Providing Church Buildings
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In the breastplate of the high priest there were many stones, but
each stone had its special light, adding to the beauty of the whole.
Every stone had its special significance, bearing its important message
from God. There were many stones, but one breastplate. So there are
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many minds, but one Mind. In the church there are many members,
each having his peculiar characteristics, but they form one family.—
Letter 53, 1900
.
Ventilation Given Consideration—Sabbath afternoon the beauti-
ful and commodious meetinghouse in _____ was crowded to its utmost
capacity. The day was warm, and abundant ventilation was needed.
But the beautiful colored windows were not built to open. As a result,
the congregation suffered intensely, and the speaker was so poisoned
that she experienced great suffering for a week, and was barely able to
fill one of her three appointments in New York City. Why will a people
having abundance of information on health, sanitation, and ventilation,
allow wrongly built meetinghouses to stand year after year as closed
reservoirs for poison air?—W. C. White in
The Review and Herald,
November 25, 1909
.
Provide for the Church School—Workers in new territory should
not feel free to leave their field of labor till the needed facilities have
been provided for the churches under their care. Not only should a
humble house of worship be erected, but all necessary arrangements
should be made for the permanent establishment of the church school.
This matter has been plainly presented before me. I saw in different
places new companies of believers being raised up, and meetinghouses
being erected. Those newly come to the faith were helping with
willing hands, and those who had means were assisting with their
means. In the basement of the church, above ground, I was shown a
room provided for a school where the children could be educated in
the truths of God’s Word. Consecrated teachers were selected to go to
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these places. The numbers in the school were not large, but it was a
happy beginning.—
Testimonies For The Church 6:108
(1900).
Go Forward—When we open up the work in one field, and gather
out a company, we consecrate them to God and then draw them to
unite with us in building a humble house of worship. Then when the
church is finished, and dedicated to the Master, we pass on to other
fields. Distinct and plain the word has come to us, “Go forward,” and
just as soon as the warning message has been given in one place, and