Tithing Among the Methodists
By Editor
We have received from an esteemed fellow worker in the field a copy of the Pacific Christian Advocate (Methodist) of recent date in which is printed a well-written article in favor of the practise of tithing as the proper method for the support of the gospel. An editorial in the same issue calls attention to the article, and says:— Who has any better plans for securing the necessary funds for the work of the church than the old Mosaic tithing system? Let him who has bring it forward, let us hear what it is; but until such a system is produced, our people should give careful attention to the time-honored law which has worked so successfully among the Jews and so well among the Mormons, and is the secret of the growing influence and efficiency of the Seventh-day Adventists. We invite special and favorable attention to the article in this issue by Mr. G. L. Cleaver, who is a banker in La Grande [Ore.], and who wrote the paper, not from the standpoint of the minister, but from that of a business man. We quote the following paragraphs from the article:— Most Christians dismiss the subject of tithing with the impression that it was a Mosaic law, and therefore abolished by Christ, but this is not strictly true, for Abraham paid tithes hundreds of years before Moses was born, so did Jacob, and it is fair to suppose from this that all the patriarchs of sacred history did likewise. The first mention of the tithe in the Mosaic law was the simple statement that “the tithe is the Lord’s,” as if there was no question about it, and no need for explanation. I have been studying this question for several years, and I am satisfied that it is at least God’s plan, if not his law. Ancient history tells us that the Arabians in Asia, the Britons, Romans, and Grecians in Europe, and the Carthagonians in Africa practised tithing, some of them thousands of years before Christ’s advent, and I can not understand why this reasonable financial principle does not apply as well to our lives to-day, and I am glad that so many Christians are coming to believe that the revival of tithing in our churches in these later days would mean unprecedented advancement of Christ’s kingdom. I believe that one tenth of my income is the Lord’s, not shall be, but is; and I give it gladly (if you can call it giving) for Christian and benevolent objects. . . . We are not asked to turn back half that the Lord gives us, however; but I believe that we are expected, and that it is our duty, to put at least one tenth back into God’s work of making the world better. Christ said to the Pharisees, who boasted of their careful tithing, “These things ought ye to have done,” thus commending that part of their service. We believe that it is right and proper for us to pray God’s blessing on our temporal affairs, and for wisdom to guide us in all our duties. We can not keep our labor, business, or profession separate from our religion, and as for me, I feel more like praying for these blessings when the responsibility of how much of my prosperity shall go back to the Giver of all good things, is settled. As you have heard it so often said, we are but his stewards after all. Everything is his, and we are accountable to him for the use of what he gives us, or in other words, gives us the power to earn. Giving a tenth is simply a practical recognition of his ownership. A seventh of our time and a tenth of our income belong to God in a special sense, and no Christian can afford not to study these things. Here are some of the things the Bible says about it:— Prov. 3:9: “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase: so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Luke 6:38: “Give, and it shall be given unto you: . . . for with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” 2 Cor. 9:7, 8: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace [I think the word grace here refers to temporal blessings] abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” Mal. 3:10, 11: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.” It is not hard to convince Christian men that tithing is upheld by the Scriptures, and that it is a laudable practise; but it is difficult to get them to go farther and prayerfully study this great subject, of such vital importance to the church of Jesus Christ. All sorts of excuses are presented by good people for not tithing, but after they are all summed up, you will find them weak indeed, and all finally end in the admission that it is too much trouble to keep such an account. One man says, “Well, I don’t keep exact count of it, but I expect that I give more than a tenth, when you come to figure in all the good causes that I help support.” You will be surprised how much you fall short of what you could give keeping a careful account. Another man says, “I am a merchant, and never know how much I have made until the end of the year, and then, more than likely, my profits are all tied up in new goods.” This is very true, and I will admit that in some lines of business it is more difficult to tithe your increase; but I insist that where there is a great desire to please God and serve him, there is always a way to find the tenth. . . . It can be made comparatively easy in any business if you try. For men and women working for a given wage it is simple bookkeeping, therefore they can not make the same excuse the merchant does, and I know you will feel repaid many times for the little trouble, if you try. Don’t begin to deduct your personal or family expenses before you tithe, neither your debts, or you will make a miserable failure of it. Go on the principle that one tenth is not yours, and take that out of your salary or wages first. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” Pay first what you owe to God, and he will surely help you pay the rest.