SYSTEMATIC BENEVOLENCE, OR THE BIBLE PLAN OF SUPPORTING THE MINISTRY by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 17, 1876

SYSTEMATIC BENEVOLENCE, OR THE BIBLE PLAN OF SUPPORTING THE MINISTRY.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

BY ELD. D. M. CANRIGHT.

Text “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 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.” Mal. 3: 8-11.

Seventh-day Adventists claim to be a Bible people, both in doctrine and in practice. Whatever the Bible clearly teaches, that we claim to believe and practice. We keep the Bible Sabbath; we practice Bible baptism; we worship the God of the Bible. Being thorough reformers, we find it necessary to disregard many of the customs and practices of the sects around us. This is especially true upon the important subject of the proper mode of supporting the gospel.

The modern mode of doing this we condemn and utterly reject. When a minister is hired, a subscription is passed around town, soliciting help from the ungodly and everybody. Then every time a person goes to church the contribution box is thrust into his face. We know that many people stay away from meeting on this account. But as this does not raise means enough, donation parties are resorted to, and all classes and characters are invited to contribute in this manner. Then come festivals, oyster suppers, grab-bags, fish-ponds, ring cakes, and a whole list of religious abominations, with which to coax or catch a dime out of every one.

We are utterly opposed to the whole system. We believe that it is one of the signs of the fall of Babylon, one of the sins for which God is forsaking a covetous, fallen church.

But the gospel must be supported. The Lord's devoted ministers must have a living. If we reject this system we must adopt a better one. This we can readily do; for the Lord has furnished it, ready arranged to our hands. The only difficulty in the case is covetousness on the part of professed Christians. It is evident that this is the true cause which has led the modern churches to resort to every means to gather in money, in order to save their own pockets. We justly condemn them for this. Let us beware of covetousness on our own part that it does not blind our eyes to the plain teaching of the Lord upon this subject.

In order to make this matter plain, we will notice a few of the plainest principles of the Bible bearing upon the point.

1. There is one personal, intelligent, living God, who has created all things. Nothing exists but what he has made. This is so many times and so plainly stated in the Bible that I do not stop to quote any one passage upon the point. Having made them, it is perfectly right and reasonable that he should say how they should be used; and no one has a right to use them for any other purpose. To do so would be the highest crime one could commit. It would be open rebellion against God, the highest authority in the universe.

2. God created all these things for his own pleasure and glory. This is stated many times in the Bible. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Rev. 4:11. Notice, it says, “For thy pleasure they are and were created.” Man, in his selfishness, has come to think that all things were created for his pleasure,—that the sun shines to please him, that the earth produces to gratify him, and that he lives for his own pleasure. But the Bible tells a different story. All these things, and man himself, was made to please and glorify God. Hence God's honor must be first in everything. So Jesus says, The first and great commandment is to love the Lord with all the heart, might, mind and strength. Matt. 22: 37. The first commandment in the moral law strikes the same point, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Ex. 20: 3. The Lord's prayer recognized the same principle. “Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,” &c. Matt. 6: 9-11.

Jesus ever taught that our duty to God is paramount to everything else; even the dearest and most tender relations of life must give way before this. Thus he says: “If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14: 26. A father or a mother, a brother or sister, or even a wife or child, must not stand first in our affections and our duties. God first, everything else secondary. Paul sums it all up thus: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10: 31. Then we must keep the glory of God constantly before us, even in eating and drinking. This is reasonable; for it is God's sun that shines upon us, God's air we breathe, God's earth we walk upon,—everything is God's.

3. We are only stewards for a short time of what we possess. No doctrine of the Bible is more plainly and frequently stated than this. Let us hear the word of the Lord upon this subject. “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.” Ps. 50: 10-12. “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2: 8.

My brother, those cattle in your field are the Lord's; those horses in your barn are the Lord's; those acres of land are the Lord's; the wheat, corn, oats, and potatoes that you claim are the Lord's; the money in your pocket, and that which you have at interest, is the Lord's. You only have it committed to you for a short time. How plainly Jesus states this doctrine in Matt. 25: 14, and onward. “For the kingdom of Heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.” “After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.” Verses 14, 15, 19. The rest of the story is familiar to every body. It was given expressly to teach the very doctrine which we are here setting forth, viz., that in the Judgment the Lord will require every one of us to give a strict account of what we have done with the means committed to our trust.

These talents cover more than simply our money or our property. To some the Lord has given physical strength. In many cases, this is a better capital than money, houses, or lands. We have no right to squander this carelessly, or through laziness put it to little or no use. My brother, God will require a faithful use of the physical strength which you possess. Be careful how you lie around and idle away this great capital. Others have a large capital of mental strength, mental ability. They have capacity for teaching and filling important positions and offices. Their influence is large. The Lord will require them to give an account of this by and by. Some of these have good, financial ability. They know how to calculate well. In making bargains they have prudence and good judgment. In carrying on business, or prosecuting their trade they are successful. God has endowed them with much ability in this direction. If they turn their hand to farming, they know just how to do it, and make it pay. If it is in buying or selling, their foresight and business tact gives them success.

But all men have not this ability. Indeed, a greater share have not. Some persons have great ability as preachers, lawyers, or doctors, who have no financial ability. Financial ability is as much a special gift, or talent, as is that of preaching, teaching, or anything else. We often see one brother among several sons who is blessed with this ability, while the rest are not. The others are equally honest, equally industrious, and equally anxious to obtain means, yet they remain poor all their lives. It is not mere luck. They do not know how to calculate; but their brother does.

How apt the prosperous are to take all the credit to themselves and disgust their poor brethren and neighbors. They love to contrast their success with the failure of others. They love to look over their fine farms, their fat cattle, full barns, and count over their money, while they say in their hearts and with their lips, “This is mine; I have done this. Brethren Jones and Jay, Smith and Brown, if they only knew how to do it, might be as well off as myself.” They not only take the credit to themselves, but, worse than this, they appropriate all the advantages of these to their own personal advantage and enjoyment. They use their financial ability to lay up money for themselves, to build fine houses for themselves, to purchase easy carriages for themselves, to buy fine clothing for themselves, to set rich tables for themselves; and if any body suggests any other use of this, they say, “Verily, are not all these things mine? Have not I earned them? Have not I made them? Whose business is it what I do with them?”

But stop, my brother. Who gave you the ability to get these things? Who made you different from your poor brother? Was it not God? Is God a respecter of persons? Did he love you so much better than others that he gave you this ability simply to honor and please yourself? or did he not endow you with this ability in order that you might make means to help his cause?

Listen to the word of God on this point. It is very plain. “Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; . . . and thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth.” Deut. 8: 12, 13, 17, 18.

Yes, this is just what wealthy men generally believe: My power, my hand hath gotten all this wealth. But what does the Lord say? It is the Lord “that giveth us power to get wealth.” No Christian will deny this.

Now, I maintain that while the Lord calls one man to preach the gospel, and gives him talent for that purpose, he just as truly calls another man, and gives him talent to make money with which to support the other man in preaching the gospel. Paul affirms this in Romans 12: 4-8. He names the different gifts with which the different members in the church of Christ are endowed; as the gift to prophecy, to preach, to teach, to exhort, &c., and among the rest, to give liberally. See verse 8 (margin).

Nothing is more reasonable. Look a moment. One man is gifted and called to be a minister. He leaves every worldly occupation, and devotes all his energies to the work of the ministry. He takes no time to plant or build, to trade, or make money in any manner, while at the same time his family must be fed, clothed, and cared for, as other people. He must have books, his traveling expenses must be paid, &c. He cannot do it. Now here is another brother, equally talented, but in a different direction. He has no gift to teach or preach; but he has a gift to make money, and do it honestly. The Lord calls this brother to make money, and divide it in supporting the other one.

Because one man is endowed with ability and talent to preach the gospel, does God call him to give up all worldly hopes and ambition, leave his home and family, labor hard day and night, in season and out, summer and winter, seven days in the week, suffer persecution and spend his life among strangers, working to his last day, even to old age, and die in the harness? Yes; many have done this, and are doing it now, and we believe that they are only doing their duty. But here is the other brother, equally talented, though in another direction. He has financial ability and advantages. Does the Lord require no sacrifice of him? Is it his privilege to use this ability simply for his own comfort and convenience—to surround himself with a pleasant home, luxurious living, and heap up wealth to leave for others? So some men seem to think; but it is a terrible deception. Riches have blinded their eyes. If they give a little now and then they think it very hard. As to sacrificing or practicing self-denial in order to save means to help the cause of God, they never dream of it. After they have supplied themselves with every comfort, and even luxury, then, if they have a few hundred dollars above this, they think they do exceedingly well to give a part of that. Many of these men are dreaming of securing Heaven with hundreds of plain Scripture texts right against them. Call after call is made to help the cause of God, but their hearts and hands are closed.

4. God requires that a tithe, or one-tenth, of all the income of his people shall be given to support his servants in their labors. Ever since the fall of man it has been necessary that there should be men devoted wholly to the service of God. It appears that from the very beginning the Lord taught his people to devote one-tenth to the support of his ministers. Away back in the patriarchal age this was an established rule. This is evident from the conduct of Abraham toward Melchisedec. Thus we read: “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all.” Heb. 7: 1, 2. God had just blessed Abraham in not only recovering Lot, but in taking a great booty. The very first thing Abraham did was to give the Lord's priest a tithe of every thing. See Gen. 14.

Jacob acted in like manner. He solemnly vowed to give the Lord one-tenth of all he should bless him with. “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God; and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house; and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.” Gen. 28: 20-22.

Many passages might be given confirming the fact that the tithing principle is as old as the fall of man. In the time of Moses, when everything was more definitely required by law, this system was very plainly enforced. Thus the Lord said: “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's; it is holy unto the Lord.” “And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord.” Lev. 27: 30, 32. All the tithe of the land, whether it grew from that which was sown, as wheat, corn, potatoes, etc.; or that which the tree brought forth; as apples, pears, peaches, etc., was to be given to the Lord. So also a tithe of the herd; that is, of the cattle, and all the flock, was to be the Lord's. One-tenth of all that they raised or made in any manner, was to be given for the support of the priests. If a farmer raised one hundred bushels of wheat, ten of these were the Lord's. If he raised ten sheep, one was the Lord's; or ten oxen, one was the Lord's. If he made ten dollars, one was the Lord's. One-tenth of all his income from every source was required.

But was not this system abolished in the gospel dispensation? No; and why should it be? Does it cost less to support God's servants now than it did then? Is not the gospel worth as much as the law? Why should not men give as much now as they did then? Some professed Christians seem to go on the principle that the greater light and blessings they enjoy the less they are to give for them. But I do not so read the gospel. Listen to the language of the Saviour: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” Matt. 23: 23. These Pharisees were very particular to give one-tenth of everything. If they raised a little sage, mint, or a few hills of onions, or anything, they were careful to set apart one hill in every ten to the Lord. Now, did not Jesus condemn this, and set it aside? No, indeed. They had neglected judgment and mercy, &c., while they were very particular about their tithing. To them, Jesus said, “These ye ought to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” Here Jesus distinctly teaches that men ought to pay tithes, even of little things, as mint and anise; how much more, then, of more important crops.

Paul also established the same rule among all his churches. Thus he says, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” 1 Cor. 16: 2. Notice that this was something in which every one was to take a part. They were to do it regularly, once every week. How much should they give? Just according as God had prospered them. Giving, then, was to be by rule, and systematically carried out. What part they were to give was already established,—one-tenth.

One-tenth, then, of all our income is the Lord's. Notice, the Lord does not say you shall give me a tenth, but he says one-tenth is the Lord's. Lev. 27: 30. That is to say, the Lord graciously gives to us nine-tenths of all that we make.

With this we are to provide for all our own wants and that of our family, our food, clothing, schooling, taxes and necessary expenses. But one-tenth the Lord reserves to himself. It is not ours; it belongs to God. Do we raise one hundred bushels of wheat? It is grown on God's land, is watered with the Lord's dew, warmed with the Lord's sun; and for all this the Lord simply claims one-tenth. But men have always been covetous. When they have taken nine-tenths they are not satisfied. They persuade themselves that they need a part or a whole of this tenth. Hence the Lord warns us to deal honestly and to be careful upon this point. “Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.” Deut. 14: 22.

And yet, with all that the Lord has said upon this subject, and with the eyes of God upon them, men have deliberately taken the Lord's share, and used it themselves. To such persons God says: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 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.” Mal. 3: 8-10.

(Concluded next week.)