The Outlook by W. N. G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 6, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 18.

The Outlook

By W. N. G.

“I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look forth to see what He will speak with me.”

NOMINAL CHRISTIANITY’S SELFISHNESS.

THE “Christian nation” theory got a severe wound in the house of its friends in this city on “Easter” evening. The pastor of the First M. E. Church evidently believes there are Christian nations in this world, because he speaks of them as such. But some expressions in his Easter discourse would tend to pull the foundation from under the theory. In course of his sermon he is reported to have said:—

“Christianity increases wealth; the Christian nations are to-day the wealthy nations in all the earth; but the beneficence of Christianity has not kept pace with her increase in wealth. It takes 6,000 Christians to maintain one missionary; only one missionary to every 6,000 Christians; if our patriotism in the recent

war had not been greater than that, our army would only have numbered 8,000 or 10,000. Christian people spend every year on luxuries and superfluities $6,000,000,000; if ten per cent of that were given to God, we would have $600,000,000 at once for the crying moral needs of the world. Then, besides, Christian people spend another $6,000,000,000 on conveniences and comforts, five per cent of which would give us another $300,000,000 for those who are crying for the bread of life.”

The apostle Paul gives us the true idea of Christianity in these words: “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Rom. 8:9. The Spirit of Christ gave all, even to his life, for the salvation of souls. This was “the joy set before him.” Did his Christianity increase his wealth in this world? Let him answer: “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” And what is his advice to his followers?—“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

The first Christian church that was organized was raised up under the direct outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and it manifested the Spirit of Christ. Here is the record of that church: “Neither was there any among them that lacked; for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles’ feet; and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.” This kind of Christianity, that which is recognized in the Word of God, and therefore that which will be recognized in the judgment, does not increase wealth in this world. Therefore the “wealthy nations in all the earth” can not be Christian nations. And this fact is further proved by the statement in the foregoing quotation that “the beneficence of Christianity has not kept pace with her increase in wealth.” That Christianity which has the Spirit of Christ—and such only is Christianity at all—always gives as God has prospered; it never robs God in tithes and offerings. Such Christianity only can have the favor of God; “for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

The statistics given in our quotation of the sermon in question are a complete refutation of the “Christian nation” claim. “It takes 6,000 Christians to maintain one missionary!” This is true, of course, from the standpoint of nominal Christianity, and it is a fearful arraignment. If we are to reckon all these so-called Christian nations as Christian, and all the “flower garden” congregations as Christians, then these figures must demonstrate the utter failure of Christianity to do anything in this world but to increase wealth and make a gorgeous display. But Jesus Christ did neither, and his true disciples never have shown either of these characteristics. There are single churches, not wealthy either, which support their missionary in foreign lands, and in some cases single individuals have done so. The apostle Paul, himself a missionary, worked with his own hands to help sustain other laborers.

But to whom do the figures herein cited apply more aptly than to the high-salaried ministry of nominal Christianity? It is said that the average salary of the Methodist minister is considerably less than $1,000 a year. Suppose it is $1,000, then, upon a rule of equality, the minister who has $3,000 a year, if he had the Spirit of Christ or the disposition of Paul, would himself support two missionaries. However, we commend this Easter exposé of selfishness on the part of the professed Christianity of the world to the serious consideration of all who claim to follow the meek and lowly and self-denying Jesus.

W. N. G.