p. 7 | Commercialized Religion by F. M. W.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 11, 1914

Commercialized Religion

By F. M. W.

THE religion of Christ and worldly commercialism have nothing in common. The spirit of the one is that of self-seeking and concentration; the spirit of the other is that of self-sacrifice and generous diffusion. One gives in order to receive again, the other dispenses with no hope of reward.

The gospel was conceived in the spirit of sacrifice. God "gave his only begotten Son." "Christ gave himself." And to his followers he says: "Freely ye have received, freely give." The spirit possessing the early church was in hearty accord with this divine example. The believers at Jerusalem had all things in common. Those who had possessions sold them, and brought the price thereof to the apostles to be used for the necessities of the gospel cause.

As the church departed from the principles of the gospel, this spirit of Christian simplicity and sacrifice became corrupted. Worldly methods were introduced. The spirit of commercialism began its leavening work. The cause of God was exploited for money and for personal advantage. The church trafficked in the souls of men. God's grace was made an object of barter. His professed ministers preached for hire instead of for love of souls. In the church there was formed an aristocracy based on wealth in material things. This sad condition is graphically pictured by the inspired penman in the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation.

It was largely because of the employment of these worldly, commercial methods in the matter of indulgences that the church of the Reformation period separated from the Roman communion. Well would it have been for Protestantism if it could forever have remained free from these corrupting influences. But as the membership, wealth, and popularity of the Protestant churches increased, the same principles of worldly policy and method have permeated them. In high-salaried preachers and choirs and rented pews, in magnificent church edifices, and in worldly methods in money raising,—in these and other ways the Protestant churches have simulated the spirit of the Church of Rome in her methods of obtaining money through the worship of relics, prayers for the dead, masses, indulgences, etc.

It is comparatively easy for Seventh-day Adventists, who are so far removed from the great popular churches in religious belief and practice, to recognize as applied to them the operation of these worldly methods. But do we not need to consider our danger of adopting the very spirit of these principles in our own work? True, we celebrate no masses; we have no high-salaried preachers, no paid choirs, no church raffles or grab bags for raising money. But is there not danger that this spirit of worldly commercialism will enter our hearts in the carrying forward of the various departments of our work even by the employment of legitimate methods?

We may push the sale of our publications from motives of monetary gain, instead of from a desire to minister light and blessing to those in darkness. We may conduct week of prayer meetings and revival services in order to secure at the close a large donation for the work, instead of to lead sinners to Christ. Our chief purpose in securing students for our schools and guests for our sanitariums may be primarily to increase the revenues of these institutions, rather than to save those whom we are seeking to induce to go to them. These motives are purely commercial in their character, and widely separated from the spirit of the gospel.

We recognize the need of money even in the work of God. Money is required for the maintenance and extension of every phase and feature of the gospel. As some of the devoted followers of Christ in the first century "ministered unto him of their substance" (Luke

8:3), so there must be the ministry of substance to the Master's cause today.

But some there were in the days of Christ's earthly ministry who followed him for the loaves and fishes. They hoped that discipleship would bring temporal as well as eternal gain. They knew but little of sacrifice, and were unmoved by the spirit of unselfish benevolence. But there were others who gave up all for Christ. They counted dear unto themselves neither possessions nor life if by their sacrifice souls could be saved for the Master. This spirit should possess the believers today. They should not seek in the work of God opportunities for personal advantage, but rather avenues for the use and exercise of every talent in the true spirit of the gospel.

Many faithful believers in this movement have come forward in times of crisis and lent to church enterprises money which they could not afford to donate. Heaven has accepted their service. Many others have brought their gifts, small and great, and placed them on the altar of sacrifice, and some have given their lives as well as their means, an offering of a sweet savor unto God.

But the exception should not become the rule. The cause of God should not be made dependent on borrowed money. Indeed, no policy of operation creates and fosters so fully the spirit of commercialism in religious work as does the practice of carrying on such work with borrowed capital. So far as the Bible record goes, we recall not one instance where this was done. Repeatedly are the believers in various ages of the church exhorted to give to the support of God's work, to sacrifice their all, if need be, for its prosecution, but never were they asked to lend money.

The gospel work was conceived in sacrifice; it can be carried forward successfully only in this spirit. And the call to the people of God today, as in the days of the past, is a call to sacrifice. Our institutions may continue to need loans, but above loans they need gifts. When once the spirit of generous Christian benevolence takes possession of this people, the question of denominational indebtedness will be easily solved. Much of the money now lent to the cause will be donated to it. Money now invested by believers in stocks and bonds will be turned into the treasury of the Lord. Money deposited in banks will be donated in whole or in part to some branch of the work, or if the possessor is unable to do that, it will be deposited without interest in some of our institutions. Lands and houses and herds will be sold, and the proceeds devoted to the needs of gospel work.

By this means our institutions, rendered able to pay their interest-bearing indebtedness and refusing to contract new obligations, will be placed in a position to do the work which God would have them accomplish.

We need to recognize that God's work can never be carried forward successfully on a commercial basis or with commercial methods. We need to cease forever our debt-making policy, resolutely refusing to make extensions to existing enterprises or to enter upon new ones on borrowed capital, but wait until the providence which points the way shall provide the means for the undertaking.

It is possible for an institution, even though well managed, to be so embarrassed by a burden of indebtedness created in its establishment that without special help it is unable to check its increasing obligations. It has a heavier burden than it can ever bear alone. These conditions afford opportunities for liberal gifts and donations, or for the lending of money without interest, in order that its great interest-bearing burden may be lifted. If this were done in the case of several of our institutions today, they would be enabled to sing the song of jubilee, and expend their energies in real soul-saving instead of debt-paying service.

Israel today need to retrace their steps as did Israel of old. We need to return to our first love, to gospel methods of finance, to the spirit of labor and sacrifice which prompted the Master and his disciples, which actuated the pioneers in this movement, which must possess those who in this day truly make a covenant with the Lord by sacrifice. Doing this, God will bless the labor of our hands, he will open doors of deliverance from every embarrassment, and we shall see the mighty revealings of his power in the speedy triumph of his message of salvation. F. M. W.