Let Them Go Down by Evangelical Messenger

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Sep 14, 1882

Let Them Go Down.

By Evangelical Messenger

Coaxing the devil to support the gospel is a modern device. The primitive church knew nothing of it. When Paul was collecting funds to aid poor saints at Jerusalem, he used no fairs, festivals, "mum sociables," kissing games, or other sanctified snares, to accomplish his object. The Christians paid their own bills, and did not expect Satan to pay for the weapons which they used in warfare against him. When the devil does support a church, he does so in his own interest. He carries on his operation with a full knowledge of the fact that "a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand." For every dollar paid out of his coffers to the church, he receives full value. Church partnerships with the evil one never benefit the former, but always the latter.

Untold harm comes to the church by the use of even questionable measures to raise money for the support of God's work. It creates the impression in the minds of the worldly that the church is a kind of parasite, dependent for its existence on the community; that it is an object of charity, or even pity and contempt, which is grateful for the tolerance of the people that let it live. The ungodly regard such people as engaged in seeking money rather than souls, and valuing wealthy members better than poor saints. To stand before the world in this light is humiliating and degrading beyond expression. Such churches ought to be cleansed or closed.

Churches that are doing the Lord's work, and that are worth supporting can be supported without the use of questionable means. Others deserve no support. Let them go down.