Timidity of Pastors

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 28, 1871

Timidity of Pastors.

A YEAR since, two friends of a pastor were discussing the liberality of his people in providing for his comfort. “Why is it,” said one, “that they are so much more generous toward their pastor than other churches, in proportion to their means?” “Because,” said the other, “he has schooled them to such liberality toward the various benevolent causes of the day that they have come to apply the same scale of giving to himself and family.” The answer was correct, and the principle is one of universal application. Another pastor, at a meeting of the Presbytery held in his own church, and with many of his people present, gave a timid apology for having neglected an important collection in which other churches had joined. His people were indignant. “It is not true,” said the leading men after the meeting—“It is not true that the money could not have been raised. Our pastor knows that he had but to ask for it, and it would have been cheerfully contributed. We never knew of this matter, and are ashamed that such an impression of us should go abroad.” The principle here involved is also of universal application. Will it not be found true that one of the greatest obstacles to the beneficence of the churches is the timidity of the pastors? Ministers are afraid to ask them to give.—Religious Herald.