QUESTIONS ON S. B by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 20, 1879

QUESTIONS ON S. B.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

At the present time a change is taking place among our people in reference to the plan of giving for the support of the ministry. The plan now recommended is the tithing system as set forth in the Scriptures, which evidently possesses many advantages over any other system that has ever been in use. If properly carried out, it will give each, according to his ability, a chance to help send the truth to the nations. Each individual adopting it pledges himself to conscientiously place in the Lord’s treasury a tenth part of all his income. But without a proper understanding of things, will there not still be room for inequality?

What is a man’s income? The business relations and circumstances of men now, are not such as they were in the Jewish age. The equality of the system depends very much upon the interpretation given to the word income. To illustrate, we will suppose that Bro. A. labors at some trade for daily wages, which amount to seven hundred dollars a year. This is a clear case. His tithe would be seventy dollars. But the case of Bro. B., a farmer, is not so clear. In order to work his farm to its full capacity, he must hire help. He employs young Bro. C. to work for him by the year. The yearly product of his farm amounts to one thousand dollars in value. Of this it takes three hundred to pay C. for his services, which leaves him seven hundred. Now, does B.’s prosperity differ any from A.’s, and should he pay a tithe of one thousand, or of seven hundred dollars? If B. tithes the one thousand, then it is evident that three hundred of it will be tithed twice; for the three hundred is C.’s income, and he is under obligation equally with B. to “lay by him in store as God hath prospered him.” If it is B.’s duty to tithe the gross profits of his business, then it is possible for a person’s business relations to be such that it will take a large portion of his real gain to pay the tithe. Suppose that Bro. D. is engaged in merchandising. It takes two-thirds of his profits in trade to pay rent and clerks. If he tithes the gross profits of his business, it will take three-tenths of his net gain to pay the tithe. If D. acts upon established principles, he would not tithe more than the net proceeds of his business. Why, then, may not B. have the same privilege? Judging from James 5:4, the three hundred dollars in B.’s case are not his in any sense. How, then, can he be required to tithe it? These are not exceptional cases; for there are persons among our people whose circumstances are similar to those of B. and D. And there are, doubtless, quite a number of our brethren at this time who would like an explanation of such points as these. If it is required to tithe the gross profits of one’s business, irrespective of circumstances, then it is possible to give good, scriptural reasons for the support of such a theory. The truth is what is wanted, and our love for the cause will lead us to put it into practice. T. H. Starbuck. Salem, Oregon.

ANSWER. Bro. Starbuck reasons correctly. A person should take out of his gross income what he has to pay to hired help, for interest on hired money, and the like. Then he should pay a tenth of what his own labor or his own property brings him.

A large number of such questions on S. B. have been received from all parts of the country. As they were put into my hands, I answered them the best I could and sent them to Eld. James White, Denison, Texas, for examination. D. M. Canright.