A Sermon on Tithes

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 13, 1882

A Sermon on Tithes.

THE following summary of a sermon on tithing, with a brief account of the preacher, we find in a little tract handed to us by a friend. We are glad to publish it for the benefit of our readers:—

[Blind Hohannes (John, sometimes called "John Concordance," because of his great knowledge of the Scriptures), graduated some years ago from the Theological Seminary at Harpoot, Eastern Turkey, and was afterwards stationed as preacher at Shepik, a small and very poor village not far from Arabkir. There he exerted a most happy influence, and there he first preached his sermon on tithes. Miss West, who heard him preach afterwards on the subject at Harpoot, sent an abstract of the discourse for the Missionary Herald, where it was published in October, 1868. It was reprinted in the Christian Work, a standard English publication, with the suggestion that it should be circulated by hundreds of thousands among Christians of England, was translated into Welsh, has been repeated in India, and China, and Africa.]

The preacher commenced his discourse by repeating that striking passage in Malachi: "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Where in have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings," etc. He then, in few words, told us that he proposed to show from the word of God, that the giving of a tenth to the Lord was a primitive institution, attended with great benefits and blessings to the givers, and perpetuated and enforced under the new dispensation no less than the old.

"Open your Bibles," he said, "at the 14th chapter of Genesis, and let some one read the 18th and 20th verses." Bibles were instantly opened all over the house, and the passage read, in clear tones, by one of the congregation. "Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek," said the preacher, "more than four hundred years before the giving of the law to Moses—Abraham, the 'father of the faithful,' whose children the Jews gloried in being,—Abraham, whom even Moslems honor and call 'the blessed.'"

"Now turn to the 28th chapter and read the 20th, 21st, and 22d verses." Jacob's vow was read, concluding with the words: "And of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth to thee." He then rapidly drew the contrast between Jacob's going to Padan-aram alone, and in utter destitution—and the return, with his flocks and herds, and camels, men-servants and maid-servants; for the man had increased exceedingly, in spite of the covetousness of Laban. "And now," he said, "open at the 27th of Leviticus, and read the 30th verse. 'And all the tithe of the land is the Lord's,'" repeated the preacher; "nine-tenths for yourselves, but one-tenth 'is holy unto the Lord.' Open at Numbers 18th, and read the 20th, 21st, 26th, 28th, and 29th verses." This was done, and then Hohannes briefly commented upon each verse. He said the Levites, who ministered in the house of the Lord, were to have no part or inheritance in the land, for the tithes of the people were to be their inheritance; and of these tithes, they were to offer a tenth to the Lord, "even of all the best thereof!" "Read Deut. 14:22; and 26:12. See the abundant provision made, not only for the Levites, but also for the 'stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.' Read 2 Chron. 31:4-10, where the people are described as obeying the command of God, and bringing in 'abundantly' of the 'increase of the land.' And the chief priest answered king Hezekiah, when he questioned him concerning the 'heaps,'—'Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty; for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.'"

"Now read Nehemiah 13:10th, 13th, and 14th verses. Mark the contrast! The people no longer tithes; the house of the Lord was desecrated, and the Levites had forsaken their sacred office, and 'fled, every one to his own FIELD!' And now," said the preacher, "we will turn to the new dispensation. Open at the 23d of Matthew and read the 23d verse: 'These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone,' are our blessed Saviour's words to the Scribes and Pharisees. Ye do well to pay tithes—it is your duty—but ye ought also to do judgment, mercy, and faith. Now turn to Luke 11:42: 'Woe unto you Pharisees, for ye tithe all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.' Read Luke 3:7-12: 'Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance,'" repeated the preacher. "John the Baptist was a connecting link between the Jewish and the gospel dispensations, and he spake as he was moved by the Spirit of God, 'Now also the axe laid at the root of the tree.' What tree? It was nothing less than the tree—the root—of self and selfishness! What this good fruit is he tells us in the 11th verse: 'He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat (food), let him do likewise.' Where now remains the tenth?" he exclaimed. "Under the new dispensation, not one-tenth merely, but one-HALF is required!" (At this announcement there was an evident sensation in the audience, many a face lighted up with a smile, as the electric current shot through the assembly).

The preacher continued: "Read now the 6th of Luke, 38th verse: 'Give, and it shall be given unto you.' Give, and you shall have the wherewithal to give! Shut your hand and your heart, and you shut the windows of Heaven; you keep back the blessing of God. See what Christ says in Luke 12:33: 'Sell that ye have and give alms, etc., which means, consider yourselves as stewards of God's grace on the earth, seeking your inheritance in the world to come. You are to set light store by your earthly possessions, and lay up treasure in Heaven. Now read Luke 14:33." Slowly and solemnly the preacher repeated the words of the Master: "'So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not ALL that he hath, he CANNOT be my disciple!' Ah, my brethren," he said, "It is not merely a tenth, or even a half of our wordly possessions that Christ claims, it is our ALL! Think upon the meaning of those words. It is thus He speaks to you: 'If you wish to be my disciple, you must count the cost! You cannot serve two masters. You must give up everything that the children of this world seek after. You must hold yourselves aloof from your earthly possessions (the Armenian version of the text quoted from Luke 14:33), holding to them loosely, setting your affections on things above. Your comfort, pleasure, honor, ease, yea, your very life, you must esteem as nothing in comparison with my service! And in thus losing all you will find ALL, and that forever.'"

"Open your Bibles at Matt. 19:29, and Mark 10:29, and the glorious promise to those who truly 'forsake all' for Christ and his cause. 'See,'" exclaimed Hohannes, after solemnly repeating the passage, "'see how rich the reward! A hundred-fold in this life, and life everlasting beside! Now open at Luke 19th, read from the 2d to the 10th verse. Note the words of Zaccheus: 'The half of my goods I give to the poor'—and mark the answer of our Saviour. But what say you? Is salvation to be bought with money? We all know that it is 'without money, and without price.' Why then this blessing upon Zaccheus?" "Because," answered one of the congregation, "the giving was the fruit of his faith!" "Yes," rejoined the preacher, "Zaccheus brought forth fruit worthy of true repentance, and immediately received the promised blessing."

"Now let me tell you a story. When I was in the class in sermonizing, in the seminary, our teacher was very anxious that we who were soon to go forth as preachers, and perhaps become pastors, should work upon right principles; and he often talked to us about our duty, as leaders, to teach the people to do for themselves. He sometimes told us of places where much money (of the Board) had been expended by missionaries, and little real good accomplished, because the people had not been taught to give for Christ's cause. 'In one little village,' he said, '40,000 piasters of the Board's money was spent, the people giving only fifty piasters during thirteen years! And the work in that place amounts to nothing, to-day, in consequence of this unwise course.'"

"It so happened, that when my course of study was finished, I was appointed to that village. It was the last place I should have chosen. I had no desire to go to that field, but God had so ordered, and I went. The missionaries told me that my wages would be 1,500 piasters per year, of which the people were to raise 600 piasters; and before I left, one of them took me aside, and counselled me to make it as easy for the people as possible, by eating at their houses, etc., etc., because it would come hard to them at first to do so much. Soon after I went there, a neighboring pastor came over to the village, and we held a meeting with the brethren. We talked about my support, and it seemed that they had, with much difficulty, subscribed 500 piasters per year. I told them the missionaries had said they would raise 600. 'Never!' they exclaimed, 'we cannot raise another para!' And pastor M. said it was impossible—they were too poor. 'Where then shall I get my other hundred?' I asked. 'We will help you from our place,' he answered.

"But my mind was not at rest. That night I thought much on the subject. I said to myself, 'Suppose the American Board should some day withdraw its support from this and other feeble churches, what will become of them?' And I prayed: 'O, Thou who knowest all things, and with whom are all plans, show thy ignorant servant how thy kingdom can best be established in this land.' And it seemed to me that a voice said, in my soul, 'It can be done, by giving one in every ten!' When I told it over, it occurred to me to test it first in my own case. One-tenth of my 1,500 per year would be 150 piasters. 'No!' I said, 'I can't give as much as that; I should suffer for it.' But when I came to take it out of every month's allowance it did not seem so much. 'One-tenth of my 125 per month, will be 12½ piasters; I can do it,' I said, 'and I will, even if I do have to pinch a little!' It happened that pastor — visited us about that time, and I laid the subject before him. 'It can be done,' he said, 'and it must be. I will give a tenth of my salary.' And so said preacher —, who also came over. 'Well, then,' I said, 'do you think it will do for me to lay it before the brethren?' 'Yes,' they replied, 'it is the best thing you can do.' So I prepared myself and preached to the people on the next Sabbath. The Lord blessed his own word. They accepted it, and came together to be 'written' for their tithes. When we made a rough estimate it appeared that their tenths would amount to more than my entire salary! 'Why, how is this?' they all said; 'it was so hard before, but now it comes very easy, and is truly pleasant.'"

"Now, to show you how God blessed that little flock, I will mention one case. There was one of the brethren who had a vegetable garden, which the Turkish official, in writing down the taxes, had estimated at 900 piasters (for that year's produce), taxing him ninety piasters. Others said it was too much; it would not produce that amount. But mark the fulfillment of the promise in Malachi 3:10. That brother sold 3,000 piasters' worth of vegetables, besides what was eaten by a household of thirty-two persons, and given away—amounting to full 3,000 more. Others were also blessed, and all acknowledged that they had never known a year of such prosperity. The people not only supported their preacher and school-teacher, but also paid over 2,000 piasters for other purposes."

The preacher was about to close his discourse, when a member of the congregation arose, and asked permission to say a few words. "I have learned," he said, "from one of the missionaries, another truth which has great weight in this giving of one-tenth of our income to the Lord. Under the old dispensation, the Jews were only required to care for their own nation, but under the new dispensation the command is, 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature!' Therefore a tenth is not enough for Christians to give." To this the preacher responded: "A tenth is the very least that a disciple of Christ can give. Over and above that, he should give as God prospers him." "And now," he added, "let us seek the aid of the Holy Spirit, that we and all our offerings, may find acceptance before God."