Home Missionary Extra Mo. 2. 
BATTLE 
CREEK, 
MICH., 
DECEMBER, 
1891. 
OUR FOREIGN 
MISSION 
WORK; 
ITS 
ORGANIZA-
TION, 
AND 
HOW 
SUPPORTED. 
WE are fully aware that all our friends have a deep inter-
est in our foreign missionary work, and are therefore 
desirous of knowing just how it is organized, and what 
arrangement is made for its support. 
In speaking for the 
Foreign Mission Board, we are glad to tell you all about it, 
for we are anxious to have all informed on this matter, as it 
is right that you should be. We hope that all are carefully 
reading what appears on this subject every month in the 
HOME MISSIONARY, and 
every week in 
the 
Review and Herald. 
The past year has been one of general prosperity. 
The 
reports that appear in our periodicals week by week are 
very encouraging indeed. Ministers and colporters have 
met with much success, the colporters especially. 
Never 
before was the way so generally open for the message to go 
everywhere as now. 
What is lacking are men and means. 
Our foreign mission work was never so well organized as 
now ; nor was there ever a time when a given amount of 
money was made to go further and accomplish more than 
at the present. 
The Foreign Mission Board, which is com-
posed of the General Conference Committee and six other 
brethren, making fifteen in all, besides holding frequent 
sessions to consider and advise regarding the foreign work 
whenever a quorum of the members can be called together, 
holds regular semi-annual meetings of several days, at each 
of which they carefully look over the whole ground and 
examine the workings of each mission. This Board has 
made arrangements for the appointment of local advisory 
committees in each field, of from three to seven mem-
bers, as the case may be. Each committee is advisory 
to the Foreign Mission Board. At present we have these 
committees appointed in Africa, Southern Africa, Austral-
asia (Australia and New Zealand), Central Europe, England, 
or the United Kingdom, the German and Russian mission 
fields (including Germany, Russia, and other countries in 
the adjacent territory) and Scandinavia. 
The chairman of each committee is also superintendent 
of that special field, and through him the Foreign Mission 
Board receives regular and full information on every matter 
connected with the work in that field. The chairman of 
the Advisory Committee, in connection with the members of 
the committee, has charge of the disbursement of the funds 
appropriated for that field. 
Near the close of each year the superintendent is expected 
to make an annual report of all the work done in his field, 
the disbursing of funds, etc., to the Foreign Mission Board. 
He is also called on to make an estimate of the needs of the 
work in his field, for the coming year. 
This includes the 
amount of money they will need from the foreign mission 
funds to carry on the work in that field. These reports, 
which include the report of all the work done in the past 
year, and the estimate for the work to be done the coming 
year, form the basis on which the Foreign Mission Board 
makes the appropriation for each field. 
With such arrangements as these, the Foreign Mission 
Board here is in a position to receive the fullest information 
possible on every matter, and advise regarding all the 
workings of our foreign' missions. 
And by the aid of the 
local advisory committee, which is generally composed of 
the leading missionaries and some of the most responsible 
brethren living in the field, we have an assurance of the 
best management of the work in each field. Important 
questions may come up which call for immediate decision, 
and they are not left to one man to decide ; but there is a 
committee of the most experienced and most responsible 
brethren, each member of which will have a part in such 
measures. 
We think all our brethren will see both the propriety and 
the utility of such an arrangement, and how it also assures 
the best results in the work, and the most careful expendi-
ture of all missionary funds. 
The plans of the Foreign Mission Board in making their 
yearly appropriations for foreign missions, are these : First, 
they carefully study each field, considering the work already 
done, and the work and the openings now presenting them-
selves. The report of the superintendent of each field re-
ceives the most careful consideration, also the plans of work 
he suggests for the year to come. Secondly, the Board con-
siders the calls from fields not yet entered by any organized 
effort. Thirdly, after carefully considering the calls and 
demands from all the fields, they proceed to take an inven-
tory of the money that may be expected from the different 
sources ; such as the annual contributions to foreign mis-
sions, first-day offerings, Sabbath-school contributions and 
other free-will offerings, and miscellaneous contributions. 
After having done this, the Board proceeds to make its ap-
propriation for each of the several missions for the year 
to come. 
It may be well to remark right here that in every case the 
Board makes the appropriation just as small as 
is possible in 
view of the necessities of each field ; for at the best we can 
work only a small amount of the territory and 
the fields that 
are calling for help. 
All can see from this the importance 
of raising the amount of the appropriation for each field. 
Our plan of forwarding the funds to each mission is' 
to 
divide the whole amount for the year into monthly install-
ments, sending one twelfth of the whole amount each 
month. 
The superintendent of each mission understands 
this, and arranges his plans for the work in his field accord-
2 
THE HOME 
MISSIONARY. 3 
ingly. From this arrangement it will be readily understood 
by all how embarrassing the position must be when we, 
over here, for lack of funds, fail to send these regular in-
stallments just as we have arranged to do in each case. 
The circumstances of the work in a foreign land make such 
a failure to receive the monthly allowance much more em-
barrassing than the same would be here; for here we can 
make some kind of arrangement to get along for a while, 
but such arrangements cannot be so readily made under the 
circumstances in which our laborers are placed in these 
foreign missions. 
"We will now give some statements in reference to the 
money raised and appropriated the past two years ; and it 
will be noticed by all that the money raised has not equaled 
the amount appropriated, but each year there has been a 
greater or less deficiency. 
This state of things has made it 
very embarrassing and extremely perplexing for both the 
Foreign Mission Board and our laborers in foreign lands. 
And here the question may be asked, How has the matter 
been managed, and how have emergencies been provided for 
under such circumstances ? We will tell you. First, we 
have had to curtail the work wherever it was possible to do 
so ; for to lessen the expenses means to curtail the work ; 
secondly, we have had to borrow money at different times 
to meet special emergencies. 
You can readily see that 
neither of these ways is good. It is sad indeed to curtail 
a work, when, at the best, you are doing just as little as you 
ought to do ; but when we cannot get the funds, it is im-
possible for us to go ahead with the work. And again, you 
can readily see that to borrow money with which to carry 
on a missionary enterprise is not a proper way at all. If 
money is borrowed, it must be paid ; and where shall we 
get the money with which to meet our obligations ? Per-
haps you will say we must not borrow; but would you let 
our foreign missionaries go without food for their families ? 
That is what it means. And again, would you let the credit 
of our foreign publishing houses go by default, and a 
reproach be placed on the cause of present truth in all that 
field, and on the whole denomination ? That is just what 
it would mean not to provide funds in these emergencies. 
But the question might be raised. Are we not doing too 
much? Would we not better retrench our work and confine 
ourselves to what we can readily do? Dear brethren, is that 
what you want us to do? Think it over. You profess to 
believe that we are near the close of time ; that now the 
last warning message is going to the world; that the pres-
ent generation is the one which will live to see the final con-
summation ; that now the winds are held, and the sealing 
message is doing its work in the earth. Yes, and more than 
this ; you believe God has intrusted us with this great light, 
and it is to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. 
Brethren, if these things are so, is there any opportunity 
or any excuse for doing less, and retrenching the work that 
we are now doing? It would seem to us preposterous, and 
a denial of our faith, to talk of doing less than we are now 
doing, in such a time as this. 
Well, it may be asked, But what will you do when the 
means do not come in ? The question is a pertinent one; 
but we will raise another question : Can it be that we are so 
impoverished that we cannot do any more than we are do-
ing at present ? or is it because we lack the real spirit of 
the message, and as yet have not become fully awake to the 
responsibility of our work, and so are not doing what we 
otherwise might do ? I cannot think that we are impover-
ished ; indeed, I know we are not. There never was a time 
in the history of Seventh-day Adventists when we were bet-
ter able to do than we are now ; and I fear that unless we 
fully awake to these things and do our duty, God may 
excuse us, and' raise up those that will take up the work 
and carry it on to its final triumph. 
Right here I would say that we appreciate highly what 
you have already done ; and if all were doing to day what 
some are doing, or equally in proportion, there would be no 
lack of means in the Lord's treasury. 
We will now give some figures in reference to the work 
for a short time in the past. The cost of our missionary 
work for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, was about 
$60,000, and the receipts for the same time $48,589.93. 
This amount, you see, is $11,410.07 less than the amount ex-
pended for the same time, and which had to be provided 
for in some such way as we have already mentioned. The 
appropriations for the year ending June 30, 1891, were 
$68,800, and the money actually raised during the same 
time was $60,192,66, which leaves a deficit of over $8,000. 
These deficits are what has made it so very perplexing the 
past two years. And yet, as we have said, we have done 
just as little as we could consistently do, and in any way 
meet the demands of the work. But the reader can readily 
see that such a state of things cannot continue ; that is, we 
cannot continue to borrow money to make up deficiencies. 
We must raise enough year by year to pay for the work 
done. 
The appropriatf6Efor	he year from June 30, 1891, to 
June 30, 
1892, is $57,000. 
Just how this is distributed 
among the several fieldsy^ou will see by turning to page 
four of the HOME LYTAESF&NARY EXTRA for September, 1891. 
This is a smaller amount by considerable than that appro-
priated the year before. Still we are glad to say that it 
does not represent a less amount of work to be done ; for 
we do not know how to do less than we are now trying to 
do. But every year we receive more help from the mission 
fields themselves ; that is, as the work progresses in those 
fields, the believers increase in number, and contribute 
more of their own means to carry forward the work. This 
is as it should be ; and by way of illustration, I will state 
that the church at Hamburg, Germany, last year paid over 
$500 tithes. Three years ago there was hardly a beginning 
in that city. This same is also true of the publishing 
houses at Basel and Christiania. The last annual report 
from each of them was very encouraging indeed, and 
shows that they are' now getting in a position where 
they will not be any expense to the mission. And as the 
book sales increase, these publishing houses will be helped 
in the same ratio. But I would also mention that if we 
were doing all that we ought to do, our appropriations, 
while growing less each year in some fields, ought to be 
larger ; for we ought to enter other fields where as yet we 
have not done any work. The Foreign Mission Board has 
THE HOME MISSIONARY. 
3 
confidence to believe that when our brethren and friends 
understand these things fully, we will see larger contribu-
tions to the foreign missionary work. 
You can readily see that while the appropriation for the 
current year is only $57,000, yet to cover all deficiency and 
place the missionary work where it could stand unembar-
rassed, we ought to raise at least $80,000. 
Having set before the reader the situation, and the finan-
cial policy of the Foreign Mission Board, we will give some 
facts directly from the field, that you may be better able to 
appreciate the perplexities of the Board, and also appre-
ciate how little we are doing in comparison with what 
ought to be done. 
We will first mention the colporter or book work. Book 
sales the past year have gone far ahead of those of any pre-
vious year in our experience. The Foreign Mission Board 
sent Brother E. M. Morrison to Australia, a little more than 
tWo years ago, to give instruction in the canvassing and 
hook work. He was very successful in organizing the work 
and instructing the canvassers. The result has been far 
beyond our highest expectations. 
According to their 
monthly reports, they are now selling to the amount of 
over $7,000 worth of books each month, which is truly re-
markable. 
From Australia, Brother Morrison was sent to South 
Africa. The same good results followed his efforts there. 
From Africa, Brother Morrison was directed to go to Europe, 
where he is at present. 
His work in England has been 
very successful. I will quote from a letter from Elder 
D. A. Robinson, in reference to increased demands for 
hooks from the publishing house in London, England :— 
,"With the increased efficiency of our workers in this field 
and in South Africa as well, the demands upon the publish-
ing house here have been very largely increased ; and it has 
become a serious question with those having the management 
of it to know how we are to meet these demands. 
It was 
comparatively easy to get out editions of 'Bible Readings' 
•of two and even five thousand at a time, but when the prob-
lem confronts us of speedily getting out an edition of 
twenty thousand of that book, and then many more of 
'Masterpiece' and ' Ladies' Guide,' with a good liberal sup-
ply of ' Home-Hand Book,' the seriousness of the situation 
becomes evident to all. These heavy editions call for a 
large outlay of means, and it requires several months to get 
returns from their sales ; and the cost of paper and printing 
and binding has to be met before these returns come in. 
The printing and binding are all done by outside parties. 
This saves a heavy outlay for plant and machinery, and se-
cures a better grade of work, and at a less price, than we 
could hope to do it ourselves. But when paper is ordered, 
and books are printed and bound, they must be paid for. 
"It is not a pleasing picture to contemplate,— that of 
curtailing the canvassing work and asking our agents to sell 
less, to shut down the gates and say to those who ought to 
be encouraged into the field, You cannot go, because we 
cannot furnish you with publications. Will our friends 
who have means with which they could aid the work at this 
important time, permit such a calamity to come ? Means 
will be greatly needed for the next six months. When the 
proper amount of funds is once in hand to run the business, 
the proceeds from the sale of books will keep it running, 
so it will be at once self-supporting. This matter has been 
urged so strongly in recent appeals to the General Confer-
ence, that I need not dwell upon it here. 
The fact, how-
ever, stares us in the face, that a large amount of means 
will be a necessity during the next few months, which, if it 
is not realized, will greatly cripple the work, both here and 
in South Africa." 
< 
You cannot appreciate the embarrassment and perplex- j 
ity we have suffered the past season on account of not j 
being able to supply the necessary amount of books : 
for the canvassers. Neither can you appreciate the diffi-
culty in which it places the canvassers. After they have 
labored faithfully, and have taken a large number of orders 
to be delivered at a certain time, can anything be more dis-
couraging than to have the publishing house, instead of 
sending the books in good shape, send word that it cannot 
fill the orders because it has not the books, nor the nec-
essary funds with which to produce the books ? This was 
the experience in South Africa the early part of the present 
year. And for a time it came very near utterly discourag-
ing the canvassers and breaking up their whole work. Our 
brethren can readily see the danger threatening the work 
under such circumstances. 
You cannot wonder that we 
feel exceedingly anxious over the situation. 
But some one may suggest that we should not bring our-
selves into such strait places. How would you proceed ? 
What would you do different from what we have done ? 
The fact is that it is not we that have done it at all; we 
have not done anything more than we have done for years 
in the past; we have always tried to instruct and encourage 
all our laborers to the best of our ability ; the difference 
seems to lie in the changed attitude of the people and 
public sentiment, in connection with the increased efficiency 
and experience of the workers. When we make the state-
ment that the field is open everywhere, and that the Spirit 
of God is moving upon the hearts of the people, opening 
the way for the truth, some may appreciate but little the 
meaning of this ; but we hope that, by setting these things 
before you so often and so plainly, you will come to under-
stand it better. We know that you are deeply interested, 
and this gives us courage to make these efforts to have you 
fully informed. 
The remarkable manner in which the Lord has opened the 
way for the truth to be carried to all parts of the world, and 
the eagerness with which our books and publications are 
taken by the people, place us under the greatest obligation 
possible ; and there is no way by which we can excuse our-
selves from putting forth the most earnest efforts. No 
sacrifice can be called too great ; no appeal for help in any 
line of the work can be called too earnest; for everything 
seems to indicate that we are fast nearing the final consum-
mation. 
We have comparatively few laborers, and therefore we 
cannot send the living messenger to all parts of the world 
where there are calls, and the way is open. But what ex-
cuse is there for not sending our books and publications 
everywhere ? Should not an effort be made to have some 
of our books — at least of our smaller publications — trans-
lated into all the leading languages of the world ? We have 
felt of late that an effort in this direction ought to be com-
menced at once. We find that wherever our publications 
have gone, souls have embraced the truth. 
But we cannot 
do this without funds. To what better purpose could 
we use several thousand dollars than to translate our publi-
cations into some of the leading languages in which we have 
nothing yet ? We have made no appropriation for this, 
and we cannot do it without funds. Some one may 
ask. Can you get any one to translate ? We can answer, 
Yes ; there are ample facilities for getting translation, if 
we only had money with which to get it done. What say 
you to this question, brethren ? We should like to hear 
from you. 
The Religious Tract Society, of London, is now issuing 
publications in 204 different languages. While we feel that 
we have done considerable, We have as yet reached hardly 
4 
THE HOME 
MISSIONARY. [JAN., 
a dozen languages; and yet this is a truth that is to go to 
every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. 
For the encouragement of our brethren we will mention 
some things that have been accomplished. I shall confine 
myself alone to foreign work, as the progress of the home 
work is quite generally known to all. Our foreign work 
was begun in Central Europe by Elder J. N. Andrews, who 
went to Switzerland in 1874. We have now a conference 
organized, consisting of nineteen churches, with a member-
ship of 438, and thirteen native laborers. 
Our publishing 
house in Basel is doing a good work, and, as we have men-
tioned before, is nearly self-supporting. 
Last year we 
organized the German and Russian missions, with Elder 
L. R. Conradi as superintendent, and headquarters at Ham-
burg. In Germany we have five churches, with a member-
ship of nearly 140. I will quote from a recent letter from 
Brother Holser, some statements about the work in 
Russia:— o 
"The opportunities to develop a strong conference in 
this field are much more promising than in any other field 
of Europe, so far as I am acquainted. But the difficulties 
are increasing. 
All but one of our Russian church at 
Strawropol are in prison. The one left is here in the meet-
ing to-day. 
A few went back, but most of them re-
mained true, and though in prison, their joy is full." 
The work was opened in Scandinavia by Elder J. G. Mat-
teson, in the year 1877. We now have three organized 
conferences : Sweden with sixteen churches, and a member-
ship of 457 (and four more churches have been organized 
since the annual report); Denmark with eleven churches, 
and membership of 391; Norway with four churches, and 
membership of 284. Our publishinghouse in Christiania is in 
a very prosperous condition and doing a good work. Last 
year it came very nearly paying its way ; probably this year 
it will do so fully. We have sixty-one native laborers, 
ministers, colporters, and Bible workers in these three 
countries, and five devoting their whole time to the work, 
who have been sent there from America. Last year they 
raised $3,731.40 for the work in their own field. 
In England the canvassing work has made very rapid prog-
ress the past year. Here we have no organized conference 
as yet. The Pacific Press has a branch office in London. 
The greatest perplexity the past year has been the lack 
of capital with which to manufacture the books called 
for, of which we have already spoken. We have eight 
churches in England, and 157 believers. During the year 
' we have organized the first church in Ireland, where there 
are now over 50 believers. Colporter work has also been 
begun in Scotland during the past summer, and is very 
successful. 
In Australia and New Zealand the work is making steady 
progress. There is an urgent call for a school to be located 
there. A number of students have already come from 
there to this country, and more are contemplating coming 
unless steps are soon taken to arrange for a school there. 
The work in the Pacific islands, as well as in Australia and 
New Zealand, demands a school in the near future, and this 
necessity must not be ignored. 
The mission among the Pacific islands, and the work of 
our first missionary ship, is most encouraging indeed. The 
manner in which our missionaries on the "Pitcairn " have 
been received at every point, and the work they have been 
been enabled to do, are far beyond our highest expecta-
tions. No one can ever regret having contributed to our 
missionary ship. But this is only another illustration show-
ing how remarkably the Spirit of God is moving on the 
minds of the people, and how the way is being prepared for 
the truth to go everywhere. 
There are at present a large number of people on the 
South Pacific islands that would like to attend a school, and 
be instructed with a view to fitting themselves up to labor 
among the people on the islands. Australia would be a 
very proper place for such a school. 
The success attending the labors of Elder Ball in the 
West Indies, is worthy of mention. His labors have been 
far more successful than was expected. Our brethren are 
also acquainted with another advance move the last year; 
namely, that Elder L. C. Chadwick, the president of the 
International Tract and Missionary Society, has gone on a 
tour to South America, visiting Mexico, the Bay Islands, 
and the West Indies on his way, and will return by way of 
Africa and Europe. Brother Frank Hutchins and wife have 
also gone to fill a long-standing call from the Bay Islands ; 
and three canvassers have gone to South America. 
Before we close, we must call attention to a few more 
points, which we wish you to consider. 
We have already 
mentioned the importance of having at least some of our 
tracts translated into the leading languages of the world. 
But we have felt a burden for Finland. We have every rea-
son to believe that the Finns are just as easily reached by 
the truth as other people in Northern Europe. But as yet 
we have not even a tract in the Finnish language, to circu-
late among this people. This we must have at the first pos-
sible opportunity. 
Another pressing demand is a permanent location in Ham-
burg for a mission, depository, meeting hall, and a place 
where we can have a school for the education of workers 
for Germany and Russia and adjacent countries. 
Provi-
dence has so ordered that many in these countries can be 
instructed through the medium of the German tongue, and 
can go back from a course of training well prepared to 
carry the truth to their fellow-countrymen. We find it im-
possible to rent suitable quarters. A house for the mission 
family and depository can be rented, but we cannot obtain a 
hall at any reasonable price. The reason is that they are 
all taken up for pleasure concerts and beer drinking. We 
see no other way by which to meet the wants of the work 
than to purchase property suitable for the above purposes. 
But for this we need funds. We have investigated this 
matter, and find that this is the only way out. We are cer-
tain that if our brethren could understand the real situation, 
they would urge the step at once ; for unless something is 
done soon, the work will be greatly hindered. 
We have now placed the situation before you in as brief 
a space as possible. We have informed you of the manner 
in which the work is organized and carried forward, and of 
what has been accomplished, and have also mentioned some 
of the most urgent demands now pressing for help. But 
these things that I have mentioned are not included in our 
estimates for the work the coming year. This would call 
for about $10,000 more. Shall this important work be de-
layed ? It is for you to answer. As a Mission Board we are 
only your servants, and can go no farther than our people 
will furnish funds. We have felt it our duty to place these 
things before you, believing that when you understand 
them fully, you will take pleasure in doing your utmost to 
help in the work. We know that you are interested, and 
therefore we have confidence that you will do all you can in 
this time of special interest. 
From the above statements, all can readily see the neces-
sity for a large contribution to foreign missions during 
the week of prayer. 
We hope that the readers will in 
a special manner carefully consider these things. 
We 
should not feel that our duty is done with one contribution. 
During the year to come we should ever bear in mind to 
contribute from time to time to the work of the Lord, as 
his providence may place means within our reach. 
And 
further, we ask that you who read this and consider the 
needs of the work, will place the situation before others of 
your brethren and sisters, who would be interested, and 
who would be willing and desirous to help in the work if 
they understood the needs. So we shall request each of 
you to act as an agent for our foreign missionary work, and 
to work up these interests in every way that is in your 
power. 
O. A. OLSEN, 
Pres. Foreign Mission Board.