The American Missionary - Volume 39, No. 08, August, 1885

Excerpt

THE
American Missionary

Vol.XXXIX.AUGUST, 1885.No.8.American Missionary Association.$365,000

NEEDED FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.

Your Committee are convinced that not less than a THOUSAND DOLLARS a day are imperatively demanded to perfect the admirably organized plans of the Association, even for the present, to say nothing of the pressing needs of the early future.—

[Finance Committee's Report Adopted by Annual Meeting at Salem.]

THE FIGURES.

Donations.Legacies.Total.    Oct. 1, 1884, to June 30, 1885 -$153,072.30$23,884.35$176,956.65Oct. 1, 1883, to June 30, 1884 -145,821.4931,169.90176,991.39———————————————Inc. $7,250.81Dec. $7,285.55Dec. $34.74

These figures on their face are encouraging rather than discouraging. They show that our receipts from living donors are better by a few thousand dollars than last year, an evidence of the hold that we still have upon the churches, made all the more conspicuous in these hard times. But these figures do not tell the whole story. The $40,000 debt to which we have made frequent reference hitherto is still pending. To this must be added the $13,000 debt that came over from last year.

Only two working months are left. Our fiscal year ends with September. From month to month we have published the figures. Our friends have been able to trace for themselves just how the financial struggle has been maintained. Donations from churches and individuals have been kept distinct from legacies, and comparison made with receipts of the corresponding months in the preceding year. A varying story the figures have had to tell.

There is a slave hymn:

"I'm sometimes up and I'm sometimes down,
But still my soul is heavenly bound."

That has been the case with our feelings as we have followed the rise and fall in the comparisons. But amid all the fluctuations we have had an abiding confidence that before the year ends there will be such a rally by our friends that we shall come out free of debt. Are we to be disappointed? We are approaching the time for decisive thought and action. We cannot delay much longer. The figures this month not only show that in the total we are a little behind, but they also indicate that our reliance for relief must be in the living and not in the dead. We have no large legacies that are available in sight, and we have no reserve fund on which to draw to avert disaster. Can the threatening deficit be averted? Can our friends meet the demand? Yes, and much more. All that is needed is the will to do; the ability exists.

We appeal to the wealthy to take this matter upon their hearts and minds at once. We beg them to send on, as soon as possible, generous donations to our treasury. Their example at this time will be most inspiring.

We ask all our friends to do what they can. "The two mites" that in the Lord's mode of estimating count more than many of the larger gifts, we cannot possibly do without. The little rills and the small streams must make their contributions, or the broad and deep river on which we are to float and be saved will not form....