General Conference Bulletin, vol. 3

THE RELIEF OF THE SCHOOLS

L. A. HOOPES

For many years in the past, heavy clouds of debt have been hanging over the majority of our educational institutions in North America; but now the Lord has made bare his mighty arm to free these from the burdens which rest upon them. This fills our every heart with joy and hope. GCB April 1, 1900, page 124.1

One year ago last March a movement was made by the teachers and students in several of the schools to raise the indebtedness upon the institutions. Now the movement has broadened and deepened. Testimonies have come from Sister White, which clearly show that God is anxious that these debts be removed from all of our educational institutions, and in these Testimonies the Lord calls upon his people to arise to his help and set the schools free from debt. GCB April 1, 1900, page 124.2

Sister E. G. White has given her new book, “The Parables of Jesus,” for this work. She will not exact any royalty whatsoever, but will donate all of the income which would naturally come to her from the sale of this book, to the applying off of the debts upon our educational institutions. She remarks in one of her letters that she trusts that this act upon her part will provoke others to acts of benevolence and mercy. GCB April 1, 1900, page 124.3

The Review and Herald and Pacific Press Publishing Companies have each agreed to donate the labor upon 150,000 copies of the book. This will mean a gift of between $30,000 and $40,000 from these publishing houses to the schools. The Echo Publishing Company, in Australia, has agreed to give the labor free on 15,000 books for the work of the schools in Australia. GCB April 1, 1900, page 124.4

At the request of Sister White, a bureau or committee has been appointed by the General Conference Committee to have charge of this whole matter. The bureau consists of the following-named persons: S. H. Lane (Chairman), S. N. Haskell, W. C. Sisley, J. E. White, L. A. Hoopes, J. H. Kellog, and P. T. Magan (Secretary). Sister White’s book on the parables will be a neat volume of about four hundred pages, with seventy-five illustrations. One unique feature of the illustrating will be that there will be This is at the special request of Sister White herself. She desires that the majority of the illustrations be natural and pastoral scenes. GCB April 1, 1900, page 124.5

The plan generally accepted as being best to adopt for the handling and sale of the book is, that, first, an earnest effort be made by our workers and among our church-members generally. Our people will be asked to subscribe for five, ten, fifteen, or twenty copies of the book, either at the regular retail price or at a very small discount. All the profits accruing from the sale of this book will be credited to the account of the college or academy in whose territory the book is sold. After an earnest effort has been made in the churches and among our own people, we expect that a large number of canvassers will be trained in the schools, and sent out in the fall to work among those not of our faith. It is an idea of the members of the bureau that those of our brethren who purchase more than one copy of this book will give or sell the remainder to their neighbors. In this way it is believed that an interest can be awakened once more among the lay members in the circulation of our denominational literature. GCB April 1, 1900, page 124.6

Hard times are before us all. We will soon be brought to the place where the world will investigate our financial standing. God in his mercy is preparing his institutions for this, and he desires that they shall have the cleanest, squarest, most noble record upon money matters possible for benevolent institutions to possess. Therefore let us be strong and quit us like men, showing the zeal of the Master in relieving our institutions from the heavy burdens which they now bear. GCB April 1, 1900, page 124.7

This movement is only a beginning. From it we trust, pray, and believe that another and still wider movement will grow, which will culminate in relieving every institutions in our ranks. A few sentences only need be quoted from Sister White’s Testimonies on this matter. Writing under date of January 22, 1900, she says:— GCB April 1, 1900, page 124.8

“The schools must be helped. Let all lift harmoniously and help as much as they possibly can. Great blessings will come to those who will take hold of this matter just now. Let no discouragement be offered by our ministers, as though it were not a proper thing to do. They should take hold of this work. If they do it right, cheerfully, hopefully, they will find it a very great blessing. The Lord does not force any man to work, but those who will place themselves decidedly on his side, he will give a willing mind. He will bless the one who works out the spirit which he works in. God will make the movement for the help of our schools a success if it is made in a free, willing spirit, as to the Lord. Only in this way can be rolled back the reproach that has come upon our schools all over the land. If all will take hold of this work in the spirit of self-sacrifice, for Christ’s sake and for the truth’s sake, IT WILL NOT BE LONG BEFORE THE JUBILEE SONG OF FREEDOM CAN BE SUNG THROUGHOUT OUR BORDERS.” GCB April 1, 1900, page 124.9

DIRECTORY OF THE SEVENTH=DAY ADVENTIST DENOMINATION. GCB April 1, 1900, page 125.1