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Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la derniire image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols ▼ signifie "FIN". re i\/laps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hend corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmte d des taux de reduction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est fiim6 A partir de i'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcesssire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. y errata id to nt ie pelure, 9on d n 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 Qdomeii'd foreign JVIiseionary Society. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN CANADA" . (VVhSTERN Division.) By QERALDINE W. DICKIE, Pickering, Ont. Systematic Silking* BY GEKALDINE VV. DICKIE, PICKERING, ONT. '• If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not." '' God loveth a cheerful giver." *' Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." CHESE are texts quite familiar to us all, and while we most highly commend willing heartedness and liberality in all giving, we purpose gathering a few thoughts on giving according to a system. And allow me to say here at the beginning, that it is the testi- mony of nearly all who practise systematic giving that their willing-heartedness to give has increased under this practice. What is systematic giving? It is not giving just what one feels like. It is not giving just what one may happen to have in his pocket or purse at the time. Nor is giving large sums of money necessarily syste- matic giving. The man who gives large sums may be as far from being a systematic giver as he who gives a very small sum. He may be a spasmodic giver. Again, regular giving is not 'necessarily systematic giving. A man may put a five-cent piece or a dollar bill on a collection-plate every Sabbath, and may not be a systematic giver. Nor is buying a ticket for a church bazaar or a church tea or entertainment so many times a year systematic giving (though many never seem to give any other way). Systematic giving embraces certain definite prin- ciples. It is putting some plan and purpose into our giving. It must be clearly understood it has definitely to do with what a man receives, i.e.. his income, it does not fluctuate with sudden impulses or pressing circumstances, nor is it governed by the needs and calls for money. But beginning with our income (be that small or great) it «ays, A certain proportion of that income shall be regularly set apart and given to the Lord. We now see systematic giving means pro- portionate giving. But let us for a few moments search for an answer in the Bible to the question. What is systematic giv- ing? And I think we should not give ourselves any more latitude on this question than we do on others, but zealously try to make the Bible our rule of faith and practice. We find in the Old Testament there was a definite system of giving which secured something from everybody. Here is the system: I. Every Jew. rich or po( •. paid a poll-tax of half a shekel, or about thirty cents, when the numbering of the adult males took place. This was known as *' atonement money." 2. The tithes. These were the Levitical tithes, or tenth of all the produce of the fields, flocks, herds, etc., for the support of the High Priest. A second tithe went to the festival services of the temple, and a tithe every third year for the support of the poor. 3. The first things of everything were offered to the Lord. 4. There were also freewill offerings, given volun- tarily as special thank-offerings. These were over and above all the rest, Lev. 27 : 30; Num. 18 : 21, 29; Deut. 14 : 22, 29. By this system fullj . ;ie-fifth, and at times one-third of the income was dev.»ted to purposes of religion. We can see God early taught the people what gifts and offerings were required of them. But someone says that was under the dispensation of the law. We are now free under the gospel dis- pensation. True; but are we any the less debtors to God? Have we not more blessings and a greater knowledge of the redemption purchased for us than they? In my opinion, we owe much more to the Lord's cause than they when we consider our bless- ings. But let us see what the new Testament says about it. In I Cor. 16:2, we read: "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him, that there be no gathering when I come." This was the plan of raising money adopted by the Apostle Paul for the Church of Cor- inth and the Churches of Galatia and other places. This was the day of their worship, and on that day they would naturally think more of their indebtedness to God for their redemption. Giving should spring irom love. " God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." We should give because we love Him. We see there was regularity in this system taught by Paul, and it was universal. It applied to all. Not just to heads of families, not only the men, but to " every one of you " — man, woman, and child, whether rich or poor. To expect those who are rich to supply all the money for the Lord's cause is unreasonable and un- scriptural. You know it is accepted according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not. Then in this system it was proportionate giving. Everyone wants to give '' as God hath prospered him." The question. How much shall I give? depends on the answer to the question, Hiw much have I received? Now, does God set a limit? I leave you to think of it, but will say that even heathen nations often dedi- cate a tithe to their gods, and the Jews regarded for many centuries the tenth as the Lord's portion; and in our Savior's day a tithe was regarded as the Lord's, for the Pharisee is represented as saying: " I give tithes of all that I possess." The man who says, I am not bound in this twen- X tieth century to give a tenth, places himself under a much more binding law than the ceremonial law. He binds himself with the law of self and selfishness. If in the past we have been giving in a haphazard and irregular way, we will find that adopting this system means that we must cut loose from all other ways, and launch out on this. It will involve at the outset, and afterwards also, an exercise of faith in God. If our income is small, and there seems a use for every penny, we will be tempted by Satan to re- member the words, " Charity begins at home.'' But listen to the promissory note God gives us, let it inspire our faith: " Honor the Lord with thy sub- stance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase, so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." Prov. 3 : 9, 10. and " Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down and shaken together and running over, shall men give into your bosom," Luke 6 : 38. This system, if adopted, will involve the making of sacrifices. But this is only fulfilling God's command of denying ourselves. It will also involve a continued acknowledgment of God's goodness in our lives. The believer will in this way come to realize that his prosperity in business or in the earning of wages is intimately related to the Lord's work. The Jew who gave the first-fruits of the increase of the field and a tenth of all his substance to the Lord must have felt, when he ploughed as well as when he prayed, he was doing it to the glory of God. ^u / • ^Vv 8 \Vc must conclude with sonic i)ractical thoughts, and 1 fancy 1 hear some excuses and a few objections. You know it is recorded once before, "* they all with one consent began to make excuse." One says: '7 cant afford it.' If you really do not possess it, God does not ask what you have not got; but very often '* I can't afford it " means, " 1 have money, but 1 have others ways to spend it." \'ou arc laying «/> treasures on earth. You should at least give as you get. ** Give as the Lord hath prospered you." We think you cannot alTord not to give. Someone else says: "/ mould give if I iverc rich." Allow me to say we have no better way of judging what you would give if you were rich, than by inquiring what you are doing now with what you have. Then someone says: " Well, after a while, zvhcn I get something else settled, I will adopt this system." Suppose ,God would speak thus to us when we asked a favor, of Him, ever putting us ofT — how sad our condition would be. God's claims come first, and are not of secondary consequence, as many of us treat them. Henderson & Co. PrinterF, S S: lo Uombt-ird St., '!'firo:ito.