand. Since our report two years ago, eight new associations have been organized as follows: Chesapeake, Cumberland, Ontario, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and the West Indies. It will be noticed that four of these are situated in Australasia. GCB April 4, 1901, page 64.8

M. H. BROWN, Rec. Sec.