The Church by G. B. Thompson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 10, 1908

The Church

By G. B. Thompson

Instruction Pertaining to the Duties and Responsibilities of Officers and Members

Delinquent Tithe Payers

“WHAT shall be done with the members who do not pay tithe?” is a question often asked. Nearly every church officer is confronted with this problem; for delinquent tithe payers are found everywhere.

I do not know that this question can be answered better than to quote the following from the pen of Sister White, printed in the REVIEW AND HERALD of Dec. 1, 1896:—

“Let the church appoint pastors or elders who are devoted to the Lord Jesus, and let these men see that officers are chosen who will attend faithfully to the work of gathering in the tithe. If the pastors show that they are not fitted for their charge, if they fail to set before the church the importance of returning to God his own, if they do not see to it that the officers under them are faithful, and that the tithe is brought in, they are in peril, they are neglecting a matter which involves a blessing or a curse to the church. They should be relieved of their responsibility, and other men should be tested and tried.”

We believe that church officers should take a real burden in this matter. The president of the conference, and other

laborers, should give this matter serious attention, of course, when visiting a church, but it should not be left entirely for these persons to attend to. The individual who is robbing God in tithes is bringing darkness into his own soul, and into the church, and the elder of the church should personally labor with him on this matter, in much the same way as if he were breaking the Sabbath or doing any other wicked thing. The church treasurer, too, in our judgment, ought to take more burden regarding this question than simply to write a receipt for the tithe which is handed him. Kind, Christian letters can be written occasionally to isolated members. A friendly call to those living nearer, and the suggestion that you are about to remit some tithe to the conference treasurer, and would be glad to send what they had on hand with the rest, would result many times in gathering in some of the Lord’s money which otherwise would not be received.

The president of a conference and his committee are expected to work up the tithe throughout the entire field. Why should not the officers of the local church take a similar burden in their church? If all would discharge their duty in this matter, there would be fewer delinquent tithe payers, and many thousands of dollars would be gathered in to advance the message.

G. B. Thompson.