p. 127 | The Tithe

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 15, 1875

The Tithe.

The custom of collecting tithes by law and force for the support of a State religion has covered with contempt an ordinance of divine appointment. The Jewish tithes were not collected nor enforced; they were brought in, as the free offerings of the people; and no one did or could compel the bringing of them.

The payment of tithes, or tenths, is not, however, a mere Jewish ordinance. When God revealed himself to Jacob at Bethel, “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 to thee.” Gen. 28:20–22. And still further back, Abraham himself, the father of the faithful, before the law was given, gave tithes to Melchisedec, who was King of Salem and priest of the Most High God, thus acknowledging the obligation to give tithes, even under the “law of faith.”

Malachi said that those Jews who had neglected this voluntary service, had robbed God in tithes and in offerings, and consequently they were cursed with a curse; and he exhorted them to bring in all the tithes and offerings into the Lord’s store-house, and prove him therewith, and see if he would not pour them out a blessing that there should not be room to receive.

How often this passage is misapplied, and people think that bringing in tithes and offerings into God’s store-house, means to talk in a prayer-meeting, or something of that sort—which is all very well in its way, but has nothing to do with the case in hand.

To bring in tithes to the Lord, is to bring in ten per cent of our produce or the fruits of our labors; and those who did not do this, besides bringing numerous other offerings to the Lord, as prescribed in the law, “robbed God.” How many Christians are there to-day, who are under the same condemnation? And will not this neglect explain the coldness and barrenness of many a professing Christian?

“In reading the biography of the most eminently pious and useful in different ages,” says a London paper, “we have often been struck with the fact that almost all of them devoted a regular proportion of their income to pious and charitable uses. We will mention a few whose names are familiar, whose writings are venerated, and whose memory is precious. Among those who made a tenth the fixed proportion of their almsgiving, was Lord Chief Justice Hale, the Rev. Dr. Hammond, and the Rev. Dr. Annesley. Baxter informs us that he long adhered to this, until, for himself, he found it too little, and observes, ‘I think, however, that it is as likely a proportion as can be prescribed; and that devoting a tenth part ordinarily to God, is a matter that we have more than human direction for.’ Doddridge was another instance of this kind: ‘I make a solemn dedication of one-tenth of my estate, salary and income, to charitable uses; and I also devote to such uses an eighth of everything I receive by gift or present.’ A fifth part was the fixed proportion of Archbishop Tillotson and Dr. Watts. A fourth part was the proportion constantly given by Mrs. Bury, the wife of the eminently pious and useful Rev. Mr. Bury. Her husband, in his account of her life, says: ‘She thought it was reasonable that such as had no children should appropriate a fourth part of their net profits to charitable purposes.’ Mrs. Elizabeth Rowe gave even more than this: ‘I consecrate,’ says that excellent woman, ‘half of my yearly income to charitable uses; yea, all that I have beyond the bare conveniences and necessities of life shall surely be the Lord’s.’ Such, too, was the constant practice of the Hon. Robert Boyle, of the Rev. Mr. Brand, and of the Rev. Thomas Gouge. Of the latter, Archbishop Tillotson says, in his funeral sermon, ‘All things considered, there have not been, since the primitive times of Christianity, many among the sons of men, to whom that glorious character of the Son of God might be better applied, that he went about doing good.’”

“The list might be extended to those who have lived since, to many of our own age, and in our own country; but these examples are sufficient. If Christians were to act thus, to fix some due proportion, and keep a separate fund for charitable purposes, with how much more wisdom, prudence and cheerfulness would they perform this Christian duty! How often would they lift up their hearts to God, in devout thanksgiving for affording them opportunity of enjoying this privilege, and of showing to themselves and others, that ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive!’”—The Christian.