A Lesson on Tithing by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 16, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 16.

A Lesson on Tithing.

By Editor

THAT it is duty to pay tithes can scarcely be called a debatable question among Seventh-day Adventists. They who are truly in harmony with "the present truth," and have full confidence in the Third Angel's Message, and are really desirous of knowing and doing the revealed will of our heavenly Father, must have their minds settled on this point. The arguments which have been so often and so forcibly presented, and the appeals which have been made, must have convinced every mind and touched every heart.

Two important works have been published within the past year by our publishing houses: one at Oakland, written by Eld. E. J. Waggoner, entitled, "Honor Due to God." This, though small, is comprehensive, clear, and convincing. It covers the whole ground, both of tithes and offerings. The other is more recently issued from the office of the Review and Herald, at Battle Creek, Mich., written by Eld. Geo. I. Butler. This is devoted exclusively to the subject of tithes, and contains some matter of special interest to all our churches.

The object of this article is to notice the table of statistics given in the pamphlet of Bro. Butler. We must first say that the tabulated statement of the Year Book contains some errors in the reckoning; and there are some errors incorporated in the table used by Elder Butler. But these do not at all affect his conclusions. The table makes the tithe of California amount to $11.16 per member; but it is $12.58 and a fraction. Nebraska comes next at $8.83 (set down, $8.68). Next comes North Pacific at $8.79 (set down, $6.86). Next New England at $7.91 (set down, $8.21). Kentucky is set down at $4.19; actually $2.97. Other errors not so material.

At first glance it might appear that California may look with much complacency upon her record. But it is not the case. The average per member is not nearly as large in California as it ought to be. We know some churches of which a large portion of their members pay little or no tithes. With more propriety we should say they pay no tithes at all; for a tithe is a tenth, and less than a tenth is not a tithe. It is something else—something less than a tithe.

Now let us suppose that our members receive an average of fifty cents per day, or only $150 per year. That would give an average of $15 per member as a tithe. At that low figure our Conference fund would be, instead of $16,851.31, something over $20,000. It is very evident that California is behind in this respect.

It will be vain to reply that, many of those who pay are heads of families, some members of which pay nothing at all; for heads of families so rarely support their families on fifty cents per day that it is scarcely worth while to allow for such instances. We purposely made the average too low.

We are well acquainted with the reply that will come to us in regard to the disparity between the average in California and some other Conferences; we have heard it. We are told that the churches in California are possessed of more wealth than those in the Eastern States. But that is a mistake. We have a few men of considerable property in California, and but few of these do much for the cause. Some who have the largest property, and handle the most money, do very little indeed. Human nature is much the same here that it is almost everywhere else. No church in California does better than that of Oakland, and there is not a wealthy member in it; not one who would be considered wealthy in any Eastern State. Its membership may be divided into two classes: (1) Those who live in rented houses; and it must be remembered that rent is high in this city. (2) Those who nominally own their residences, paying interest on part of the purchase price. We thought to add another class, of those who actually own their houses. But we find they are too few in number to justify it. There are but three or four who fully own their houses, and these buildings, with barely one exception, are quite small. We know of no church of any considerable size in any Eastern Conference with an average of property as low as that in Oakland. And we will say further: We can pick out individuals in some of these Conferences who profess to believe the Lord is coming very soon, any one of whom could buy out a number of the best situated members of this church, who yet do little, almost nothing, for the cause. We know whereof we speak. There are churches in Michigan which have more wealthy members in them than any churches in California. And we think this statement will hold good in regard to Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, and perhaps other States.

We think the difficulty does not lie where it is generally supposed to lie. It is attributed to the average indigence of the churches in the East. We firmly believe that it is in the fact that a larger proportion there pay no tithe at all. And if the matter were carefully investigated, we feel assured that this would be found to be the case. The means for this work never has and never will, to any large extent, come from the wealthy, but from the far more numerous sums constantly flowing in from believers of limited resources; many of them depriving themselves of what the wealthy would consider the common comforts of life. We shall speak of this again.

Allowing that California does not come nearly up to a tithe, and of course not nearly to what she should, let us see how our resources would stand if all the Conferences came only up to what she did in 1884; that is to $12.58 per member. The aggregate tithe is set down in the Year Book as $102,887.46. Some Conferences, quite well-to-do, fall below $4.00. At $12.58 for the entire membership our tithe would have amounted to $231,161.21. That is, we would have had double the amount of means we had, and enough over to set up our publishing house in Switzerland.

It often falls to the lot of the officers of our General Conference to make strong and earnest appeals to the people in our camp-meetings, for money to carry on the work in various parts of the field. This has been a trial to many, and the propriety of such a course has appeared doubtful to some of the best friends of the cause. But what could be done? Our Constitution gives the Executive Committee the oversight of all missionary work in all lands. The committee finds missionary work languishing. Missionaries have been sent out, and important steps taken, and the work is suffering for want of means. The treasury is empty. No alternative is left to them. They must appeal to the friends of the cause where they can best meet them. That is in the camp-meetings. And most of us know the result. The consecrated, whose hearts have been warmed by the power of the truth and the presence of the Holy Spirit, respond to these appeals, often depriving themselves of means which they absolutely need for the transaction of their business and the support of their families. We know individuals who have year after year paid heavy interest on money borrowed to pay pledges made under such circumstances; in one case a man nearly lost all his property by such a transaction. While others, more able than they, whose hearts were less impressed by the Holy Spirit than by "the god of this world," heard the appeals with stoical indifference, and gave nothing.

God is not pleased with such a state of things. His will is expressed by his servant thus: "For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened; but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want; that there may be equality." 2 Cor. 8:13, 14. But there is no equality in the course above described. In only one way can equality be preserved, that is, by strictly conforming to the Bible rule of tithing. By this means all can do something, and nobody be burdened. And if our people would all conform to this requirement, there would be no need of these extra, urgent calls.

There is no scarcity of money among Seventh-day Adventists. We have seen that if even the scanty average paid in California were paid by all the Conferences, there would be an abundance of money to carry all our present enterprises without any pressure, and establish all our foreign missions on a good footing. And is this never to be? Are we to continue to profess to love the cause of truth above all else—profess to believe the Lord is coming very soon—and yet live as if he were never coming? as if the present truth were the least important of all enterprises which engage our attention? No; we do not believe this state of things will long continue. If our faith is not deceptive—if indeed we have the present truth—then the work of the Lord must be speedily done. And if those who now profess the faith will not do it, then they cannot complain if they are rejected and others are chosen to take their places. They have had good opportunities; some have well stood the test, and have proved faithful, while others, like Demas, have "loved this present world." Their treasures are here; their hearts are here; and if they do not heed the divine admonition (Mal. 3:8-10) they will perish with their treasures in the day that is near to come.

Some may think this is too strictly denominational to call for such an extended notice in this paper; but we do not think so. We are contending for a principle as wide as the obligations of Christianity; a principle which concerns the honor of God (Prov. 3:9, 10) and the present and future good of his people. Mal. 3:10-12; 1 Sam. 2:30. We feel intensely desirous that the work of God be not hindered by the lack of consecration of those who are abundantly able to help it onward. Not long will they have this opportunity to lay up treasures in Heaven. Will they improve it?