Review and Herald, Vol. 48, No. 22. (11/30/1876)

Review and Herald

Nov 30, 1876

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 30, 1876

SYSTEMATIC BENEVOLENCE, OR THE BIBLE PLAN OF SUPPORTING THE MINISTRY.

TEXT: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Mal. 3:8–11.

Seventh-day Adventists claim to be Bible Christians, both in doctrine and in practice. Whatever the Bible clearly teaches, that we profess to believe and practice. We keep the Bible Sabbath; we practice Bible baptism; we worship the God of the Bible. Being thorough reformers, we find it necessary to disregard many of the customs and practices of the sects around us. This is especially true upon the important subject of the proper mode of supporting the gospel.

The modern mode of doing this we reject. When a minister is hired, a subscription is passed around town, soliciting help from all classes. Then every time a person goes to church the contribution box is thrust into his face. We know that many people stay away from meeting on this account. But when this does not raise means enough, donation parties are resorted to, and all classes and characters are invited to contribute in this manner. Then come festivals, oyster suppers, grab-bags, fish-ponds, ring cakes, and a whole list of religious abominations, with which to coax or catch a dime out of every one. We are utterly opposed to the whole system. We believe that it is one of the evidences of the fall of Babylon, one of the sins for which God is forsaking a covetous, fallen church.

But the gospel must be supported. The Lord’s devoted ministers must have a living. If we reject this system, we must adopt a better one. This we can readily do; for the Lord has furnished it, ready arranged to our hands. The only difficulty in the case is covetousness on the part of professed Christians. It is evident that this is the true cause which has led the modern churches to resort to every means to gather in money, in order to save their own pockets. We justly condemn them for this. Let us beware of covetousness on our own part, that it does not blind our eyes to the plain teachings of the Lord upon this subject.

In order to make this matter clear, we will notice a few of the plainest principles of the Bible bearing upon the point.

1. There is one personal, intelligent, living God, who has created all things. Nothing exists but what he has made. This is so many times and so plainly stated in the Bible that we do not stop to quote any one passage upon the point. Having made all things, it is perfectly right and reasonable that he should say how they should be used; and no one has a right to use them for any other purpose.

2. God created all these things for his own pleasure and glory. This is stated many times in the Bible. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Rev. 4:11. Notice: “For thy pleasure they are and were created.” Man, in his selfishness, has come to think that all things were created for his pleasure,—that the sun shines to please him, that the earth produces to gratify him, and that he lives for his own pleasure. But the Bible declares that all these things, including man himself, were made to please and glorify God. Hence God’s honor must be first in everything. So Jesus says, The first and great commandment is to love the Lord with all the heart, might, mind and strength. Matt. 22:37. The first commandment in the moral law strikes the same point, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Ex. 20:3. The Lord’s prayer recognizes the same principle. “Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,” &c. Matt. 6:9–11.

Jesus ever taught that our duty to God was paramount to everything else; even the dearest and most tender relations of life must give way before this. Thus he says: “If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26. A father or a mother, a brother or sister, or even a wife or child, must not stand first in our affections and our duties—God first, everything else second. Paul sums up the matter thus: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10:31. Then we must keep the glory of God constantly before us, even in eating and drinking. This is reasonable; for it is God’s sun that shines upon us, God’s air we breathe, God’s earth we walk upon. Everything is God’s.

3. We are only stewards for a short time of what we possess. No doctrine of the Bible is more plainly and frequently stated than this. Let us hear the word of the Lord upon this subject: “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.” Ps. 50:10–12. “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:8.

My brother, those cattle in your field are the Lord’s. Those horses in your barn are the Lord’s. Those acres of land are the Lord’s. The wheat, corn, oats, and potatoes that you claim are the Lord’s. The money in your pocket, and that which you have at interest, is the Lord’s. You only have it committed to you for a short time. How plainly Jesus states this doctrine in Matt. 25:14, and onward: “For the kingdom of Heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. . . . After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.” The rest of the statement is familiar to everybody. It was given expressly to teach the very doctrine which we are here setting forth, viz., that in the Judgment the Lord will require every one of us to give a strict account of what we have done with the means committed to our trust.

These talents cover more than simply our money or our property. To some the Lord has given physical strength. In many cases, this is a better capital than money, houses, or lands. We have no right to squander this carelessly, or through laziness put it to little or no use. My brother, God will require a faithful use of the physical strength which you possess. Be careful how you idle away this great capital. Others have a large capital of mental strength, mental ability. They have capacity for teaching and filling important positions and offices. Their influence is large. The Lord will require them to give an account of this by and by. Some of these have good financial ability. They know how to calculate well. In making bargains they have prudence and good judgment. In carrying on business, or prosecuting their trades, they are successful. God has endowed them with much ability in this direction. If they turn their hand to farming, they know just how to make it pay. If they engage in buying or selling, their foresight and business tact give them success.

But all men have not this ability. Indeed, a greater share have not. Some persons have great ability as preachers, lawyers, or doctors, who are short of financial ability. Financial ability is as much a special gift, or talent, as is that of preaching, teaching, or anything else. We often see one brother among several sons who is blessed with this ability, while the rest are not. The others are equally honest, equally industrious, and equally anxious to obtain means, yet they remain poor all their lives. It is not mere luck. They do not know how to calculate; but their brother does.

How often these prosperous ones take all the credit to themselves and disgust their poor brethren and neighbors. They love to contrast their success with the failure of others. They love to look over their fine farms, their fat cattle, full barns, and count over their money, while they say in their hearts and with their lips, “This is mine; I have done this. Brethren Jones and Jay, Smith and Brown, if they only knew how to do it, might be as well off as myself.” They not only take the credit to themselves, but, worse than this, they appropriate all the advantages of superior ability to acquire property to their own personal advantage and enjoyment. They use their financial ability to lay up money for themselves, to build fine houses for themselves, to purchase easy carriages for themselves, to buy fine clothing for themselves, to set rich tables for themselves; and if anybody suggests any other use for their wealth, they say, “Verily, are not all these things mine? Have not I earned them? Have not I made them? Whose business is it what I do with them?” But stop, my brother. Who gave you the ability to get these things? Who made you different from your poor brother? Was it not God? Is God a respecter of persons? Did he love you so much better than others that he gave you this ability simply to honor and please yourself? Or did he not endow you with this ability in order that you might make means to help his cause?

Listen to the word of God on this point. It is very plain. “Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; . . . and thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth.” Deut. 8:12, 13, 17, 18. Wealthy men generally suppose that their power and their hand have gotten them wealth. But the Lord hath given power to acquire means as he hath plainly declared. No Bible Christian will deny this.

Now, we maintain that while the Lord calls one man to preach the gospel, and gives him talent for that purpose, he as truly calls another man, and gives him talent, to make money with which to support the other man in preaching the gospel. Paul affirms this in Romans 12:4–8. He names the different gifts with which the different members in the church of Christ are endowed; as the gift to prophecy, to preach, to teach, to exhort, &c., and among the rest, to give liberally. See verse 8 (margin).

Nothing is more reasonable. One man is gifted and called to be a minister. He leaves every worldly occupation, and devotes all his energies to the work of the ministry. He takes no time to plant or build, to trade, or make money in any manner, while at the same time his family must be fed, clothed, and cared for, as other people. He must have books, his traveling expenses must be paid, and his family must be supported. He cannot do it. Here is another brother, equally talented, but in a different direction. He has no gift to teach or preach; but he has a gift to make money, and do it honestly. The Lord calls this brother to make money, and divide it in supporting the other who gives his life to the ministry.

Because one man is endowed with ability and talent to preach the gospel, does God call him to give up all worldly hopes and ambition, leave his home and family, labor hard day and night, in season and out, summer and winter, seven days in the week, suffer persecution, and spend his life among strangers, working to his last day, even to old age, and die in the harness? Yes; and many have done this, and are doing it now, and we believe that they are only doing their duty. But here is the other brother, equally talented, though in another direction. He has financial ability and advantages. Does the Lord require no sacrifice of him? Is it his privilege to use this ability simply for his own comfort and convenience, to surround himself with a pleasant home, luxurious living, and heap up wealth to leave for others? So some men seem to think; but they are under a terrible deception. Riches have blinded their eyes. If they give a little now and then they think it very hard. As to sacrificing or practicing self-denial in order to save means to help the cause of God, they never dream of it. After they have supplied themselves with every comfort, and even luxury, then, if they have a few hundred dollars above this, they think they do exceedingly well to give a part of that. Many of these men are dreaming of securing Heaven, with hundreds of plain Scripture texts right against them. Call after call is made to them to help the cause of God, but their hearts and hands are closed.

4. God requires a tithe. Ever since the fall of man it has been necessary that there should be men devoted wholly to the service of God. It appears that from the very beginning the Lord taught his people to devote one-tenth to the support of his ministers. Away back in the patriarchal age this was an established rule. This is evident

from the conduct of Abraham toward Melchisedec. Thus we read: “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all.” Heb. 7:1, 2. God had just blessed Abraham in not only recovering Lot, but in taking a great booty. The very first thing Abraham did was to give the Lord’s priest a tithe of everything. See Gen. 14.

Jacob acted in like manner. He solemnly vowed to give the Lord one-tenth of all he should bless him with. “And 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 unto thee.” Gen. 28:20–22.

Many passages might be given confirming the fact that the tithing principle is as old as the fall of man. In the time of Moses, when everything was more definitely required by law, this system was very plainly enforced. Thus the Lord said: “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy unto the Lord.” “And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord.” Lev. 27:30, 32. All the tithe of the land, whether it grew from that which was sown, as wheat, corn, potatoes, etc.; or that which the tree brought forth, as apples, pears, peaches, etc., was to be given to the Lord. So also a tithe of the herd; that is, of the cattle, and all the flock, was to be the Lord’s. One-tenth of all that they raised or made in any manner was to be given for the support of the priests. If a farmer raised one hundred bushels of wheat, ten of these were the Lord’s. If he raised ten sheep, one was the Lord’s; or ten oxen, one was the Lord’s. If he made ten dollars, one was the Lord’s. One-tenth of all his income from every source was required.

But was not this system abolished in the gospel dispensation? It was not. And why should it be? Does it cost less to support God’s servants now than it did then? Why should not men give as much now as they did then? Some professed Christians seem to go on the principle that the greater light and blessings they enjoy, the less they are to give for them. But we do not so read the Scriptures. Listen to the language of the Saviour: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” Matt. 23:23. These Pharisees were very particular to give one-tenth of everything. Now, did not Jesus condemn this, and set it aside? No, indeed. They had neglected judgment, mercy, and faith, while they were very particular about their tithing. To them, Jesus said, “These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”

Paul also established the same rule among all his churches. Thus he says, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” 1 Cor. 16:2. Notice that this was something in which every one was to take a part. They were to do it regularly, once every week. How much should they give? Just according as God had prospered them. Giving, then, was to be by rule, and systematically carried out. What part they were to give was already established,—one-tenth.

One-tenth, then, of all our income and increase is the Lord’s. Notice, the Lord does not say you shall give me a tenth, but he says one-tenth is the Lord’s. Lev. 27:30. That is to say, the Lord graciously gives to us nine-tenths of all that we make. With this we are to provide for all our wants and those of our families,—food, clothing, schooling, taxes, and necessary expenses. But one-tenth the Lord reserves to himself. It is not ours; it belongs to God. Do we raise one hundred bushels of wheat? It is grown on God’s land, is watered with the Lord’s dew, warmed with the Lord’s sun; and for all this the Lord simply claims one-tenth. But men have always been covetous. When they have taken nine-tenths they are not satisfied. They persuade themselves that they need a part or the whole of the remaining tenth. Hence the Lord warns us to deal honestly and to be careful upon this point. “Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.” Deut. 14:22.

And yet, with all that the Lord has said upon this subject, and with the eyes of God upon them, men have deliberately taken the Lord’s share, and used it themselves. To such persons God says: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Mal. 3:8–10.

5. First-fruits. Not only did the Lord require one-tenth of all the increase, but this one-tenth must be the first-fruits of the increase; that is, the first of whatever the Lord gave. Thus the Lord said: “Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors; the first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep.” Ex. 22:29, 30. The Lord said, “Thou shalt not delay to offer the first-fruits.” They were not to put it off, waiting and using it; but they were to give the first of their ripe fruits; the first of their oxen, sheep, &c. “The first of the first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God.” Ex. 23:19. Again the Lord said, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest. . . . And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the self-same day that ye have brought an offering unto your God.” Lev. 23:10, 14. Notice that they are forbidden to take their bread or parched corn, or green ears, or anything, till they had first brought an offering to the Lord. So we read again in Proverbs 3:9, 10: “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”

Here we are required to honor the Lord with the first-fruits of all our increase. Paul recognizes the same principle in his instruction to the Christian churches. Thus he says: “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” 1 Cor. 16:2. Our God is a great God, he is a jealous God, jealous of his honor. Freely he bestows his blessings upon his creatures. But he must be honored for them, so he requires that of everything he gives us we shall first recognize his authority and his goodness by bringing an offering to him before we use any of it for ourselves. This is certainly just and reasonable. In doing this we honor God and bring his blessing upon us.

But here is just where our brethren are the most liable to let selfishness and covetousness come in and rob God of that which they should give to him. They pledge and intend to give so much during the year, but instead of making this the first-fruit they put it off and delay the matter till the very last of the year. They first serve themselves, and then the Lord last of all, if at all. Their debts must come first, their food must be first, their clothing first, their wants and wishes first. After all these have been met, then, perhaps, at the very last hour they will manage grudgingly to squeeze out to the Lord just enough to appease a guilty conscience. This is all and entirely wrong. If they would have a free spirit, confidence toward God, and his blessing upon what they have during the year, let them honor God first, just as the Bible says. This is God’s plan. This is Systematic Benevolence. Nothing less is. It is not Systematic Benevolence at all to let our pledges go unpaid month after month, while we are constantly receiving blessings and means in different ways, more or less, every week and month of the year. Moreover, this is the only way to pay s. b. easily. All our brethren who have tried this plan thoroughly testify that such is the case. But when our s. b. has run behind, six, nine, or twelve months, it seems like a very hard thing to pay into the treasury at once the whole amount due. By taking this course, it makes it a great deal harder for ourselves, and we enjoy much less pleasure than we would if we gave it a little at a time as often as due. Brethren, we earnestly exhort you to reform in these matters. Commence now. Do not put it off. Do this, and God will bless you.

6. Danger of covetousness. If there is one sin above another, against which the Bible repeatedly and in every form warns us, it is the sin of covetousness. The very root of this sin is selfishness, a self-caring disposition. It is my house, my farm, my stock, my goods, my children, my debts, my wants. Everything must center around me. All wants outside of ourselves are forgotten. If we receive a few dollars in money our first thoughts are about self. Other people are forgotten, our poor brethren are forgotten, the cause of God is forgotten, God’s servants are forgotten, God himself is forgotten. So great is the danger upon this point that one of the ten commandments directly relates to it, strongly condemning it.

Let us carefully read the word of the Lord upon this point; and, my brother or sister, do not pass these passages over lightly. Meditate on them as you go along. See if they do not hit your case. Do not get to sleep or become drowsy while you read them. They may be so familiar as to have lost their force with you. Mark this. Covetousness is classed with terrible sins and crimes.

“And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” 1 Tim. 6:8–10, 17–19. “Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Cor. 6:10. “Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, and rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens,” etc. Ex. 18:21. “But he that hateth covetousness shall prolong the days.” Prov. 28:16. “With their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.” Ezek. 33:31. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness,” etc. Mark 7:21, 22. “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth.” Luke 12:15. “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Col. 3:5.

This is what the Lord says to us, only it is not a hundredth part of the warnings which the Bible contains upon the subject. Every one of us is in danger upon this point. We may blind our eyes, and silence our consciences, and apply all this to somebody else, as the most of men do, while we are the very men meant. It is not simply the rich men that are in danger of covetousness. The poor are often just as covetous as the rich. They are stingy with what little they might give; and because they have but little they make themselves believe that they need not give anything; but this is not the case. Paul says, “Let every one of you lay by him in store.” And in the Old Testament the Lord said that the very poorest should give half a shekel, and that none should come empty-handed before him. See Deut. 16:16, 17.

7. Liberality to be cultivated. While the Bible repeatedly and everywhere warns against covetousness and stinginess, on the other hand it everywhere commends liberality. Great and many are the promises made to the liberal soul. We quote a few passages out of the many. Do not pass them over lightly, my brother or sister. They were given for our instruction. “The liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” Prov. 11:25. “But to do good and to communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Heb. 13:16. “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” 1 John 3:17. “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.” Prov. 22:9. “He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack; but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.” Prov. 28:27. “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” Heb. 6:10.

“And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury; and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury; for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” Mark 12:41–44. “There was a certain man in Cæsarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision, evidently about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.” Acts 10:1–4. “For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift; but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound; I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.” Phil. 4:16–18. If liberality is so highly commended by the Holy Spirit, it certainly must be a very important grace, one that should be well cultivated.

8. A proof of our sincerity. To his brethren whom Paul was exhorting to give liberally he said, You must do this “to prove the sincerity of your love.” 2 Cor. 8:8. The Lord has made it our duty to give to prove the sincerity of our love. Talk and profession are very cheap and easy; but when a man will give his money to support a cause, that is the very best proof that he loves it. Hence the Lord has ever required this test of our sincerity. The importance of this idea will be seen by the following facts: (1.) The Lord is not dependent on our means to support his cause. He could easily send down means from Heaven. He could multiply gold and silver in the treasury, and thus save the purses of his people. But he does not choose to do this. (2.) The little which the poor widow can give amounts to but a trifle in supporting the work. It would hardly be missed from the treasury; and yet even such are encouraged to give something. Evidently the design of this is not so much to fill the treasury as it is to prove their love. (3.) The Saviour himself said that the poor widow who gave only two mites gave more than the rich who cast in large sums. What she gave was valued, not according to the amount given, but by the amount of sacrifice she made in giving. Hence, those who give stingily and grudgingly are marked by the Lord. So Paul distinctly says: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.” 2 Cor. 9:7.

In order, therefore, to attain the great object of giving, we must give cheerfully and liberally, according to our means. If we do not, it shows our lack of love to God and to his cause. It proves our selfishness, and brings not the blessing of God, but his frown, upon us. Every one, therefore, should give something, even if it cost him as much as it did the poor widow.

9. By giving the first-fruits of our substance we place our property and family under the protection of God, and bring his blessing upon what we possess. This is very important. It is plainly stated, and many times repeated in the Bible, that where men give nothing to the Lord they take their property into their own hands and from under the protection of God. They cannot ask God’s blessing upon it; for if the Lord blesses their wheat, they keep it all themselves; if he blesses their cattle, they keep them all for themselves; if he blesses them with health, they

use it in serving themselves. God will not be a partner to such selfishness. But if we strictly honor the Lord by giving him the first-fruits of all that he bestows upon us, then we can ask and expect the blessing of God upon the balance. No fact is more plainly stated in the Bible than this. Let us read a few passages.

“Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.” “Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.” Hag. 1:6, 9. Here the Lord very distinctly states that he did blow upon what they had, and scattered it, and withheld the dews from watering their grain, and kept their fields from bearing because they did not devote their substance to his cause as he required. Read another passage.

“Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.” Mal. 3:9–11. Here the Lord distinctly states that he will bless their crops if they will pay their tithes.

Paul states the same doctrine in the New Testament: “Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness.” 2 Cor. 9:10. No doctrine is more reasonable than that the great God will bless those who fear and honor him; and that his prospering hand will be withheld from those who do not.

10. It is astonishing how conversion affects some men. Before they were converted they were liberal in handing out their means. If they joined an excursion party they were ready to meet their share of expenses. They thought nothing of spending five or ten dollars at a dance, show, or party. They could take their family to the circus, and other places of amusement and recreation, and give them money to spend. They could buy jewelry and fine clothes for their children. They boasted of being as liberal as other men. But as soon as they embrace the cause of Christ, their liberality dries up. They seem to think it a terrible thing to give a few dollars for the gospel. They act as though every cent given in this way was lost. They are willing to belong to the church, to enjoy all its privileges, to attend meeting, to hear preaching, and to let others pay for it. A conversion that changes a man in this way we do not hesitate to pronounce spurious.

11. Of all people, Seventh-day Adventists ought to be the most liberal. (1.) Because they profess to believe and obey the Bible more strictly than any other people; and the Bible, as we have shown, is full and explicit on the point of liberality. (2.) Because we enjoy greater light and greater blessings in the truth than any other people living. How common it is to hear our people thank God for the light and truth which they have received. Others around them have never seen this precious light. If we do really appreciate it we ought to show it by our works. If others can give to support error, how much more should we give to support the truth. (3.) But the greatest reason of all why we should be liberal is because we believe that the end of all things is right at hand. Our farms, our houses, and all our property, are soon to be burned. We are in the closing part of the last generation, and the last message to the world. Our numbers are few, and our means small, but the work is great, and the time is short.

Frequently the cause is left to suffer for the want of means which we have in our possession, but persistently withhold. Brethren, if we really believe this message, let us give some good, substantial proof of it. Some of you, as the end draws near, are getting more selfish, more covetous, more grasping. Some of you are adding field to field, farm to farm, house to house, and are accumulating money to be burned up. God will mark these things. There are thousands of men in the nominal churches who give more liberally of their means than many of our own people think of doing. Let us be careful that we do not deceive our souls upon this point.

12. Seventh-day Adventists save many thousands of dollars every year where others spend it. Let us suppose a case. Here is a family who used to pay from ten to fifteen dollars per year for tobacco. They pay nothing for this now. They used to pay as much more for tea and coffee. All this they save now. They used to go to circuses, dances, shows, donation parties, and many other places of amusement, all of which cost time and money. They attend none of these places now. Here they save a large amount. They used to wear jewelry and other costly articles. They wear none of these now. They lay out nothing for novel books, story papers, and the like. They take but little interest in the general holidays of the country. They dress plainly, and live plainly. They stay at home and work, work, work, six days in the week, twelve months in the year. If they attend one camp-meeting in the year they think they have made a great sacrifice of time. What is the consequence? Just what we might expect. Our people are improving financially faster than any other class of people of the same means. We fear that this is simply making a gain of godliness.

13. How much ought I to give? We answer, a tithe. Jacob promised the Lord a tithe of all he had. The Jewish system called for a tithe of all the products of the people. We do not understand that when a man becomes a Bible Christian the Lord requires him to give at the outset just one-tenth of all his property. Neither do we understand that the first apostles of Christ, in setting forth the duty of giving to support the cause, maintained the plan of tithing all their products in the exact form and manner practiced by the Jews.

While human probation continues, and God has a cause in the earth to be maintained by the liberalities of his people, so long the principle of the tithing system will remain. But that exact form which was best in the Jewish age, for a local people, may not be best in the Christian age for the scattered people of God. The operations of the Christian church in all the world are more extensive, and more expensive, than those of the Jewish church in her local land, demanding more means now than then. The duty of giving is more fully and more emphatically and forcibly set forth in the New Testament than in the Old. But when we look for a definite plan to raise means there seems to be no text in all the New Testament so much to the point as 1 Cor. 16:2—

“Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” By close examination it will be seen that this collection, which Paul orders at regular periods, was for the benefit of those converts from the Jewish church, who had claims on the churches converted from the Gentiles, for preaching the gospel to them. And no man can show reasons why this weekly arrangement should not have been perpetuated in the Christian church for the support of those who give themselves to the ministry. Here, then, is an appropriation, or, rather, an apportionment, to occur upon the first day of each week, or fifty-two times in each year, with regular intervals between. Not so in the Jewish tithing system. That demanded of the people a tithe of all their products when those products should mature at different times, with irregular periods between. One plan came by the Spirit of God through Moses, the other by the Spirit of God through Paul. As we cannot adopt both, we choose the weekly apportionment of Paul.

With the foregoing statements before us we are prepared to answer the inquiry, “How much ought I to give?” After carefully viewing the subject from all points, we answer, A tithe of all our income and increase. And to fix a general basis from which to calculate income, it is assumed that our property income is equal to the interest value of money. This averages in our western country equal to ten per cent. per annum. West, money is worth more than ten per cent.; East, some less. Assuming that the income of our property is equal to ten per cent., a tithe of our income is one dollar annually, or very nearly two cents each week, on each and every one hundred dollars, as set forth in the fore part of this article.

This is the plan adopted by our people nearly twenty years since, which God has blessed to the prosperity of our cause and people. But in this plan we have seen a defect, which we see more clearly as the subject of tithing is more fully discussed. We cannot see how the principle of tithing, as demanded of the Jews, can be carried out by those whose property is annually increasing upon their hands, unless they add to the tithe of their income, which is estimated to be fully equal to one per cent. of their property annually, a tithe of their increase also. To illustrate: A brother is worth $10,000. The interest value of this sum is $1,000, which is regarded as his income. A tithe of this sum is $100. But during a year his property increases $1,000, so that at the close of the year he is worth $11,000. A tithe of this increase is $100, which added to the tithe of his income makes $200, instead of $100. The brother who has no increase has no tithe to pay only on his income. And the brother who is in the providence of God has an increase after paying a tithe on his income and supporting his family, must have bold robbery in heart to withhold from the Lord a tithe also of his increase.

In the foregoing, we express our solemn convictions respecting paying tithes in the Christian age. On the subject of offerings, we cite the reader to the thank-offerings, sin-offerings, and peace-offerings of the Old Testament, and the unqualified statements of the New, relative to liberal giving, even to selling and giving alms.

14. How the money is collected and what is done with it. Each church elects annually one of its members as s. b. treasurer. He is provided with a book for the purpose, in which is written the name of every person wishing to contribute anything for the support of the gospel. As the Bible says we should give weekly, 1 Cor. 16:2, we place beside each name just how much that person wishes to give each week. If he has property, he puts down the value of it. Two cents a week on each one hundred dollars will amount to one dollar and four cents per year. Then if he wishes to give a personal donation, this is added to that. A great many who have no property give a personal donation, running all the way from one to seventy-five cents per week. Two cents a week amounts to one dollar and four cents a year. Hence, if a person wishes to give about $5 per year, he puts down ten cents per week; if about ten dollars, twenty cents, and so on. Each individual pays the treasurer what he has pledged as often as each month, and should never let it run longer than three months, and it should all be paid within a year.

Then we have a State treasurer. The treasurer in each church sends to the State treasurer at the end of every three months all the money that he receives. Thus all the funds raised in all the States are placed in one general fund. Out of this fund, all the ministers in the State are paid.

When a minister needs means, the president of the Conference orders the treasurer to pay him what he thinks he ought to have. At the end of each year at our State Conference, every minister has to lay before the Conference a written account of all his labors during the year, containing a statement also of every dollar he has received, and of all that he has paid out. This report is laid before an auditing committee of nine brethren, who decide whether he shall have more, whether he has had enough, or too much. Thus a careful and judicious use is made of every cent our brethren contribute. Also, the expenses of the General Conference are met out of the funds of the different State Conferences.

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