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N. 0. MINISTER. H HAMILTON: PRINTED AT THE SPECTATOR STEAM PRINTING H0X7BE, 1871. .: ^'^ ^ ^ j !#■ :'■■:'''■ '.:'' ''■ \ y r *K m PREFACE. The iollowing pages were not penned because the writer imagined he had made some new discovery in the field of theological research, or hi cause he felt' qualified io present old discoveries in any new light. They were written partly in self-vindica- tion, but chiefly in the interests of true religion : not for self-glory, but for the glory of God. When I first entered the Christian minisiry, in 186-2, the system of raising money for religious purposes by means of social gatherings, was very common and popular. Having long been familiar with the system, I looked upon it as an existing necessity, and without pausing seriously to inquire, Is this system in harmony with the "Word of God ? I fell into the general current, and for several years I encouraged and patronized it, endeavt)ring, in the meantime, to plead the popular apologies in its favor. From circumstances I need not here re- late, however, I was led at length to scrutinize more closely the foundations of the superstructure, and was soon convinced ot their thorough un- soundness. This conviction resulted in a decision on my part, to be a beneficiary of the system no longer. I foresaw many of the obstacles such a decision would throw in my way, but casting mv confidence on the Lord Jesus Christ, I determined to put my principles to the test. A sense of duty compels me to say, in this connection, that my people, though few and feeble, endorsed my action almost to a man. Coming to a new charge, how> ever, I lound it necessary, in order to avoid mis- apprehensions and complications, to explain my FnnoiploB and define my position publicly, whicn did in a sermon from the words, " The labourer is worthy of his hire." This sermon was variously i m^ I Ill use the icovery use he ly new indica- ligion : Blry, in Lgious 18 very Eimiliar xisting nquire, fGod? il years ing, in pea m lere re- itinize icture, :h un- scision sm no Buch a n^my ninea ■ duty at my action , how*- L mis- in my which >ourer ionsly received, but I am constrained to record my sense of gratitude to G-od for the many good impressions I h'we reason to believe it produced, and the manv words of encouragement I afterwards receivea from persons of piety and intelligence.well qudifi- ed to judge of its merits. I have since been repeat- edly and urgently requested to publish it, but felt exceedingly reluctant to comply. 1 had never ligu ed as an author, was not posted in logic, rhe- toric, or general lore, hence I hesitated at the thought of thrusting my views before the pablic I halted for months between two opinions, but at length I became convinced that for many reasons I must either publish my sentiments, or lind my- self entangled in peri)etual difficulties which would probably affect my interests, interfere with my peace, and hinder my usefulness. Neither am I f/hndly rushing forward in this matter without a guide. I have earnestly sought directions from on high, and am fully convinced that the Divine Spirit has led me hitherto in the course 1 haVe taken, and that He will cause it in the end to re- dound to His own glory. My first object in the preparation of this dis- course, was to prove the unscripturalness of the Tea Meeting system as a means of supporting the Christian ministry. In order to accomplish this, I was obliged to define the method prescribed in the Word of God, that I might point out the dis- crepancy between this and tne popular method. With a view to a moie satisfactory discussion oi the subject, and to meet objections which would be likely to arise in the reader's mind, I have en- larged tne present discourse to almost unpardona- ble dimensions, but I trust that no part of it will be found void of interest, or destitute of profit. Should these pages meet the eye of a critic^ I trust his judgment may be controlled by a Ohris- tian spirit, and that he will exercise all charity for one wanting in years and experience, believing IV me to have been influenced by no other object than the glory of G-od. With these explanations and remarks I com- mend these pages to the candid and prayerful consideration of the Church of Christ, earnestly praying that G-od will accompany them with his Spirit, and make them a comfort and profit to many hearts. The Author. Bartonville, April 10th, 1871. "X SI P-:. I. '"l-l^-.f- THE BIBLE DOCTRINE AND METHOD BELAVIVE TO THE SUPPORT OF THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY. Let him that is taught/fn the word comm teacheth/all good things. — ( te unto him that I. 6. INTRODUCTION. Laws are usually binding and important according to the dignity of the law-giver, the equity of their requirements, and the preciousness of the interest* they are intended to promote. Judged by this rule, no laws are stamped with such immeasurable import- ance, or enforced oy such weighty considerations, as the enactments of divine wisdom. Based in eternal justice, originated by the counsels of the Infinite mind, and comprehending the most sacred and enduring interests of the human race, it becomes the imperative duty of all men to bow in ready and implicit obedience to every mandate of heaven. God hfls enjoined no duty of trifling importance, or questionable obligation. And though some of the divine requirements are, by way of eminence, denominated commandments, while . others are called precepts, or injunctions^ yet they all, even the very least, bear the seal of divine authority, . and should be regarded as essential parts of the sacrod co<^e. The least, as well as the greatest, were subjected to the solemn scrutiny of divine wisdom, and contemplated in their far-reaching influences and end^ less effects, before being enrolled among the laws of J^ovah's realm. And though we should fail to grasp the whole of God's grand design in giving certain Taws, or enforcing certain duties, yet it is sufficient for the humble believer to know that they have received the sanction of divine wisdom, and bear the impress of divine goodness. This consideration exhibits all the requirements of the Bible in the light of their divine Serfection, makes obedience to each a sacred duty, and isobedience a grievous sin ; hence Jesus said, " Who- soever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven." Surely, then, if we may expect to see obedience to the divine requirements exemplified in any department of society, it is among believers. If God's authority is entitled to respect by any class of men, it is by His own children, i^or can any man lav claim to this exalted character, who wilfVilly and habitually rejects, or disobeys, any divine injunction. We have a right to expect that when any duty of divine appointment is made known to a believer, it will be pi-omptly and cheerfully discharged; and any other state of things is exceedingly anoma- lous, and fatally injurious. And if the laws of God are of such momentous im- portance, and obedience enforced by such weighty oonsiderations, how solemn the responsibility of the christian minister, who at the divine behest, becomes the exponent of those laws among his fellow- men ! How important that the trumpet should give a distinct and accurate sound ! That as far as possible the true import of every law should be ascertained, and the full requirements of every law enforced! There should be no precept overlooked, obscured, or Ignored, but the whole code harmonized and defined. Surely his is a work of thrilling importance, involving endless and inestimable interests ; and no considera- tion of mere human expediency, — no fbar of man's firowns, — no fondness for man's flavor, should ever induce him to neglect the enforcement of any duty, or the exposition of any command, recorded in the "Word of God. Due prominence is generally given to most of the precepts of inspiration, but it is a painfhl fact that some, and thuse oy no means the least important, are criminally neglected. Yet it is not in the pro* vince of the Chri&tian minister to cull the divine cata- logue, and select only such topics as are most popular, or pleasing. It is not for him to despise any precept, or decide that any poi'tion of the Bread of Life shall be cast upon the dunghill. Nor can any man pro- nounce regarding this precept, or that promise, this doctrine or that duty, " It must not be taught from the sacred desk." Let it not be supposed that any requirement enforced by the Word of God is too sordid or commonplace to be discussed honestly, fhirly, fully, in the house of God, and before the assembled world. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that the important in- junction contained in my text, with all kindred in- junctions, has for some cause been treated with indifference by the majority of public teachers, and virtually repudiated by a lar^e class of professed believers, i et the duty of paying is enjoined by' the same authority as the duty of praying, and occupies a far more important place in the divine economy than many are willing to oelieve. Should not this duty be taught, then, by every man whose business it is to " preach the word ?" And though the practices of many who claim a recognition among the people of God, should be condemned by a proper exhibition of the Bible doctrine relative to this duty, should it be avoided on that account ? If the people have been pursuing a course at variance with God's word, me- thinks this fact should be an incentive to the christian minister to teach them the right way. The professed character of God's word will never bo vindicated unless it prove itself to be "Quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing, to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and the joints and mar- row, and become a discorner of the thoughts and in- tents of the heart'' — unless, as a hammer it break <": V in pieces the erroneous systems of men, and as a firo, burn up the dross of wordly admixture, purifying God's golden temples, and fitting them to De appro- priate and becoming " ^habitations of God through the Spirit." Such being the case, the apostolic injunction contained in the text comes within the lawful range of pulpit discussion, and commands the obedience and respect of all who profess to have embraced the lively oracles as the foundation of their faith and the rule of their lives. We shall endeavor, I. To POINT OUT THE BiBLE DOCTRINE RELATIVE TO THE DUTY ENJOINED IN THE TEXT. We conceive that the following proposition may be fairly inferred from the words : 1. That by Divine appointment the Christian Minister is entitled to his support. m- Theoretically, most men admit this proposition, — practicallyy most men deny it. But we have to deal with the Apontle's moaning, independently of either men's theories, or practices. It is difficult to see how these words can. be tortured into any other meaning than what they plainly express. "Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teach- €th in all good things." We find the counterpart of these words in Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians, 9th chap, and 11th verse,"If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?" The manifest meaning in both cases being that those who preach the gospel shall have a rightfm claim upon the temporal things of those for whoso benefit they labor, to the extent required for their support. Among the standard commentatoi*s and critics of the day there is but one opinion as to the Apostle's meaning. Dr. Clarke says tnat by communi- eating^ in our text, the Apostle means " to contribute to the support of the man who has dedicated himself to the work of the ministry, and who gives up his time and his life to preach the gospel." i)r. Cook© 8 Ays that "fo communicate is, in the scrip- tural sense, to contribute of our wordly sub- Btance." Matthew Henry on this passage says, " It is the duty of those who are taught in the word, to sup- port those who are appointed to teach them ; for thoy ai-e to communicate to them in all good things^ freely and cheerfully to contribute of the good things which God has blessed them with, what is needful for their com- fortable subsistence." Albert Barnes paraphrases the text thus: " Let him share with him who teaches; let there be a common participation of all good things^ in everything that is needful for his comfortable sub- sistence." Were this the only text in the Bible, where this duty is taught, it would bo quite sufficient to settle the question in the minds of unprejudiced and intelligent belicvei's. But as if to place the matter beyond aU doitbtf and write every man's duty in this particular, as with a sunbeam, we find ample and unquestionable testimony in many parts of the inspired volume. Without repaii'ing to the Old Testament for proof that God has always made provision for those who " min- istered about holy things," we will consult the testi- mony of our Lord. In sending forth the seventy disciples to preach the gospel, he said, "Go your ways ; behold I send you forth as lambs amonff wolves. Carry neither purse nor scrip, nor shoes ', and salute no man by the wjvv. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace bo there your peace shall rest upon it: if not it shall turn to you again. And in the same house re- main, eating and linking such things as they give ; for the laborer is worthy 0/ his hirc.^' — Luke x„ 3 &c. You will perceive that our Lord is not addressioK laborers in secular pursuits, but laborers in " word ana doctrine" — christian ministers, But what did he mean by the term "hire?" The original is misthos, it occurs 29 times in the New Testament. In 24 of those instances it is translated '' reward ;" In 3 places it is rendered "hire," and in two places " wages." From an examination of those passages it mast be apparent that the N. T. sense of this term is what we understand by recampetisej wages, or remunera- tion. The use of the term among profane writers also fixes its meaning substantially &e same as the N. T. sense. Liddell and Scott give " wages, pay, hire," as the meaning of mistkos^ and they quote a number of ancient Greek authors, every one of whom uses tho term in the senfe of " wages, pay, hire, salary, i*e- compense, reward," &c. It is by no means doubtftil, therefore, what our Saviour meant when he said ** The laborer is worthy of his hire." In the ninth chapter of First Corinthians tho Apos- tle amplifies this doctrine, but wo must be content to refer the reader to that place. The sum of the Bible teachings on this subject, however, is expressed in those unequivocal words, "Even so hath the Lord ORDAINED, THAT THEY WHICH PREACH THE GoSPEL SHOULD LIVE OP THE GoSPEL." Sufficient has, no doubt, been adduced to settle the question in the minds of all impartial and intelligent believers in Holy Writ. We shall therefore regard our first proposition as undeniably established that "By divine appointment the CJiristian minister is entitled to his support. If this be true, a very proper question to succeed it in the order of inquiry, is, On whom has God placed the responsibility of this sup- port f It is clear that if tho support of the Christian minis- try has been made an imperative duty, such duty must devolve upon some person, or class of persons, and has not been left to tne uncertainty of chance, or the mei*e whims, impulses and caprices of the world. Neither can we suppose God to oe the author of suoli folly as to make requirements without indicating, in tome way, on whom the requirement rests. It will bo our duty therefore, to show, fVom several considera- tions, 9 2, That God has inade the Church responsible for the cUscharae of this duty. By the church I mean simply those who are accred- ited memhera of the church. My text says, " Let him that is taught in the woi-d communicate unto him that teacheth," &c., and probably the first impression these woi-ds would make on most minds, would be that they include all who hear the gospel from time to time. Neither do I propose to dispute the belief that all such are under solemn and weighty obligations to God, who IS entitled to claim a portion, or even the whole of their temporal possessions, at his own discre- tion for the accomiDlishment of His benevolent pur- poses. But I am far from being convinced that all such were intended to be embraced in these words. For an individual to be " taught in the word," he must first have a teachable disposition — a willingness to learn. Not all who hear, or read the word, are " taught" by it, but such only as hear, or read it with- out cavilling at it, and without setting its teachings at naught and treating its authority with contempt — such as receive its teacliings as the Boreans did, "with all readiness of mind," and honor its authority. " Let him that is taught in the word," willingly, obediently, and acknowledges practically his obligations to •bey it, ** communicate unto him that teacheth," &c. That this is the Apostle's sense will be made to appear ft'om the following considerations. 1. He was writing to the members of " the churches of Qalatia," (see chap. 1 : 2) and it appears, as Br. Clarke conjectures in his comment on the text, " that some of the believers in Galatia could receive the Christian ministry without contributing to its sup- port ;" hence It became the Apostle's duty to remind them of the necessity of sustaining those who were their accredited teachers in word nnd doctrine. Ho accordingly does it in those woi-ds : "Lot him that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." 2. It would involve the support of <' > ministry in 10 too much uQcortninty, add subject them to incalcula- ble perplexities and annoyances, to throw them u^n the tender mercies of disobedient and unbelievmg men. For this reason I cannot think that the Apostle intended to include such. 3. It is evident that Christ never intended, or ex- pected, that his enemies would become "ministering angels," to supply tlio wants of his servants, for he expressly assui*ed them that they would be obnoxious to the world, and^ the objects of its hate. In sending forth the seventy disciples he said, " Behold I send 3^011 forth as lambs among wolves." Surely he did not expect that wolves would nourish and succor his lambs 1 No, it was not in the den of wolves they were commanded to lodge, and eat and drink, but in the abode of peace. "If the son of peace be there, ^^ * remain eating and drinking such things as they give." This is the evident meaning, as may be seen from the context. I need not multiply arguments to prove that God has not placed the responsibility of sustaining the gospel upon the disobedient and unbelieving, out I beg leave to submit a few thoughts, which appear to my own mind as possessing some force, to show that Heintended this responsibility to rest upon the church. In the first place, the phrase, " Him that is taught in the word," undoubtedly includes the church, whether it embraces any other class or not. God's own people Ai'e " iaught in the word," in the highest sense. Wo- construction can be put upon these words to exclude them, hence the authority of an apostolic injunction im- poses ujHjn them the duty of " communicating to him that teacheth in all good things. 2. The services of the christian minister are in gen- eral engaged by the church in her official representa- tives, and this fact, both in law and equity, in morals and religion, involves the church in an obligation to remunerate his services. 3. It is beyond all doubt that God intended it to be a lilessing and an honour, to aid by our offerings in ad- 6. and h( sponsi chrisi The subjec fluenc divine She Maste gospel this CO the lij would nothii: would this is pleade ands\^ 11 vancing His glory, hence we are le himself of no reputation ; took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." '' And God gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that fllleth all in all." " As thou hast sent mo into the world, even bo have T sent them into the tcorld. Neither pray I for those 13 limed, '. have le was 1 "he ;ht be ^postle Is and re me, that I gospel aracter it will rid was 3sion of an than iends ;" for us." ence, or are' not ision of Le takes t on in I Spirit, >les that ond all for ex- in you he form th God ; him the Bness of nan, he death, II things s of him n 80 have br those alone, but for them also which shall believe on mo through their word ; that they all may be one ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one inns : that the world may believe that thm hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them ; * * * * And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it : that the love wherewith 4hou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts." "And if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his." These, with many other portions of Scripture, clearly indicate that Christ and believers are one; that they are engaged in the same work, and that they are actuated in that work by the same Spirit. As in- timated, Christ's was a spirit of disinterested benevo- lence, a readiness to ''become poor to make others rich." "Without controversy," therefore, the Church's mission is to enrich the world with the treasures of Gospel grace and knowledge ; and this, too, at the ex- pense of her own riches. She must be willing to " become poor" in worldly wealth, to enrich others with heavenly riches; otherwise she has not the ''Spirit of Christ," and is "none of his." In ^hovi, the people of God are required to be " workers together nith him" in that sublime work of benevolence which has for its object the salvation of the world. If this be true, it inevitably foUowc, that when her mission to the world censes to be a benevolent one, and assumes a sordid character, it ceases to be a divine mission, and partakes of the character of Antichrist. Here is the rock on which the Church of Eome chiefly split. She became more anxious for money than for souls, hence she stands disgraced before God and the world, by the sale of indulgences, the doctrines of purgatory, penance, extreme unction, and a host of other abominations, all of which have been succossAiUy employed for the pur^ Sose of extorting money but of the pockets of her veotees. Let this important feet be engraven on all 14 the gatos and pillars and towers and altars of the Church, that her mission is one of benevolence, de- signed TO OFFER THE GoSPEL TO THE UNCONVERTJID " WITHOUT MONEY AND WITHOUT PRICE." If SO, It Is evident that the duty of sustaining the Christian min- istry devolves upon the Church. And if this be the feet, any attempt to shirk this duty must be highly offensive to God and derogatory to the character of his people. All these, and many other considerations, tend to exalt the supposition into little less than moral demon- stration that Paul intended the phrase, " Him that is taught in the woi-d," to apply to believers only. Moreover, any attempt to divide this responsibility bjjtween believers and unbelievers, necessarily involves perplexities and absurdities, such as the Apostle Paul, writing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, could never have intended to originate, or perpetuate. I would probably be asked, heio, if I ignore the privilege (?) of unconverted men to contribute of their means for the furtherance of the gospel. I am aware that this Is a critical question, requiring to be dealt with very cautiously. There is probably no question involved in the discussion of the entire subject of more Importance, nor one on which the -smter has expended a greater amount of thought. When I first set out In the pi'eparatlon of this discourse, I was quite decided in the oiDinion that unbelievers should be held morally resi>onslblo for the discharge of this duty, but as I progressed In the subject I found myself un- able to settle many questions that arose In my own mind, on this supposition. I have read the oi)lnlons of the dlstlngulslicd author of " Gold and the Grospel," on this subject, but so far from supplying me with any satisfactory solution of the question, on the above supposition, he has onW convinced me that It Is diffi- cult, if not Impossible,* to defend the commonly receiv- ed notion, that unbelievers as such should be required to oiler sacrifices to God in any sense. I would not willingly offend by giving expression to sentiments X ^hat in g Apari that •cann goodj effect abler In re wouI< act its relhio not p< referr this is befou that it pray, 1 fe U-, 15 that are DOt geporally received, and that are regarded by some as a reflection >pon the conduct of the Church in generali and of unbelievers in particular. But •apart from all such considerations, it appears to me l£at the subject is too important to be ignored. I •cannot but think that a fair discussion of it will do good, and if the opinions hei*ein set forth have no other effect than to elicit a fuller discussion of it by some abler pen, they will not have been submitted in vain. In replying to the question under consideration, I would say that much depends upon the nature of the act itself. If it is to bo exalted to the dignity of a relhious act^ it must be admitted that unbelievei*s can- not perform it acceptably to God. The author above referred to says, "We hate no hesitation in saying that this is the duty of a deist, or even of an atheist, if such be found." Might he not, with equal propriety say that it is the duty of " a deist, or even an atheist," to pray, to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, to deny him- self of " ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live sobers ly, righteously, and godly in this present world ? " Undoudtedly. " We have no hesitation in saying " that this is the duty of such. But not as such. !Not while he continues to be *^ a deist, or an atheist." If, however, the act of making offerings for religious purposes be degraded to the character of a mere com- mercial transaction, or considered even as a humane act, I see no reason why deists, atheists, and all other classes of unbelievers, may not be employed in this department of Christian usefulness. I cannot but record the conviction, however, that if pious people would but learn to look upon this scripture requirement in the light of a religious actj to be performed as a part of our " reasonable service " in religion, not as unto man, but unto the Loi*d, it would generally be more faithfVilly and acceptablv observed, lui offerings would then be a two-fold Blessing in- deed, enriching him who received, but most of all him who gave. Neither can I resist the oonviotion,that until the paying of God's claims comes to bo regarded as an 16 I !it esisential part of our religron, requiring t6 be obsertefl with pioiis nffections and dispositions ae much Its any other Christian duty, the church will always he per- plexed with financial embarrassments, such as will paralyze her energies, weaken her influence, aliehato her membership, enfeeble her piety, dampen her ^eal and tarnish her honour to a mournful extent. Heiice 1 fail to comprehend what right any christian commu- nity possesses to hold unconverted men responsible for the discharge of this duty ; and especially do I fkil to discover wherein the right is found to resort to aiiy species of artifice to secure what they are unwilling to contribute in a sti aightforward manner. If any reason exists for requiring unconverted men to share this responsibility with the Church, let that reason be clear- ly defined, and of sufficient weight to justify the requirement. Otherwise, let the Church discharge her own duties,and not attempt to serve God by proxy. tf it be claimed that unbelievers should assist in sustaining the gospel because they enjoy its benefits, I would remark, that this assertion, though so common, is more specious than true. In reality they enjoy nOne of the benefits of the gospel unless they are saved by it. If not saved, what are usually called oenefits will b0- come "the savor of death unto death," — millstones hanged about their necks to sink them deeper into dark despair. Their so-called blessings, which at best are but temporary, will ultimately be transformed into unending curses. "They knew their Master*^ will and did it not, therefore they will be beaten with inany stripes." If it be claimed that there is a rewai-d for the dis- charge of this duty, and that by neglecting to enforce it we are depriving men of that rew^, 1 would ifkj^y iii reply, that this is tjrue when applied tp the true believer, but, as we have shown, there is no fewatd to the unrenewed for the discharge of any ohriBtian duty. They are not in possession of the spiHti or principle from which rewardable obedience uitiBt emanate, as the Scriptures plainly tea6h. Th6 ^ apost &pdi audi claim tian 1 B& son Jesus alms ] have ] thus I from i ward. God, a given, acts m repogn the Sil Agai assistai that th church encourj diffusi( upon tJ does hfl dellenej benevol Shant isposf mcmt tj them s( in all ^amp] your nJ Jesus. "I fibield ;f thing wi ?^ m Btpnes 17 jerted a any s win iiehftto r ^eal Heiice , ommu- ible for foil to to aiiy lling to »" reason ire this )Q clear- ify the Bcharge r proxy. I assist benefits, ommon, pyndne ed by it. prill h0- illstones it into rhicK at sformed Master's ,en Y^itb the dis- ) enforce 1 would id to the \tQ is no of any n bf the >t)ediofloe oh. Th^ apostle Paul says, "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though T give my body to bo burned, and have^t love it profiteth me nothing." Now, I claim that carnal men are not in possession of chris- tian love, hence all their performances in religion are as sounding brass and "profit them nothing." Again, Jesus says, "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them, otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven:" thus proving that our religious acts must be performed from a right spirit and motive, or they have no re- ward. Before any act, therefore, can be acceptable to God, and rewardable by Him, the heart must first be given, and filled with His love. Then all our^christian acts naust be performed from love, and only such are recognized asacts of obedience to God, hence " love is the milling of the law." A^ain, if it be held that the church needs assistance from the world, I would ask. Is it true thatthts need exists? Has God indeed thrown his church upon l^e charities of the world for support and encourag^Hi^t? Has he set up a kingdom for the diffusion of light, and made its success contingent upon the patronage of the children of darkness ? Or does he not rather propose to exhibit the intrinsic ex- cellence of his cause, and the loyalty, devotion and lienevoleuce of his subjects, by making them trium- Shant in the use of the resources he has placed at their isposal ? And has he not afibrded ample encourage- meut to them that nothing shall be wanting to mf^e them successful in all their enterprises, and victorious in ^U their conflicts? Take the following, as a few examples among ?iiany :— " My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Chri|t Jesus."— Phil. 4: 19. "The Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing wiilhe viithhoUfrom them that walk uprighilg,^*^^ Psf^Si: U. ,*^"r7j^a^ 60: I'^f! With these, and inany 18 kindred portions of Holy Writ ringing in our ears^ who will deny that the need is only imaginiUT') or at most that it is occasioned by a wrong state or things in the church itself? If ever the plea had any fbrce^ that ** the church needs the assistance of the world/ '^ it was in those early ages of Christianity, when the fdIiowei*s of Christ were few, feeble, and poor ; when expression actions, and when at the same time they were sent fbrth *' as lambs among wolves," with the divine com- mission as it first fell with all the force of freshness from the lips of Jesus, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." It was then, if ever, when all the power, wealth, and influence of kings and princes were brought into requisition to crush the infant cause of Christ, that believers were justified in calling upon men of the world for pecuniary aid. But nothing of the kind, so far as we know, ever transpired. I presume it never occurred to the disci- piles of our Lord to put such complicated, extensive, and in many instances, unwarranted machinery in operation for the purpose of raising money with which to promote the gospel, as modem Christianity has de- vised. Assuredly their Master never instituted, or sanc- tioned such measures, and this, of itself, is jpresumptive Jiroof that he did not deem them best. He imposed the dty of promoting his cause upon his disciples, and promised them " an hundred fold in this life," for all it cost them, and eternal life besides ; hence '* what things were gain to them, those they counted loss for Christ : yea, doubtless, and thiey counted all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus their Lord, for whom they suffered the loss tjf oXL fhingst and did count them but dung that they might win Ohri^,** &c. Tea, some of them even. " counM not their Uifea dear" much less their wordly goods, tht.t t&ey miji^ht " testify the gospel of the grace of God.** If such a spirit of disinterested benefieenoe, and self- saci thej uien mea of the shou ' they torn for i View mistc will< distil] his f " ste\ "give then, comu] vidua gifts, for tl questi mon s tians, God him." surely Benefi. noabi ability there: to rO; OfHyii us to fvhich gener( tribu all th hasp: 19 it at ings oTcet rid," L the wrben f dness lution their ) sent >com- jhness d, and then, nee of iion to ) were uniary wr,ever 5 disci- ensive, lery in 1 which has de- orsano- imptivo >soa the es, and » for all <« what loss for - things : Christ ight vn*^ mkd not f dod." md self* sacrifice prevailed among believers in the present day they would not need to go with hat in hand to disobe- dient and gainsaying men for the reluctant and meagre gifts with which they " stop the mouth of conscience; and keep up their reputation in the world, " as Matthew Henry calls it, nor should we need to resort to artifice to obtain what they will not give from love to Christ It does not appear to mC that there is any sanction in the Word of God, for this supposed need on the part of the church. Viewing the subject with an eye of faith, I think the mists of the imagination will be dispersed, and we will discover that our resources are ample. The Bible distinctly teaches that every believer should regard his possessions as belonging to God. We are but " stewards of the mysteries of God," and must all "give account of our stewardship." As stewards, then, we should regard our possessions as so much common stock, belong'ng to God, to whom, as indi- viduals, we are responsible for the use we make of his gifts, hut whose right to use the whole, or any part, tor the accomplishment of his purposes, we do not question. If then, he requires a portion of this com- mon stock to carry on his work, we should, as chris- tians, be ready to "render unto God the things that are God's" and every man "according as God hath prospered him." "Where much is given much is required. And surely we cannot object to make returns to our Divine Benefactor according to this rule! If we have no ability there is nothing required ; if we have little ahility there is little required ; if we have great ability, there is much required; but in every instance we are to regard our prosperity as coming from God, iind orUff in proportion as Me prospers us^ does he require us to contribute to the prosperity of that cause to which we are indebted for eternal lifo. How easy and generous the requirement ! Now suppose we all con- tribute " as the Lord has prospered us," we have done all that He requires, and shall we murmur because, he has prospered us no more, and thus limited our abiuty 20 •<* " ■ to do more ? Or doed the snoceBS of the work depend upon our doing more ? Does it not rather depend upon the divine blessing on what we can do t "It is not by might, nor power, bnt by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts." " The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men," hence he hath " chosen the foolish things of the world to confonnd the wise, and he hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty ; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things which are : that no flesh should glory in his presence; * * As it is written. He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." — I Cor. 1 : 25, &c. It is not necessary, therefore, to the success of the work, that we should do more than we have the ability to do, and it may be to prevent us from glorying in men, or means, that God has given us no more aoility. If he needs more of our help, he will give us more ability to help him. If he does not Increase our abilitv, let us believingly employ what he has given and be thankM. If he does not use our foolish efforts to confbund the wise, and our weak efforts to confound the mighty, we n6ed not think to accomplish bv strategy, or speculation, what God in the plentitudo of His wisdom and power has failed to effect. But if he does em- etnploy the little we can do, with which to produce immense and glorious results, it will be apparent that a divine agency is at work-^that " the excellency of the power is of God and not of us," and " he that glo- rieth will glory in the Lord;"— hot in man, or money. I fear we sometimes lose confidence in the promises of God, and endeavor to push our enterprises Djr our own ddvioos, putting our trnst in worldly patronage, and human effort, fint it will be a sad day for the church When she loftcs sight of the truth that, "Except the Lord btlild the house, they labor in vain that Mild ill except the Lord keep the otty, the Watenmkn Wiketh but in vain.*'— PsA. W i 1. 4-. spiri as wi asfo] bene^ borh< direci same andii right, tion. will I more word] securi the ci as th< with Noi silverJ and tl we ar J for th premil Godt^ counti cient,i cast tj flideraj tWIl iti toGo( ^tifil jend bend It is 1 the viser than f the , tithe tilngs , and I, and vhich * glory Bsary, lay be I, that more ) him. vingly If he I "Wise, e need ilation, m and es em* iroduce mtthat jncy of lat glo- money. nlses of )Tir ovrti ;e, and ohnroh ent the bt bttlld tokttiin 21 " The best concerted sohdinet of man Are vain, and never can succeed, v Unless tbe Lord cond'act the plan." We should each, do what we can, therefore, ourselpeSf relying upon the divine blessing for success, and the result will not be doubtfYil. Moreover, we should " honour the Lord with our substance, and with the first fruits of our increase," all the same, whetiier wo have a preacher of our own, or not. If we have the spirit of Christ we will be entirely unselfish, and just as willing to promote the gospel for the good of others, as for our own good. That is a very narrow-minded benevolence that coes no farther than its own neigh- borhood, and is only active there when it is reaping a direct personal return for its activity. God has the same ri^ht to us and ours, under all circumstances, and if all His believing children will but recognize this right, there will be no such thing as need in the ques- tion. God will see to it that we do not want, and he will also see to it that we prosper. It only requires more faith in God, such as will enable us to trust our wordly wealth in his hands, and feel less anxiety about securing the contributions of worldy-minded men, and the church will soon " look forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners." Nor, will it do to plead that because the gold, and the silver, and the cattle upon a thousand hills, the world and the fhllness thereof are the Lord's, that therefore we are justified in getting all we can fVom unbelievers, for the support and promotion of God's cause. The premise is, no doubt, true, but the conclusion is flftlse. uod treats men as moral agents, and holds them ac- countable to him for all his gifts. But it is not stiffi- cient,in order to discharge thai accountability, that they cast their ofl'erlngs before him as carelessly, ot i^6on- siderately as theV would throw meat to a dog ; neither #iU it do to teach, or encotirage them to make offerings to Gt)d fbr the mere sake of securing proseht peMottAl gratification, or ** stdftping the mouth of oonsdence/' 22 And if they have no higher motives than these in con- tribnting to the cause of God, their sacrifices are '^ an abomination unto the Lord." See Proverbs xv : 8, xxi : 27, Isa. i : 11, &c. In such cases, instead of doins good by their contributions they are doing evil ; and though good may accrue to others by a judicious use of their means, we are not justified in teaching them to do evil that good may come. On the same principle it may be proved that unbelievers, as suchj ought to discharge every Christian duty, and honor every divine obliga- tion. No one questions God's right to them and their 8ervices,but let all things be done decently and in order. Let them be taught to become identified with the " royal priesthood,'' of Christianity first, and then come and " offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." Till then, they ^^ill be offerers of strange fire before the Lord. If it be urged that unbelievers she jid be required to contribute of their means for the support and pro- motion of the Gospel on account of the good accruing to others, I would say that it appears to me that this is the only plausible gi*ound on which the requirement can be based. Neither can this position be defended unless a distinction be clearly drawn between the offer- ings of believers and those of unbelievers. We have already shown that wicked men cannot perform this dutv as a <' religious act." As a mere humane act they probably may. I will not presume to say that thev should not be encouraged to contribute, on this grouna, though this is questionable, but I think we are not authorized to urge it upon any other ground. If we are, I shall be most happy to be corrected, as I do not willingly assume a position, which, if acted upon would, no doubt, cut off a large source of the present revenue of the Church. I submit these thouffhts to the carefUl, and prayerful consideration of tlkO Church of Christ, believing that if my position on on this subject bo scriptural, it will, in the end, most redound to the Churches progress, and the glory of God to adopt it I must, however, insist that such . t > belie bep] their pers< This mote Willi trinee whicl If SU( man, thep] enjoy to its its pre it ap resort and fe of this those ] the sc] But that t away where they C( truth, men a alwayj church to God had 00] some 1 mensh while I with ec Buoh s< nmt a or .iate thebetl d^ ^% ion of on on . most |ofGk>d suoh ( ■ ' 23 believers as urge the plea under consideration, should be prepared to exemplify its principle to the utmost of their ability, before endeavoring to enforce it upon persons laying no claim to the religion of Jesus Christ. This is, in fact, requiring a person lo become a pro- moter of principles he does not possess, of precepts he will not ooey, of blessings he will not accept, of doc- trines he will not embrace, and of an institution to which ho does not belong, all for the good of others. If such disinterested benevolence is required of such a man, how much more of him who professes to cherish the principles of the Gospel, to obey its precepts, to enjoy its blessings, to believe its doctrines, to belong to its communion, to love its author, and to hope for its promised retvards. In view of these considerations, it appears exceedingly anomalous that we should resort to so many expedients, and make such frequent and fervent appeals m order to enforce the discharge of this duty upon ungodly men,- while the majority of those who do so have never learned their alpuabet In the school of Christian liberality. But it has been objected to the foregoing sentiments that they are calculated to drive unconverted men away ih)m the church. Be it so. May I not ask where the fault lies ? If the views are scriptural, they constitute a part of the great loadstone of divine truth, and their natural effect should not be to dri^e men away from us. But suppose unbelievers had always been taught by the ministry and the united church, that it was their solemn duty to offer praver to God for his blessing, while living in sin, so that they had come to regard it as a privilege, and then suppose some Innovator should presume to assert that suoh men should not be taught to engage in such exercises while living in such a state, the same objection might with equal fbroe be urged. But if the scriptures teach suoh sentiments as we have expressed, the ohurch must adopt, believe, and teach them, too, sooner or llater, and in my humble opinion the sooner the better. Keither do I anticipate suoh dire results mt\4^-i ;trti<1Hr^aeiai j 24 1^ 9fil0(iQ predict. I thii^k tl^ere is far loss danger of 4rlying inen awfty from us |[)y kindly tolling tliein it is ?ipt their mpnej we are seeking after, but tieir aouls, tbj^n by pursuing them with a niuUitude of incompetent, urreasonable, and in many instances impertinent collecting agencies, popularly called "beggars." " The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light," hence, I think we may with confidence submit the question to fh^m for their verdict, whether they will despise or Jhonor us most for taking an honest scriptural position tl^at is not open to the suspicions of cupidity, or to pursue them as we have hitherto been doing, as though our ver^ existence and future success depended upon our getting their money, when at the same time they kniatp that we have been sufficiently sparing of our own. Having thus lengthily considered the question of JRc^Mmsibilitif in supporting flie Christian Ministry ^ I am forced td the conclusion that it devolves exclusively upon the church, which alone the Apostle addresses when he says, " Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." Having thus, as I think, established this proposition, I proceed to point out — II. THB METH'>D OP SUPPORTING THE CHRISTIAN MINS- TBT^fRESORIBBD IN THX WORD OF GOD. If liny liabilities should be promptly and honourably met they are those of the Christian (Jhurch. No other institution makes such lofty pretensions to virtue and morality, no other institution has so perfect a character to preserve, or such priceless in- terests to protect, hence, no other institution has so much need of guarding its reputation, with a scupulous and holy jealousy. This being the case there should b^ the most perfect promptitude, and regularity, on ^e piuri of the Church in meeting her liabilities. The irci^, as an institution, should be an example to all m iiiembeirs, and to all the world beside, in this pair- ti0i$ljir. Tet ^here can b^ no order, no system, no re- '- gulai ciple lotg to be inclir the m world wille while be the and i subjeo syster millio: in glo: a state a speec and en and 0'^ minist system At pre little, c to sup] deeply her pr< upon tl every s require cumstai made. pfGod,i ing circ a rule i] on this the ben< eral, it everythj definiter leave n( »7,"X' '. ; >l r^V "^ ' ' 25 gularity in this matter^where there is no regular prin- ciple of paying on the part of the membership. So lOfig as the time, manner Of paying, and proporiidb to be paid, are left to every person's convenience, inclination, the Church, as a paymaster, will be one of the most unreliable and dishonest institutions in the world. There can be no certainty that her obligations will ever be honoured, or her liabilities ever discharged, while such is the case. Her employes must always be the victims of doubt, discouragement, perplexities, and injustice, and the employers themselves the subjects of chargrin and shame. For want of a proper system in the Church, hitherto, I doubt not that millions of pounds are still due to men whoso souls arc in glory,and millions more toothers yet on earth. Such a state of things is so grivous and hurtful as to requiro a speedy and effectual remedy, and should be promptly and energetically dealt with by every lover of Jesus, and every labourer in his vineyard. It is not the ministry alone that suffers for want of an effective system, but the whole Church, nay the whole world. At present a large proportion of Church members pay little, or less than little, while others are unjustly taxed to supply the deficiency. This should not bo. It is deeply disgracefVil to the Church, and obstructive of her progress. To remedy this evil, a principle based upon the teachings of the jBible, should be laid down by every society, and a uniform and equitable proportion required as a minimum^ from each member whose cir- cumstances will admit of such requirement beinff made. No inflexible rule is prescribed in the woro of God,for the obvious reason that the varied and vary- ing circumstances of life render the application of such a rule impracticable. The elasticity of the divine law on this point is such, that while it gives f\ill scope to the benevolent affections of the most wealthy ana lib- eral, it also exempts the poor and needy f^m everything like oppression. Yet there is suMol^nt definiteness about it to exclude iEill penuriousnesA kild leave no room fof the growth of ootetous doikirefl. .'■'■'■ V .^■-■.. 26 Hany suppose that " anything^ no matter bow mean, trifling, and worthless, is sufficient for God" Many others entertain the absui*d notion that so long as local demands are met, there is no occasion for any farther exercise of benevolence; but we speak advisedly when we say that God's chief design in requiring our con- tributions was not merely to meet local demands, or any other demands, but that our benevolent affections might be expanded, and our generous impulses strength- ened by exercise. In order to the perfection of Chris- tian character, every grace must be acti\'e, and every spiritual faculty must be developed. But to prevent a mere sickly growth, and imperfect developement of the everal attributes of Christian character, they must be frequently exercised, and without this the negative at- tributes are sure to flourish by their activity, and up- root whatever is amiable and divine. Let the disposi- tion to give, but slumber, and the disposition to with- hold wul undoubtedly acquire strength. And so of every other spiritual affection. Exercise is as indis- pensable to the growth and perfection of Christiai^ char- acter as to mental or physical developement. It is, therefore, a mistaken notion to suppose that the principal good resulting from our generosity is secured to those who are its objects. Manifestlv the divine intention in requiring offerings from his people at all was that they might be benefitted most thomselves,and this thought finds confirmation in those memorable words of Jesus, " It is more blessed to give than to re- ceive." Hence we see a sublime expression of botii wisdom and goodness on the part of God, in suspend- ing the success of the gospel enterprise, upon the cheerful, voluntarv contributions of Christian hearts. All intelligent ana spiritually-minded men will see at once the i^vantaKCs of such an arrangement, and in- stead of complaining because God has made demands upon iheir worldly substance, they will rejoice because he has so ordered it, that by a pious and judicious ap- plioation of their earthly treasures,they may indirectrp* exohange them for heavenly riohes. And instead of 27 y Ending fault with any system prescribed by divino wisdom to secure such a result, tney will rather give thanks that he has revealed the true method of turning our perishing things to so good an account. Such a rule, or principle of giving, therefore, as we have in- dicated, so far from imposing a burdensome tax upon us, is intended to confer an exalted privilege, and secure an inestimable blessing. Neither are the advantages of such a rule less likely to be realized because its provisions are arbitrary, nor does compliance with the rule need to be less voluntary. All the divine re quirements are absolute. It is not optional whether we discharge any duty or not. Yot ail acceptable obedience must be cheerfUl and voluntary; like the apostle's rule of giving, " Not grudgingly, or of neces- sity; for the Lord loveth a cheerfUl giver." Any act of obedience performed firommere restraint is foimal- ity, and has " no reward of our Father which is in heaven." But the law requiring such obedience is not les9 rigid on that account. So far as its demands relate to the spirit of obedience they are inflexible, though the measure of acttml obedience may be regu* lated and determined by the measure of each individ- ual's ability. To illustrate, we are only required to give *' as the Lord has prospered us," but we must be as willing and cheerflil in obeying this rule, if our ability be but little, as though it were great, and the reverse It is in claiming obedience to the extent of out ability* that the law is inflexible; it is in accomodating itself io our ability that it is flexible, or elastic. But the obedience, whatever its measure, must be voluntary, in order to be acceptable. It cannot, therefore; be objected to any definite scripture system of paying, that it undermines the spirit of voluntary benevolence, since the very design of such a system is, to secure the cultivation of such a spirit, on the pa rt of aU believers, and we have ample ground for affirming that without some specific and comprehensive system of making offerings to God, the spirit of Christian benev- 28 (^lence would speedily die oat in tbe church, and the _^" of covetousness and worldly-mindednoss would dpon prevail. Hence it must be a serious detriment ip any religious community to be pursuing a figment of their own invention, regardless of the divine rule. Xhey must be exposed to all the evils Of covetousness, to all the annoyances of financial embarrassment, and to all the inconveniences of an exhausted ex- chequer, while realizing none of the advantages of a well developed, and general system of beneficence. If these considerations are well grounded, then it blows, i. That an effective rule for the regulation and ex- pansion of our Christian benevolence is indispensable to the piety and happiness of individual bolieverSj as well as to the general interests of the church. 2. That any system, either tending to quench or failing to expand the spirit of liberality in the church, is inde- fensible, unscriptural, and injurious. 3. That it is the imperative duty of the Christian ministry to inculcate, by precept and example, the divine law of Christian beneficence, and discounte- nance, in all proper ways, everything that savours of opposition thereto. 4. That it is the exalted privilege and dolemn duty of every child of God to consecrate portions of hfs worldly substanc^e on the Lord's altar, with such' fVe- quenoy and liberality as to devClope his own benevo- lent anections, and secure for himself the rich blessing of heaven, while encouraging others by his example to do likewise. It is difficult to see how the force of these conclusions can be resisted, or their importance magnified. I am at a loss to understand, moreover, how any man who loves himself, his neighbor, and his God, and desirbs to see prosperity secured to the ehlirch, can statid in the way 6t the establishment 6f a right sy stein of QUstaining the gospeLor ho^ he ban withhold his hi- floence and his aid:, That a bettbr system Is geiieiilly needed is undeniable. The church, as Iti olden ^tM^ ' V.CT* the ^i 29 and the 'ss ^otild letriment Jgmentof ine rule. itousnesB, •aasment, isted ex- ages of a jonce. I, then it 1 and ex- pensable evers, as "ivfailmg is iiide- 'hristian pie, the Scounte- v^ourfi of an duty > of hfs uch iVe- benevo- xample lusions lam in who desirbs ibd in tein of his hi- i^mesy has been " robbing Crod in tithes and offerings," and fi^^ has brought upon herself the judgments of His pITended majesty. J^is displeasure is written on evieiy channel of his providence, and the absence of his blessing is felt in every department of his church. The Words of the Lord by the prophet Jere- miah, concerning the Jews, are too applicable to the majority of Gentile Christians in our own day. "From the least of them even to the greatest of them, evetjr one is given to covetousriess," — chap. vi. 13. This being the case, we are commanded to *< Stand in the ways, and see, and ask fbr the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein,"— verse 16. In obedience to this command, we turn to the " old paths where is the good war," and we find that in all ages, from the days of righteous Abel to the days of gospel grace, God has required sacrifices and onerings of material things from his people, such as would " counterwork their selfishness, foster their sense of dependence, and cultivate their love to God and man." "Abram gavb tithes to Melchizedek the priest of the most high God. Jacob -at Bethel vowed to give a tenth. And the prin- ciple ot giving gifts under religious obligation is doubtless as ancient as religion itself, co-eval with that of sacrifices in the family of Adam." The duty of giving tithes, in the days of Abraham and Jacob, was, no doubt, of divine obligation, as it was afterwards embodied in the Mosaic law. In order clearly tp present the requirements of this law, I submit the following summary from the distinguished Xhr. Biok: '';It is well known that the tenth part of the produce of the Land of Canaan was required from the people f^ the n^aintjBhauce of the priests and Ldvit^s. 'Behold,* saith dod, * I have given the children of L6ti l^U tfie tenth in tsraol for their Inheritance, for their service whliih they serve.'— Num» 18. 2l. This tithe ^Mp^P^® V^S^ poth frbin the animal and vegetable -'-^i^cbof tlie^^^ ei^btes, from the Sjeed of the landis, imd [i» fh])t ^i" w ii^09i ^^ ^'^^ goaitii} Bhbep and cattt«. " 1 i ' i * . « n m n" '1' 30^ Levit. 27 : 30 ; 2 Ghron. 31 : 5, 6. Oat of this tithe . the Levites paid a tenth part ta the priests, for their services connected with the taherhacle or temple. Num. 18 : 25 — 26. Besides this tithe which the people were ordered to pay to the Levites, they were also to pay a tenth part of the remaining nine parts to make a &ast in the court of the sanctuary, or in some apart- { i ^ ment belonging to it. At this feast, which was kept as an expression of their gratitude to God for the bounties of his providence, they were to entertain, along with their own families, some of the Levites. Deut. 12 : 17, 18; 14 : 22—27 ; Lev. 28 : 31. * Besides thf regular tithe, the Jews were obliged to abstain from all the fruits^that grew on trees new planted, for the first three years, which were accounted as uncir- oumcized, and it was*a crime for the owners to appro- priate them. Lev. 19 : 23. The fruitfl of the fourth year were devoted to the Lord : they were either sent to Jerusalem, or, being valued, they were redeemed by a sum equivalent paid to the priest, so that the people did not Begin to enjoy the produce of their fruit trees till the fifth year. They were likewise obliged every year to offer to God * the first of all the fruits of the earth.* Deut. 26 : 2 — 18. The Jews were also obliged to leave the corn ^ on the^corners of the fields,' for the uso of the poor, ("Lev. 19 : 9,) and in order to avoid the fhiuds which might be practised in this case, it was determined to leave the sixtieth part of the land as a just proportion for the poor. The ears of com which fell from the hands in harvest, were devoted to the same purpose ; and the Jews held themselves obliged by this command of God, not only to leave the poor 4 1 1 such ears of corn as fell by chance, but to let fall some freely, and of purpose for them to glean . The produco of the earth, every seventh year, l^longed to the poor, at least the owner had no more right than those who had no property. (Ley. 25 : 1— -6.) This command is express, and we Jews have an idea of this precept, that they pretend the captivity in Babylon was a pun- ishment for the violation of it. All debts oontraoted 31 tbis tithe for their • temple, ihe people re also to 3 to make mQ apftrt- was Kept d for the entertain, Q Levites. < Besides abstain anted, for as uncir- to appro- the fourtJi lither sent leemed by the people puit trees ged every uts of the so obliged Ib/ for the 1 avoid the ise, it was \ land as a om which ted to the )s obliged > the poor t fall some leproduco > the poor, those who command is precoj^t, irasapun- contracted among the Jews were released at the end of every seven years ; so that a debtor that could not discharge his debts within seven vears, was, at the end of that time, released from all obligation to discharge it. (Dent. 15 : 2) To all these offerings and expenses are to be added extraordinary expenses for sacrifices, obla- tions, journeys to Jerusalem at the solemn feasts, the hialf-shekels to the sanctuary, and various other items connected with the political state and ceremonial wor- ship of the Jews, so that more than one-fourth, and perbaps nearly one-half of their incomes was, in such yfO>n devoted to public and religious purposes." The just inference from the foregoing summary, I ciannot do better than to give in the language of this same great man. He says that " If the tenth part at least, of the income of every Israelite was to be devoted to such purposes, it would seem to follow, that nothinff Uss than this proportion should be allotted by every Christian under the Gospel dispensation, for similar, or analogous purposes. But it does not limit us to this proportion : as there are obvious reasotiB why it shoula be much greater under the New Testament economi/. If the propagation of divine knowledge within the narrow limits of Judea required such a proportion of the income of every individual, while no missions were appointed to surrounding nations ; much more, it is evident, is required under the present dispensation, when we are commanded to 'Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature,* and when more thm six hundred millions of the earth's population are still immersed in Pagan and Mahometan darkness, ignorant of ' the true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent.' The exertion now required ou^ht to be in some degree proportionate to the magnitude and extent of the work to be accomplished, and would re- quire An expatision of heart, and the manifestation of a spiHi similar to that which was displayed on the day or Pdntioost^ when /all that believed were together nors of the world, as the heavens in height surpf.ss the earth; why should they remain in apathy, or halt betweeii two opinions on this point ? Let wealthy Christians como forward with a noble spirit, and either consecrate a- liberal portion of their riches, with cheerfulness, fbr such objects, or take the pnl^ consistent alternative— ihrotp aside altogether tJieChmtian name; for a covetous Christian is a nuisance in the Church of God, and a contradiction in terms." — Dich^s Essay on Covetdusne33, p.p., 169-173. ^ 4-CCording to the reasonable and irresistible inference tjblis eminent author draws from the divine reqtfit^j ments under the Mosa'O law,the minimum amount thai ' should be required from every christian, is at least on0 tenth. We may rest assured that such a requl^'in^iit lyas equitable in the sight of God under the old econq^ my, or it would never have been instituted by hill authority. JBf|it Whether it is sliill re(]^uslt6 fdr hfe^^ people to ffive a toMh, t>t piore, o^ their i noomieis i^ w poiiit to be decided. It ha« been sa!d thi^t "tit^*^-^ • a^ legal instltations long siiice Ab^g^^^ ; M iMjbg i^ has b^cd^d to6 |^ne^t icl their 00, ,,^ ian» ana tpeir teachertt are in nolnensd bdiinil by the reqniremeritid )ftfrdl (* A ■ I S3 astlicy iiQtit on leir siitS; heatheii hie nido ig their mission- it in an (Then he ^e shall iristiahs recidus/ (lihds as le world, hj why eon two Etnscomo lecrate a ness, for native— covetous I, and a 3tousneS3t inference r6qtfii*0- >unt that ' least on0 iilrem^^^t d ecorib- 1 by hiy for Wa fiieisi^'tii^ "tU) >« Bnt it requires some proof thatthe law requiring a telii^ was ever ** abrogated." It is undeniable that the ooiv*; ditions under which tithes were required, and paid, hav^ changed, but there was certainly nO formal abrogatioii of any part of the law, except its sacrifices ana cero- monies, or such parts as had their ililfilment in the gospel. The tithing system finds its fulfilment no- where in the gospel, nor is there the first intimation in the New Tetament of its abrogation, but the very re- verse. The necessity for its continuance has not passed away, unless Christ intended to make no ade- quate provision for the Christian ministry, by which the Jewish priesthood is succeeded. Instead of this, however, he has expressly ordained that "they who preach the gospel shall live of the gospel." And so far from "abrogating" the tithing institution, I think in the following words he plainly sanctions it : " Woe unto you Pharisees ! for ye tithe mint, and rue, and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God : these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other' undone." (Luke xi: 42.) If this passage is not sufficient we would refer to the ninth chapter of First Corinthians, where, in enforcing the Christian minister's claim tO support, the apostle bases his ar&ument on the very law that required the payment of tithes, thus clearly proving, that in his estimation, that law was still in i6?rce as a rule of action. Let us briefly trace his ai^- guinent. First, to illustrate the right of the Christian minister to his support, he asks, ver. 7, *' Who goetli a wa,tf)ure any time at his own charges ? who plantoth a vlncjyard, and eateth not of the ftruit thereof ? or wht> feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock ? *'* These questions, in themselves we*^ calculated to cartjT cpnvictioi;! to every linpi^judiced mind, but the apostle vfonjld ehfbrce ULOtii by higher cbnsidoratiohJsi than either tlielr inhbr^nt weight, oi' hi^ own authority, hetice h^' immediately interigo^^, " S^y I these things as a map ? or saith n6t' Wo law the s^nie also r" Why ajbjeiil to tie U%W it has been **al)irogaW' for af least twenty-five years? thk would have lieiEiii &V"ij'wii'iKi,ii".t s ifammi^'^'i'^ '^(JBtMWWSJkrwlW ».nH£*.Alilh<«j.,.i»i»i'M ^a» 34 unfair. But on the supposition that it was still in forcei it is just what we miffht expect from an inspired AposUe. As if he had said, "All other considerations must bend to the authority of the divine law. What ^th the law, therefore ?" it says, "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Moreover, it savs this for our sdkeSt that he that jplougheth should plough in hope; and that ho that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temj^le ? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar T* And how wer«) the "temple" and "altar" supplied? Unquestionably by the people's tithes. If, therefore, the law relative to this subject was "for our sakes" and that law required the payment of tithes, in order to its effec- tiveness, who will deny that the same law is still in force ffyr the same purpose ? When we take the Apostle's unqualified application of his own reasoning into the iK^connt, I see no escape from this conclusion. "Even 80 hath the Lord ordamed that they which preach the gospel should live of the ^os^l," — v. 14. To this I may add that the same authority exists for excluding infant children from the ISfew Covenant, and for deny- ing the present obligation to keep the Christian sfiDbath, and other duties, as for denying the obligation involved in the divine law. relative to tithes. But suppose it could be proved that tl^e- legal tithing system was aorogated, it flhould DO borne in mind that there was a moral principle involved in the payment of tithes, which oan never be abrogated. This moral principle con- sisted in a recognition of God's right to a certain pro- portion of the people's possessions for religious purpo- ciea i and this principle, so fhr from being abrogated, is Irenewed ana enforced in the New Testament: "Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him iktkt ibMheih in all jifood things,** , The tame obligat(<^ therefore to " honor t)ie Lor4 with our substance, iwd with the first fruiti of cue \mt r 35 still in inspired orations What halt not^ the corn! ' ho that ho that )pe. Do out holy nd they > altar?" applied ? sfore, thei and that its effoc- 1 in force kpostlo's \ into the . *'Even 'each the ^o this I xcluding for dony- ^hristian in^ the lative to 9d that sited, it a moral 9, which plo con- tain pro- s porpo- rogated, It: "Let into him )bLeLor4 I of our increase/' exists in our day that existed under the law, hence, as Br. Clarke w^. 36 ig ia direct Qpposlti(Mi to all the teachings of ISoly Writ. "Honor tlie Iiord with thy substance jindwith the first fruits <)f thipe increase: «o shaU ^harns he filled with plenty ^ cM thy presses shaU hi^rst i^ with new mneJ* " There is that scattereth and yet increoieth; and there is that wifchholdeth more thani^i meet, but it tendeih to poverty" "The liberal soul shl^ be made fat ; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." " Give, and it shall be given oiito you ; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your liosom. ^or with the same measure that ye inete withal it shall be measured to you again." If WB leave these divine teachings, and many others to t]|e same effect, entirely out of the question, and regard what we pay as so much given atoa^f for which we shall reap no return, it may seem oppressive to human nature, but viewed in the li^ht d God's promises it only exposes our ignoi*ance, or unbelief to give place to such an unworthy sentiment. To ikose who possess the spirit of him who " became poor that we through his poverty miffht be rich," com- pUl^nce will be a pleasure. Ko portion of their Bub- pUiifKQe will be employed with so much satisfaction a|si i^ portion they lay upon the altar of Ood. Inste$d of opmplaining that He has required so nmch^thQir |ieap;tlsi will warm with gratitude and love becauGle h^ has given them so much, and required 00 little it reitam. When the great interests of eternity become mpre dear tp iis than all temporal interests combined, (^nd the/ should be to every Christian) we will be ref^y to devote the required proportion of our meaiif with the utmost cheermlness* ^e hope never to hei^r any child of God dishonor thd Christian name by patUog it oppressive to be recj^uired to pay back one tenth, or eteu mO]:e,'ofhis inoonie td Odd, m aitezpressionofhils gratitude and love, — (ts a mejAtis fOfmee to his own soul, and of siilvation to the Uonh of otbmi ^ ame^nsof ijitteH^iig error, promoting truth, l«fcot>piDgth^ IbuDtAiDBOf ihiquHj^ tb»t >. dSi tfr-- and lust ? And how would it sound for such persons, Trhile professing to have the mind of Christ, to raise ihe cry of oppression if only required to distribute one tenth, one-eigth, one-third, oi* even one half of these blessings^ while permitted to employ aUtli^ rest for per- sonal comforts and accomplishments ? Think of it, ye who consider a tenth too much. How can you answer to God for your conduct if you grudgo,or withhold from him so reasonable a proportion of your means? Viewed in the light of eternity, it is truly reprehensible for any child of God to do less than this. Eut this is the minimumj or smallest amount required. Much more is no doubt expected of believers when they have the ability to do more. . The tenth is God's Gbare,uniformly, as a just debt. Free-will offerings for charitable purpo- ses are to be in excess of this. But the discussion of this question does not come within the limits of this discourse, hence I must not enter upon it here. Having established the scripture proportion required, we will endeavor to ascertain, 2. What is the most rational and scriptural mode (^giv- ing iifeet to the divine requirement among us f Without any long preamble of arguments, I would at once submit that the aposiolic rule, as recommended to the Ck>rinthian8, is the most perfect, and effective that has ever been demised. It bears the seal of divine wisdom and goodness, and we venture the prediction that whenever it is fhirly and honestly tested by his people, the happiest results will be speedily realised. This rule is found in I. Oor. 16 : 2. ** Upon thi first day of the week, let every oin of you lay by him in store as god hath pros- nUD HIM." True, these directions did not relate to contributions ikrr the support of the Christian ministry, but the |»rtii-> aipb is just the same. The " collection'" was required fSt the comfort and support of the " saints " at Jerusfi^ UsA,' who were probably ** spoiled of their ffoods," and 1«ftin straitened cironmstances ; hence it oeoame the «aorwl duty of those who were more highly privileged, Ci^ 39 persons, to raise ibute one of these 8^ for per- kof it, ye u answer hold from Viewed isiblo for [lis is the (h more is have the liformly, !>te purpo- lussion of ts of this re. required, I would nmended effective of divine rediction i by his realized. iT EVIRY TH PROS- ributions the prin* required fttJerusa- ods," and oame the rivileged, to share their wealth with their distressed brethren. This was merely to carry out their Christian prinoipl«s. To refuse this help would have been to ignore those principles, and belie their profession. It was their duty, as Christians, to ** consider the poor," and by bearing one another's burdens, '' fulfil the law of Christ." This duty was enforced by the most (m^ momentous considerations. Christ's poor are regard- ed as his representatives, and he is described by the Evangelist, in the character of Judge, as vindicat- ing them in a most affecting manner : — " Then shall the King say unto them o\i his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world : for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty and ye gave me drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me in : naked and ye clothed mo : I was sick and ye visited me : I was in prison and ye came unto me." They were not conscious of having ministered to their Loi^ when thus in need, and naturally inquired. When saw we thee thus situated, and supplied thy wants ? His reply was most emphatic. "Verily I say unto jou. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." In charging the wicked with their heartlessness to him- self they naturallv inquired when they had treated him with such neglect, and he was no less emphatic in his reply to them. " Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of the least of these, ye did it not to me." Matt. 25 : 31, &c. Now observe, in these teachings our Lord distinctly connects himself with his poor. But he connects himself no less distinctly, OP intimately with the Church, " which is his body," and as we have shown, he makes demands upon us in behalf of the Church, as imperatively as he does in behalf of the poor. And white our hospitality to th* latter is reckoned as done unto himself, so, without doubt, will be our hospitality to the former. Thougli the objtcts may not oe Uiiraily the same, thApefon^ they are mrtwmy so : heiico, whether we contribute ti jiialiBTililTBIIIIHMIiilMn* hwummiM II i .- 40 feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and entertain the stranger, on the one hand ; or to supply a ruined worlcT with the bread of life, on the other, Christ will say, ^* Inasmuch as ye did it unto these, ye did it unto me." The worst Idnd of poverty is spiritual want, and the highest type of hoRpitality is to supply that want, hence, if the relief ^ temporal poverty be a spiritual duty, entitling believers to a spiritual rewaix], the relief of spiritual poverty — the consequences of which are eternal — must be spiritual in a higher sense if possible, and entitles those who discharge it to at least, an equal reward. The duty, therefore, in both cases, is identical in its character and objects, and God has so ordered it that it may be discharged in both cases by the same means. What need is there, then, for two inspired rules for the discharge o^ one and the same duty, oy the same means ? The obvious reason, therefore, why no other rule is given is, that the one already given meets the case as perfectly as any other possibly could do, and it was no doubt intended to be of constant and universal application, since it is quite as important that an effective rule be observed in the Ohurdi for the regulation of her contributions for religious objects as for charitable ones. Does this rule supply the desideratum ? Is it toJiat we need ? We have no hesitation in saying, It is just what we need. I can do little else,at present,however,than present a few reasons for believing that this apostolic rule is well fitted for a broader application than merely [the raising of means among tne " Churches of Galatia and Corinth," for the relief of the poor. I am led to adopt this view, Firsty From a consider- ation of the fact that the apostle, in writing his epistles, had an eye to the instruction and comfort of aU believers down to the end of time, and if we adopt tiie principle of narrowing certain portions of scripture to their local and present application, we admit an element that would destroy the force and authority of nearly all Scripture. rtaiu the rained irist will it unto |al want, )ply that rty be a rewaixl, fences of or sense it to at , in both and God in both >re, then, 3 and the s reason, the one my other led to be t is quite red in the tions for this rule We have present a lie is well rely [the latia and consider- ing his tnfort of ^e adopt icriptare dmit an athority 41 Second, Because the rule under consideration has an evident fitness for universal application. Thirds From the importance of such a rule to secure a systemaUcy or orderly action in the discharge of this duty, with a view to the " cultivation of the divine life, enlarging the streams of Christian benefi- (M^ cence/' and supplanting native selfishness and cove- tousness. Fourth^ Because by the adoption of this rule our acts of benevolence are far more likely to be performed from principle^ and not from mere momentary impulse produced by some eloquent, or impassioned appeal. And this suggests a Fifthj reason, viz: — That where this rule is observed the Church is not compelled to depend for resources upon fitful, or spasmodic eiforts, put forth in accor- dance with no autlioritativo law, and subject to all the variations and irregularities peculiar to human affairs. Sixthf Because, by the adoption of such a rule a much larger amount can be raised among the same individuals, with far less difficulty, or sacrifice. Seventhf Because such a rule^is necessary in order that the daily and multiplying wants of the faithful man of God may be promtly mot, and that pinching want and privation, too often experienced where pay- ments, like angels' visits, are ''few and fur between." entirely prevented, and the mind unburdened of a crushing weight of care. Eighth, Because, by connecting the duty of making offerings with the sanctities of the Lord's Day, christians in all ages arc reminded of the religious character of the duty, which is far more likely to be observed with pious affection?, and far less likely to be doled out in a grudging spirit, producing no salutary effect upon themselves, and deserving punishment rather than praise. Ninth^ Because by the observance of this rule all the blessings and advantages of giving are secured to " everif one,- the poor as well as the rich. It ia an un- .MmiA mm iil4a n> 42 doubted faot that, as things are at present) many po( people neglect to contribute because their oftbrin^ )or opie neglect to contriDuto Decause tneir oftbrings would appear insignificant, compared with those of their wealthy and generous neighbors. They ai'e thus shut out from this important department of Christian usefulness on account of their penury. But, by the application of this rule, their little stock will so in- crease at length that they may bring it with joy and gratitude, and lay it on the altar of God. Thus the offerings of the poor, to which Jesus attached so much importance, are secured, and the discharge of this duty being required of all alike, whether it be regarded . in the light of a privilege conferred, a needful means of grace supplied, or a grateful and loving expression of the soul for benefits received, all are made equal tiharers. " Let every one of you lay by him in store, t>f. itia mMi^>m,<-~> u and doctrine, and this golden vein of divine ti'uth is beginning to be seen, and its beauty is beginning to be admired. Not many years will elapse, until its adopt- ion in the Church will be an existing reality, rather than a neglected duty. May God hasten the time. We do not by any means expect that local demands will consume all that is thus deposited in ** The Lord's Treasury," hence we would have the surplus a,mount paid into a general fund, for the support of the minis- try where the people are either too few, or poor, to sustain it wholly among themselves, and also for send- ing the gospel to distant lands. • Oh what light would thus be scattered, and how see a would the universal «hout be heard, " The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ." No rule will ne adopted simultaneously by the mem- bers of any society. But let those to whose piety and intelligence this rule commends itself, adopt it them- flelves, and by example and precept endeavor to secure its speedy adoption by all. Its good eflfects will soon prove its highest recommendation. Parsons Cooke recommends the circulation of a pledge among believers to the following cifect : . r '^j PLEDGE OR COVENANT. " Believing that the scriptural system of benevolence requires every one to * lay by him in store as God hath prospered him, I (or we, the undersigned) engage, on every Sabbath, or at other stated periods, to set apart such a portion of what God shall give me as my judg- ment and conscience shall dictate ; to be sacredly ap- plied to charitable objects according to my sense ot their respective claims." I merely offer these as suggestions to those who desire to ooey the divine rule, and are at a loss for the most convenient mode of doing so, and also to show thilt the rule, wi practice^ would be far less burdensome tiian might bo supposed. 45 If we have coiTectly defined the divine rule in refer- ence to the payment of God's claims, then it follows, 1. That it is opposed to the teachings qf scripture for a part qf the membership in any society to repudiate tJieir just proportion of tJie society's liabilitieSy while others are burdened with more than their own proportion. ^ Such conduct can scarcely be characterized. It is morally dishonest and criminal in the sight of God. It is equivalent to going into your neighbor's field and gathering his crops for youi* ^read, or taking his stock for your meat. Nay, it is not merely to rob a neigh- bor, but it is to I'ob God as well, and to trifle with the interests of undying souls. Those who do this are mere hangers-on, getting their privileges at the ex- pense of others, — a kind of ecclesiastical leeches^ sucking the blood of the churchy but contributing nothing to its viUd- i(y. How important that the enormity of their conduct should be pointed out by their pastors ! Surely it is the result of a morbid feonsibility, or defective educa- tion. No man of spirit or jnety would be guilty of withholding his quota from the cause of God if suffi- ciently impressed with the nature; of the duty, or the criminality of its neglect. Let the ministry but faith- fully deal with this matter, and a better state of things will soon prevail It follows, 2. That it is likewise opposed to the spirit of the Btble^ to resort to tJie popular method qf sustaining the ministry and promoting religion. By the "popular method" I refer to the prevalent system of holding Tea, and other Social Meetings, as a means of revenue to the church. I believe this system to be opposed to the spirit of of the gospel, 1. Because it is based upon a false plea. This plea is, that the church is not able to meet her own liaoili- ties, and promote her own enterprises. The ostensi- ble object of the system is to get money from sources whence it could not otherwise be obtained, and the plea for doing so is not concealed : *' "We cannot pay our way without such assistance." I maintain, how- mm 46 I I - ever, as previously shown, that this plea is false. It may be true that we cannot afford to sustain a fashion- able, gorgeous, pride-pampering, and world-admired system of religion without such assistance, but it is not true to say that we cannot sustain the religion of the Bible without it. I have already shown that the church is able to do all that God requires of her, hon- orably and promptly, and all the gold that ever was coined cannot exempt her from the responsibility of doing this. "We must not suppose that extorting money from others will exonerate us from paying what we owe personally. The question to each and every debtor is, " How much owest thou to my Lord ? " Not how much have you obtained from others by your ingenious do- vices. Let every obedient debtor of my Lord but pay his own indebtedness, and if more is still required, wait for God's authority to resort to the Tea Meeting expedient, in order to bring delinquents to terms. — There would be no room for this poverty plea, how- ever, and no occasion for this poverty system, if pro- fessing Christians were uniformly as liberal in religion as they are in luxuries. The fact is that they who plead poverty the loudest, generally spend most on needless excesses. Many professors of religion can afford from six to twelve dollars a year for tobacco, who cannot afford as many dimes for their religious privileges, and the salvation of the world. Many mmilies can afford all the accoutrements of fashion, and all the accomplishn^ents of the ago, that can only spare a paltry pittance of their means to promote the glory of God, and secure the eternal happiness of souls. There are many others who can lend their thousands for usury, who cannot pay their tens to Christ ; and many more who can provide mansions for their fkmilies to inhabit on earth, who can only dole out a meagre moreel of their means to secure mansions of glory for that fUmily in heaven. I do not object to riches, or comforts, to fine houses, or personal accomplishmeuts, so long as they are not purchased at the cost of rel^' i. But as long as there is so mtich money to be lavii; xl 47 on luxuries, let us not plead poverty in religion. Let us never entertain the sentiment that the church is too poor to pay her honest debts ; she is only too un- willing. Hence we claim that the popular system under review is based upon a false plea. 2. It is unscriptural in spirit because it is carried on through a false policy. The evident object of the system is to increase the Church's revenue, but I am strongly convinced that it has had the very opposite effect. God has prescribed an unfailing rule by which "^e may swell our resources, but it is not by holding Tea Meetings &c. His plan is written by the prophet Malachi, Chap., 3 : 10, 11. It is as follows : — ** Bring ye all tJie tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my Jiou8e,land prove menowherewithf saith the Lord of hosts^ if I will not open you the windows of heaven andpour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourerfor your sakes,and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the fieldy saith the Lord of hosts." As long as we continue to rob God of his tithes and offerings he will cui-se us with a curse, as he did. his ancient Israel. Moreover, it cannot be denied that we hav^ robbed him. "Wo have " withheld more than is meet, and it hath tended to poverty." Yea, more, we have devised and perpetuated the very system which, perhaps more than any other, has encouraged a withholding propensity on the part of the Church. Instead of bringing our own "tithes and offerings" into God's house, we have devised an artful method of getting people of the world to bring theirs. Instead of urging our wealthy, but parsimonious membership to devote a scriptural proportion of their means to the service of God, for fear of giving them offence, and driving them to some other church, we have quietly winked at their criminal parsimony, and endeavored to Bupplement their niggardliness by the sale of cakes, pies, tarts, anecdotes and entertainment. Such a policy 48 ■n^ is the most injurious that can be pursued, and can only- result in bankruptcy. It is dishonoring to God, and hurtful to the personal piety and usefulness of his people, and so Ifng as it is pursued the daughters of the horseleech will be heard in the church, crying "Give, give." But I believe the system to be unscriptural. 3. Because it involves dependence upon the enemies of God. "Yfe are my friends," says Christ, "if ye do what- soever I command you." Disobedient men, therefore, are not Chrita*.^ Ti. lends. But James says (Chap. 4 : 4), "Whosoever T;viil bethefViend of the world is the enemy of God." It is undeniable, then, that men of the world are God'b enemies. Yet it is to secure the assistance of such men, cMefly^ that these social meet- ings are hold. And, farther, it is to gratify the feelings, and extort money out of the pockets of the young and worldly-minded, that the "grab-baff," the ** post-office," the "fish-pond," the "auction," and other artifices, have been super-added to the tea-meeting and social. I claim that all this is virtually saying to the unconverted, " Our divine Master has undertaken a benevolent work in the world which he finds himself unable successfully to advance without your aid, but knowing that you have not sufficient love for that work to promote it from principle, we, his people, act- ing in his name, by his authority, and on his behalf, propose that if you will render the assistance he needs, we will give you an equivalent, not in gospel light and heavenly joy, but in sensual gratification. We will satiate your appetites with rich viands, and your minds with rich amusement. We have pastors among ua who will, for the time being, forget the dignity of their holy calling, and relate such amusing anec- dotes as will convulse you with laughter, and we will all go as fhr as we dare, and many of us much farther than we ought, in making the entertainment agreeable to the feelings of carnal men. Nevertheless, you will need to hoar with us for a small portion of the time 1 > we 49 while wo obsei*vo a fow solomnities, and whilo our speakers iniermix a few serious remarks, to preserve in your minds the connection between the entertain- ment and the religion it is intended to promote. Still, we shall feel seriously disappointed if we do not get your money." It may be objected that this is over- drawn, but I am ready to avow that in too many cases it is true to the letter. Nor can it be denied that the whole system of social money-making involves de- pendence upon the world to a degree that is truly dishonorable to God, and unsanctioned by the teach- ings of the Bible. It is, likewise, more or less degrading to the Church, for to whatever extent we depend upon the co-operation and assistance of ungodly men, we confess to them our weakness and poverty, and put ourselves in their hands ; hence we must allow them to dictate with reference to our doings. And if this is to be the case, we may rely upon it that the Lord Jesus Christ will soon be stripped of his authority, and Bishop Colenso, the Pope of Eome, or some other impostor, will usurp his power, and exer- cise his prerogatives, while flaunting ritualism, and silly systems of superstition will take the place of his pure and simple doctrines and worship. Exalting men of the world and sin to t^e position of companions, oo-helpers, and guides, in any department of the temple service, whether in presenting offerings, or invocations, does indeed seem a strange way of pre- serving, or promoting pure religion, and ill comports with those divine teachings recorded in II. Cor. 6 : 14, &c. ** Be ye not unequallv yoked together with un- believers : for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord haih Christ with Belial? or what part hath ho that believe th with an infidel, &c. I take exception to this system, 3. Because it savours strongly of unbelief. As we havo shown, the promises of God ai*e complete, ambraoing every requirement of the church ft*om its ppif--^-, 50 establishment to its final triumph. This being the case, there is really no foundation for our fears relative to the supplies ; for, although God has chosen to carry on his work by human agencies, he has promised to be their help and their strength — to supply all their need — to fill their barns with plenty, and cause their Sresses to burst out with new wine — to open the win- ows of heaven,and pour out a blessing that there shall not be room to receive, and all this, too, on the easy and reasonable conditions that they wiil " bring all their tithes into his storehouse," honor him with their substance," (not their neighbor's substance) ** be ready to distribute, willing to communicate," &c. Yet, from the various methods adopted to avoid personal compli- ance with those conditionSj and especially from the facility with which this mammoth cat's-paw system of money-making is manipulated, we are compelled to conclude that the religious manipulators thereof have no confidence that God will ever verify his promises, or prove himself sufiicient, with the sanctified eiforts end offerings of his own people, to accomplish the work. It will be time enough, however, to doubt his word when we have tested it, and proved it false. But 80 long as we profess to believe in its truth, and in works deny it, we are not only grieving and insulting the deity by our own unbelie^,but we are encouraging unbelief and infidelity in others. Nothing could be more hurtfiil than this, hence every right-minded be- liever should use his influence in purging the church of that system which breeds such a venomous canker- worm in her heart. The unscripturalnoBs of this system appears from another point of view. 4. It boars the imago and superscription of hypoc- risy. Wo have already shown that the Church's mis- sion is one of mercy^ and that believers profess to be actuated by the spirit of disinterested benevolence, or love, in prosecutinff it. Bat their anxiety and efEbrts to make the people of the world pay for their own privileges, belie their professions, and convict them 1 » i of fa lence payf and < evan^ much welfa nalso keep] impos witho Thev or ho rewar "crow corrur Yet of God momei entert ing fe wicke< of the ofinsil 51 ig the elfttive ) carry sed to I their their le win- >e shall e easy ing all ;h their e ready 5t, from compli- om the 8t6m of oiled to of have •omises, . efforts lish the )ubt his »e. But and in nsulting luraging lould be ided be- I church \ canker- %rB fVom ►f liypoc- ch's mis- bss to be lonoe, or id efEbrts heir own lot thorn .t. of falso-heartodness. What becomes of the benevo^ lence of our mission if unconverted men are made to pay ior their own privileges, build their own churches, and codperate with the church in all her efforts to evangelize the world ? In this case they display as much benevolence,— as much anxiety for the material welfare of the church, — as much interest in the exter- nals of religion, as professors do, and all this while we keep ringing it in their eai*s, that " without faith it is impossible to please God/' and that all their works without faith are **dead," and "profit them nothing." Thev are expected to do all this without any promise, or nope of reward, while wo are anticipating as a rewam for our labors, sacrifices, faith, and obedience, "crowns," "palms," "kingdoms," "an inheritance in- corruptible," and "an eternal weight of glory." Yet we prefer to have the unconverted do the work of God, especially in the pajing department, for the momentary and imperfect enjoyment of an evening's entertainment, rather tlian do it ourselves for unend- ing felicity. Truly, in such case, the sacrifices of the wicked are more unselfish and disinterested than those of the righteous. Where, then, is the apparent superi- ority in the sacrifices of the latter? What is there in our mission to impress unbelievers with its disinterest- edness and divine excellence ? In short, if, with one breath we pix)fess to be moved only by a sincere desii*e to secure the salvation of lost sinners, and with the next breath ask those lost sinners to pay us for oui* efforts in their behalf, are we not open to the suspicion of insincerity ? Or, if we should m the pulpit touch- ingly discourse upon Christ's wilH^gness to become poor, that wo through his poverty might be made rich, and b^ way of application insist upon the neces- sity of Ohristians possessing the same spirit, and then, Bit^lliQ conclusion of the discourse, urge the public to 'a tea*moeting during the ensuing week, mani- to avoid impoverishing ourselvos to enrich ^ li aak where is our conslstonoy ? Is such a ^ IW« Arom the appearance of hypocrisy ? If not, 52 then the system whose fruit it is, shoiild be ctLaudoned, far ** a good tree bringeth not forth evil fruit." But again, 5. This system is generally carried on under false pretences. When these social meetings are held for the support of the ministry, it is usually announced and Uijuorstood that the proceeds are to be devoted to the pastor's benefit. It may bo a more effective method of exciting public sympathy, and securing the patronage of other branches of tho Church to make the pastor the conspicuous object of such meetings; but should he be ? If wo have proved that his sup- port devolves upon the Church, uy divine appoint- ment, thcD I elf- i in that whatever others do for him in a way to be placed to the Church's credit, is for her benefit, not his. It is to pay her debts, not to meet his wants, uniegs the Church repudiates his claim, and ho is reduced to the necessity of receiving charity. Hence the system under review, G. Is degrading to the ministry, and not less so to the membership. Everything that has the appearance of charity, in the support of the ministry, is degrading Tae office is one of divine appointment, and God has made special and definite provision for its support ; for " Even so hath the Lord ordained that they who preach the gos- pel should live of the gospeV* iNot of charity ; not of tea-meetings, socials, grab-bags, fish-ponds, or i\m ; nor yot of the price of any of these things, but of the price of the gospel, or in other words, of the willing offer- ings of those who love the gospel, and observe its requirements. As I understand it, the divine intention is that willinf', loving, trusting hearts shall bring their offerings into his storehouse, as a recognition of hiB claim to their substance, and an expression of their love for his goodness and grace, and that those who preach the gospel shall live of these gospel ofTer- ings. These are the price of the gospel,— not An equivalent, but the price God ('emands, and which his people cheerAilly pay. These are put /or, or initead f I 4 ■ * i onedf But false d for inced ;ed to ctive g the make ings; 8 BUp- point* lim in br her eet his [ind he larity. is so to ity, in e office special iven so he gos- not of in; nor le price g oifoi> irve its tention bring ition of of their »se who 1 offer- not An lioh hiii instead 53 of the gospel, because they represent it. On these men can live, and the Lord has ordained that on these his ambassadors shaH live. How different the system under consideration ! The storehouse of God is al- lowed to get empty, so that there is no meat therein, and there are not enough free-will offerings in Israel to keep his servants alive, so flaming posters are pi^e- pared and put up indiscriminately on barns and fences, in haunts of vice and on houses of worship, calling upon all classes without distinction or regard, to come up to the feast of entertainment in Zion, at a set time, for a stijnilated price, that the man of God may bo fed and clothed while preaching to the people the un- searchable riches of Jesus. To secure a more general response to the call, agents are frequently despatched abroad, some to scenes of industry, some to marts of commerce, and some to halls of music and dancing, to persuade, or constrain, by truth or fiction, the votaries of worldly pleasure, and the devotees of wealth and wine, to come up to this holy festival. In the name of our common Master, let me appeal to all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth, and sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in his Church, how long shall such things continue ? How long shall the divine decrees on this subject be set at naught, and the Christian ministry degraded by such a system of su^jport? Who can either doubt or deny that it is not only deurading to the ministry, but also to the church ; and cannot but be highly offensive to God. This system savors of opposition to the word of God, 7. Because it denotes and promotes selfishness among pi*ofessors of religion. If God has made the membership of the Church responsible for the support of the ministry, the indebtedness is theirs, ooyond all dispute. And if they i*esort to cunning and speculative devices ior the purpose of induoing men of the world to shai*e their indebtedness, what becomes of the un- selfishness they profess ? Is it not evident that they 5i are unwilling to make tho sacrifices demanded of them by the Great Head of the church, and prefer to pay the claims of the gospel with other-men's money rather than employ their own ? And what is this hut selfish- ness ? Moreover, while tho laws of mind remain un- changed it cannot but strengthen this disposition to pander to it; hence the tea meeting system denotes and promotes selfishness. This the Bible condemns, there- fore the system in question is opposed to the Word of God. But again, « H. It denotes dishonesty. If tho liabilities belong to the church, it is dishonest to try to transfer them to others. " Ah I but it is voluntary with the people whether they attend the tea-meeting or not t There is no com- pulsion." I know there is no compulsion, but there is a disposition to compel, as far as the power to do so exists. And this disposition is seen, not only in sup- plying the opportunity for others to assist, and extend- ing to them the invitation, but also in the secret and expressed dissatisfaction when the invitation is not accepted. It is this disposition of which we complain. The very fact of our wishing others to pay our debts convicts us of dishonesty, which is condemned by the Word of God. 9. The system we oppose tends to promote worldly conformity in the church. It unites the world with the church in an important department of duty and use- fiilness, and ab all alliances imply mutual conformity, 80 this alliance involves more or less conformity on the part of the church, to the opinions, preferences, plans, maxims, and customs of the world, hence, it is unscrip- tural in its tendency and efiects, for tho unqualified injunction of the Bible is, " Be not conformed to tho world." This system is unscriptural,' 10. Because it appeals to and fosters a wrong motivo in giving. In morals and religion the motive is everything. If this bo wrong the most princely gifts, and pious per- ibrmancos in religion are but splendid hypocrisy. It / I ;* son, / 'i I s 55 is the purity of the motive that constitutes the virtue of .'^ moral action. Moreover the word of God requires that " whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, we should do all to the glory of God." It must be un- Bcriptural, therefore, to act from any other motive ourselves, or to encourage others to do so. When Jesus would enforce upon Peter the duty of feeding his sheep, he appealed to his love : " Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me ? " And as we have shown, all our acts in religion must emanate from love to God, because " love is the fulfilling of the law." Is it love to God to which we appeal when wo invite and urge people to come to our socials and tea meetings ? If so, we might as well appeal to the same motive in asking them to give without a tea meeting, and if this motive had an existence in their hearts, they would respond just as cheerfully. But the plea is almost invariably urged, " We cannot get it from them without a tea meeting." And what is it that brings them there ? Is it love for God ? Those who love God as they ought need no tea meeting to prompt them to dutj'. It is only such as love Him not that are intended to be reached by this device. They come to the tea meeting not from love to God but from love for self. Social enjoyment is the motive appealed to. '' No pains will bo spared to make this entertainment one of the best of the sea- son," is the spirit of nearly all tea meeting hand-bills, and announcements. Take the social enjoyment away, strictly prohibit laughable and ridiculous anecdotes, attend to the solemnities of religion, exhort sinners to repent and believe on the Loi3 Jesus Christ, and tea meetings would soon be splendid failures. I am not now discussing the pi*opriety or impropriety of social enjoyment, (it is no douot well enough in its place,) but I maintain that it should not be patronized or appealed to ns amotive'to contribute for the support of the gospel. To do so is to violate the spirit of the Word of God. The system under review ic, moreover, unscriptural, because it is, Nj' i: 56 11. A covert method of serving God by proxy. If, as we have pointed out, the act of making olferings to God for religious purposes, is a Christian duty, requir- ing to be observed with <' pious affections and disposi- tions," — if, when rightly performed, this act is virtu- ally the offering of "spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God bv Jesus Christ," then it can only be performed by bolievers themselves, and any attempt to evade the duty, in whole or in part, by inducing othera to share it with thoni is a base attempt at serving God by proxy, and should be sternly discountenanced by every sincere worshipper. It would be quite as consistent to bribe wicked men with feasts and foolish entertain- ment, to pray, repent, and believe for v.s, as to pay for us, and the duty would be just as faithfully and accept- ably discharged. Yet there is a large amount of this proxy worship involved in the tea-meeting system. The disposition I have generally seen manifested among members of the Church, has been, to raise all they could from others, in order to make the paying come lighter on themselves. Nor, I think, will it be denied that this is the general intention when ..a- meetings are resorted to. Yet men do not seem to realize that all this is solemn tampering with holy things. When shall this modern enemy of all right- eousness bo slain ? I cannot close without alleging another charge tigainst this iniquitous system. 12. It is hurtful to the character of the Church, and subversive of the objects she has in view. Whatever injures her reputation must to the same extent defeat her purposes; and I maintain that this has been the tendency of the system in question. It has so seriously impaired the Church's character, that if it were overthrown to-day it would be many years before the foul blot would be wiped from her sacred escutcheon. Let any man of intelligence outside the Church, but take the Bible in his hand, and determine that he will test the character and principles of the Church by this 57 . divine rule of life and code of morals, and what Will be the result ? He reads that her mission is one of mercy, or benevolence, but by her artful devices to obtain money from the very objects of that mission, he concludes that in point of fact selfishness, avarice, and covetousness are the ruling principles. He reads that the salvation of souls and the glory of God are the single objects at which believers should aim, and that in order to secure these objects, they are expected to be influenced by the spirit of Christ, who ** became Eoor " to make others rich. Instead of this, however, e discovers a disposition to extract money out of the pockets of lost men with which to meet the expenses incuiTcd in the effort to save them. He reads that self-denial is one of the distinctive characteristics of ithe Church ; he sees a spirit of solf-gi*atification. Ho reads non-conformity to the world ; he sees criminal conformity. He reads justice, he sees injustice — - honesty, but sees dishonesty. He reads purity of motive, he sees impurity. Nor is this an overdrawn picture. '* I speak that I do know, and testify that I have seen." What, then, would such a man be likely to decide ? What could he decide but that all this was splendid hypo- crisy, vain pretension, fatal delusion. Need we ask him to embrace our religion ? Alas, we have under- mined his confidence by a long process of such conduct, and our influence over him for good is sadly weakened, hence he will probably reply, "I pray thee have me ex- cused." And is not this, in part at least, the secret of our ill success in winning souls to Christ ? Are not the inconsistencies of church members pointed to al- most invariably by unbelievers, as an excuse for li/in^ in sin ? And where are those inconsistencies more glaring than ir their effbrts to withhold their own means by muking the people of the world meet the- scoi'e. VVhilo such a state of things prevails we may abandon all hope of success, such as we have a right to expect. Instead of leading men to Christ bpr an al> most omnipotent influence, we will be destroying that 58 influenoei and nouti*alizing the ox)erations of the Word and Spirit of God. Instead of letting our hght shine, so that others may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven, we will be quenching the light, and causing men to grope in darkness. In- stead of ** looking forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners," we will be led into captivity, and compelled to hang our harps on the willows, and sit down by the rivers of Babylon and weep. But I must forbear. The reasons for opposing the system under consideration are almost endless in number, and overwhelming in force, hence I hope to be pardoned for a firm and honest opposition to it. Having noticed a few of my principal objections to this system, I submit to the verdict of public opinion in general, and to the pious judgment of the Church of Ohrist m particular, whether ^ am justified in refusing to be the patron, or victim of such a system any longer. I expect that my views will meet" with oj^position, that I will be celled "extremist," "fanatic," &c., but I have only to say. Be it so. Many better men have been called by worse names, nor did he whose I am, and whom I serve, escape the slime of the serpent, and " If they called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household ?" I have anticipated and replied to some of th© chief apologies in favor of the system I hr.ve been review- ing, but not all. There are a few others that seem to demand a passing notice. It is asked W some " What shall we do for social enjoyment? Wo require this." If it be requisite, by all means have it, only be sure you have it it as God will approve. I see no necessity, however, for mak- ing it an object of barter, or a source of revenue to the xshuroh. If God has made it such, give us the proof. It will be objected that my strictures have been too «wee^ing ; that I have not distinguished between well- meanm^, consistent Christians, and those who de- serve the censui'os I h.avo administered. True, but I « I *& >< 59 t ,/ have been dealing with a system, which I believe i» all that I have represented it, and much more. It grieves me, moreover, to think that very many consistent, and pious men and women, whose motives were pure and good, have been drawn into the meshes of this system, and have aided in carrying it on, sup- posing that they were acting for the glory of Grod. 1 also believe that many Christian ministers have en- couraged the system on the supposition that it was an existing necessity, and probably the best thing under the circumstances that could be devised, and I feel sad to be obliged to characterize a system that is so exten- sively countenanced by those I love, and for whom I entertain thehighestrespect,in such unmeasured terms. But I have been largely influenced in my remarks, by a sincere desire to uncover its deformities, and rescue God's people from its captivating and plausible ontan- glements, and I sincerely trust that this will soon be accomplished. In this case the wound, if I have in- flicted one, will be but the precursor of health and liberty. It has been objected that we are not yet perfect, and should not be loo scrupulous about little defects, etc. True, we are not perfect, neither can we ever expect to be while we wink at little defects even ; but I leave it to the candid reader whether the charges we have alleged against this institution are " little defects " or great ones. A word to the unconverted. My object has not been to treat you, or your offerings, with contempt. And though many things in the foregoing pages may seem severe, do you not hear severer things almost oveiy time you listen to a gospel sermon ? And do you not respect the man who tells you the plain, ungarnished truth ? Would you be better pleased with a man for dealing falsely with you than faithfully ? Well, I only ask you to decide whether I have not uttered the truth. If I have, the ground of oflfence is with God, not with me. iJut I appeal to your enlightened judg- ment whether the man who tries to get your money 60 • * - under false pretences, or the man who interposes to prevent it, is your best friend ; whether the man who shows you the right way to serve God, or the one who shows you the wrong way, is most entitled to your confidence. A few moments' consideration will, I think, convince you perfectly. In conclusion, I would appeal by all that is precious, sacred, and enduring in religion, to all who profess to be the children of God, and desire to " walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called," to consider the subject of these pages in the light of eternity, seeking directions from him who has promised to be their counsellor and guide. If the writer has uttered .tru<^, as you prize the " liberty wherewith the truth makes free," I beseech you to embrace the sentiments and let them guide your thoughts, feelings and actions . in the future. K you discover that the writer has been misled, thi-ow the veil of Christian charity over his motives at least, and pray God that ho may not be suffered to mislead others. My work is done, though imperfectly. May the Lord accept it, as done unto himself, and make it a blessing to his faithful people in all places where it ma^ find its way, and in the day of eternity may the writer find that "his labor has not been in vain in the liord." — ^Ahsn. "t*"! ^Cz-'S' '■■ OSes to xn who ae who your will, I •ecious, profess worthy onslder iemity, id to be uttered e truth biments actions as been >ver his not be lay the ike it a ^here it my the 1 in the - a- y*' . i^iJ>*- ^•" I. <««*1