General Conference Bulletin, vol. 1

SABBATH-SCHOOL COUNCIL - DONATIONS TO MISSIONS

The Sabbath-school Council held its eight meeting Monday at 2 P.M. Elder F. M. Wilcox led the discussion on the subject of Sabbath-school contributions - how they should be used. He said: The work of the Sabbath-school, as its name indicates, is to instruct. It is a school. And so everything connected with the Sabbath-school should be in the line of instruction. This is the grand purpose and the grand object of the Sabbath-school, and so the work of giving, as it was originated by our Lord and Saviour, is for the same purpose. GCB February 28, 1895, page 400.1

The work of giving in the Sabbath-school should be educational in its character. It should lift the mind of the pupil away from himself, and center it upon something else, leading him to feel that there is something outside of his own wants, and that God has made it obligatory upon him to some extent to help to give the light of the gospel that he has received to those who sit in darkness. This is the chief purpose for which the special exercise of giving should be used. GCB February 28, 1895, page 400.2

Our foreign fields have offered an excellent object to which these donations should be given and I believe that there is in our Sabbath-schools a breadth and depth of spirit and generosity, and a breadth of mind that we would not see there if it had not been for this means. GCB February 28, 1895, page 400.3

If this is a conclusion rightly drawn, as I believe it is, we can all readily see that when we come to use our donations for a selfish purpose, the effect is not to draw out, but rather to narrow down and dry up, the spirit of generosity that the other line calls forth. While a portion of the donations may be used for the purchase of lesson books and such supplies as that, a limitation should be made to what is termed “necessary supplies.” “Necessary supplies” for the Sabbath-school do not include the buying of a carpet for the church, or taking five or ten or twenty dollars every quarter to pay the rent of the building in which the school is held, — that has been done by some of our schools, — nor does the purchase of necessary supplies for the Sabbath-school mean giving a hundred dollars for the building of a church in the conference. GCB February 28, 1895, page 400.4

There is one other point worthy of notice, and that is the method to be used in raising donations in the Sabbath-school. You know the methods that are resorted to sometimes, especially in Sunday-schools, and it is seen in some of our Sabbath-schools, — that of cultivating in the scholar a spirit of emulation in the matter of giving, a spirit of desire to get ahead of some one else. I have in mind classes in Sabbath-school that gave the largest offering, and the names of the teachers would be announced, or the names of the scholars in the class. That is in the same line as rewards of merit, cards, etc. These all cultivate in the scholar a spirit of envy and strife. A motive like that should not be appealed to in any of our schools. It should be a motive of disinterested benevolence. In appealing for donations, we should be careful as to the spirit we incite in the scholar. GCB February 28, 1895, page 400.5

There are different ways in which the spirit of true benevolence may be awakened in the scholar. Our foreign fields present most worthy objects for their consideration. Take the Zambesian mission field that we have this quarter. What more glorious enterprise could be placed before them to call out their feelings of generosity than such a field as that? The natives there are in heathen darkness. A few facts gathered about the field can be presented before the Sabbath-school, and it does not need to take much time. The superintendent can give a brief review of the field one Sabbath, and then perhaps the next Sabbath the teachers can take it up in their classes; and in that way a spirit of disinterested benevolence can be cultivated. GCB February 28, 1895, page 400.6

A map exercise will prove very helpful. If we would take a map, and show to our schools the great work that has been done and what remains to be done, it would inspire in them a sense of gratitude and benevolence, and they would want to bring down the expenses of the school to the smallest compass possible, in order that they might give to help the great world lying in darkness. When I read and when I hear how some of our Sabbath-schools in foreign fields are carried on, and then notice the conveniences that we have here in this country, I am led to ask if we guard our wants as we should, with reference to those things. In some of the countries of the old world, their rooms are so small that the Sabbath-school has to meet first, and carry on its work, and then the children all go home, and the parents stay and carry on their meeting. Here in America we have not been subjected to such inconveniences. GCB February 28, 1895, page 400.7

The Sabbath school contributions are playing an important part in our work, and the General Conference Committee and the Foreign Mission Board look with gratitude to the noble work that our schools are doing in this line, and they count on our Sabbath-school contributions. When we think that over $131,000 have been given for this purpose, it should be a cause of gratitude to God. When we see the different fields that have been helped by the Sabbath-school contributions, there is cause for rejoicing GCB February 28, 1895, page 400.8

The work of God is going forward, and we want a part therein, giving ourselves unreservedly to his service. May we all appreciate what the Lord has done for us in the past, and double our diligence, that we may further the work in the future to the glory of his name. GCB February 28, 1895, page 401.1