Church Building
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the basement will have to be well finished; and this cannot be done
without means.—
The Review and Herald, May 18, 1911
.
Sometimes community members can be successfully solicited
to donate materials and labor to erect a house of worship—Before
this work was finished, the problem of providing a meeting-house at
Cooranbong arose. This problem proved to be a perplexing one. It
seemed that we had done about all we could, and that it would be
impossible to raise means sufficient for erecting a suitable house of
worship. Finally, during a council meeting in which the matter was
receiving consideration, I offered to go through our settlement, and try
to secure gifts of labor and material. Accompanied by my secretary, I
visited the workmen living for miles around, and solicited help. Just
at this time it happened that several of the carpenters who had been
laboring on the school buildings, were temporarily out of employment;
and these men generously responded, offering to work on the proposed
meeting-house at a very low wage,—less than one half the usual rate.
Several worked for nothing a portion of the time.—
The Review and
Herald, May 26, 1904
.
Financing
It is best to build a church building without debt—In Hamilton,
where the camp meeting was held, we contemplate building a meet-
inghouse. The ground is purchased but there must be no debt on the
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place. Therefore we wait for the Lord to open the way. He will do this.
His promise is as good as a deed. A portion of the money is already
raised. I gave fifty pounds to the Brisbane church and another fifty to
the church in Hamilton. When we receive money we will commence
to build a humble house of worship.—
Manuscript Releases 17:126
.
Members should be willing to work with their own hands to
provide a church building—Whenever it is possible, let our church
buildings be dedicated to God free of debt. When a church is raised up,
let the members arise and build. Under the direction of a minister who
is guided by the advice of his fellow-ministers, let the newly converted
ones work with their own hands, saying, “We need a meeting-house,
and we must have it.” God calls upon His people to make cheerful,
united efforts in His cause. Let this be done, and soon will be heard the