Providing Church Buildings
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Securing City Properties—In every city where the truth is pro-
claimed, churches are to be raised up. In some large cities there must
be churches in various parts of the city. In some places, meetinghouses
will be offered for sale at reasonable rates, which can be purchased
advantageously.—
Letter 168, 1909
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No Less Humble Than Our Homes—There have been times
when it seemed necessary to worship God in very humble places; but
the Lord did not withhold His Spirit nor refuse His presence because
of this. It was the best His people could do at the time, and if they
worshiped Him in spirit and in truth, He never reproved or condemned
their efforts. But He has blessed us with means, and we expend that
means in making our houses attractive, in planning and executing to
please, to honor, and to glorify ourselves; if we are content to thus
leave the Lord out of our plans and to worship Him in a much poorer
and more inconvenient place than we are willing to live in ourselves;
if, I say, our selfish purposes are thus made supreme and God and
His worship secondary, He will not bestow upon us His blessing.—
Manuscript 23, 1886
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Plain, Neat, and Perfect in Design—We have no command from
God to erect a building which will compare for richness and splendor
with the temple. But we are to build a humble house of worship, plain
and simple, neat and perfect in its design.
Then let those who have means look to it that they are as liberal and
tasteful in erecting a temple wherein we may worship God as they have
been in locating and building and furnishing their own houses. Let
them manifest a willingness and a desire to show greater honor to God
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than to themselves. Let them build with nicety but not with extrava-
gance. Let the house be built conveniently and thoroughly so that when
it is presented to God He can accept it and let His Spirit rest upon the
worshipers who have an eye single to His glory. Nothing must interfere
between God’s glory and us; no selfish plans, no selfish schemes, no
selfish purposes. There must be an agreement.—
Manuscript 23, 1886
.
Substantial Buildings—Some may ask, Why does Sister White
always use the words, “plain, neat, and substantial,” when speaking of
buildings? It is because I wish our buildings to represent the perfection
God requires from His people.
“But,” some say, “if the Lord is so soon to come, why do you urge
our builders to put the best material into the buildings they erect?”