The Pacific Missionary Trust Fund
(Editor's note: See editorial, this issue.)
Several articles of this subject have been written in this bulletin. For the benefit of those who are not acquainted with the former articles a brief rsum of what this Fund is, and its purpose is in order.
The Fund is a trust fund, completely managed by the officers (Elders and Deacons) of the Hollywood Church of Christ, 600 North Rossmore, Hollywood 4, California. The word "Trust" implies that the principle is never allowed to be spent, but that the interest on this fund is to be used to promote Christ's work in the lands bathed by the Pacific The word "Missionary" is to be applied broadly, not just supporting a few missionaries, but spent also where it will accomplish the most good for the cause of Christ. This may mean the erection of buildings, or schools, or even hospitals, if in the opinion of the aforementioned officers, this fills the need to accomplish a mission.
The vision is large. The scope is not narrow. The dream is a sound financial instrument which can do more than we have ever dreamed of before. We don't expect it to reach its fulfillment in the lifetime of many of us. It will require great patience and great sacrifice.
In our opinion it is the quickest and best way to get the job done. The job mentioned is to carry Christ to Hawaii, the Philippines, China, Japan, Western Canada and Lower California, as well as our own West Coast.
There can be innumerable criticisms. Some will say, "It is too ambitious," "The program is too big." We admit it is big, and that we are ambitious to even start such a program. It has never been even proposed before. It isn't as big as the Great Commission, for it does not include all the world, or the whole creation, but it includes more than a fourth of it. Some will say, "The money should be spent now," or, "It's wrong to hoard that money when it can be used now." How true in part. Yes, it certainly could be used now, but how then could you accumulate a large fund" And who can dispute that a great fund is needed? The fallacy is compared to saying, "We don't need a building fund, let us erect a small tent at once and start our worship services now." This program was not founded on such short-sightedness. Still others will say, "The officers are too far away to supervise all the work," or, "Such cooperative requirements are unscriptural." Such arguments have delayed us too long, brethren. For nearly two thousand years the lack of some such program has yielded barren crops in too many parts of the world. It is high time we started to accomplish the Lord's will. Our lukewarm efforts of the past must have displeased our Lord. Even the meeting of two or three in His name requires cooperative effort, and if we love one another, cooperation is implied. That lame excuse for doing nothing should be relegated to a past age — as soon I pray it will be.
This is a fund worthy of consideration in our wills, or in our life insurance, and in any way we can promote it. Never have we embarked on so important a function, if we really believe what Christ taught and His last precious message.
The officers of this church wish to express our loving thanks to the congregation for the fine effort of Sunday in sending $1,350.00 to the Tijuana church for a building. This, brethren is to your credit, and I am certain that God will bless you for it. Let us quietly go about doing good, for our Lord has set the example.