aiversity of California Southern Regional Library Facility Ex Libris C. K. OGDEN THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE BEING CHAPTERS FROM "THE SACRED TENTH" WITH A REVISED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON TITHE-PAYING AND SYSTEMATIC AND PROPORTIONATE GIVING HENRY LANSDELL, D.D. F.R.G.S., M.R.A.S. CHAPLAIN OF MORDEN COLLEGE, BLACKHEATH, TENTH, "THROUGH SIBERIA, "RUSSIAN CENTRAL ASIA, "CHINESE CENTRAL ASIA," ETC. "All the tithe of the land . . . is the Lara's : it is holy unto the Lo>d."l.nv. xxvii. 30. " Bring ye all the tithes into ihe storehouse, . . . and prove Me MOW herewith, . . . if I will not open you the windotvs of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there f-hall not be room enough to receive it." MAL. iii. 10. " In all thy gifts show a cheerful countenance, and set apart thy tithes with gladness." ECCLUS. xxxv. 9. " Ye tithe mint and anise and cummin . . .: these ought ye to have done." MATT, xxiii. 23. PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE TRACT COMMITTEE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE, LONDON: NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C. BRIGHTON : 129, NORTH STREET. NEW YORK : E. S. GORHAM, 285, FOURTH AVENUE. TORONTO: MUSSON BOOK CO. WINNIPEG : RUSSELL, LANG & CO. 1908 [All rights reserved} PREFACE THERE are, happily, throughout the world, many persons of all countries and in every clime who recognise that it is a religious and moral obligation to give ; and the publication of The Sacred Tenth has brought to the knowledge of the Author that, as in past ages, so now, many earnest people not only approve but practise the principle of setting aside from their incomes " not less than a tenth for God." Some of these have suggested that inasmuch as the two volumes of The Sacred Tenth are not, and cannot be, within the reach of all, it is very desirable that there should be published apart, at least those portions thereof which are directly concerned with Holy Scripture. Hence the appearance of the following chapters, to which is added a revised edition of the original bibliography with additions up to date. That these Scriptural studies may help many inquirers to " perceive and know " what is the mind and will of God respecting their giving, and that they may have " grace and power faithfully to perform the same," is the prayer and fervent desire of the Author. HENRY LANSDELL, D.D. MORDEN COLLEGE, BLACKIIEATH, S.E. Whitsuntide, 1908. CONTENTS PAGES PREFACE 2 CONTENTS OF CHAPTERS 36 CHAPTERS I XIII 7148 INDEX OF TEXTS 149 GENERAL INDEX 152 A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON TITHE-PAYING 157 patriarcbal CHAPTER I CAIN AND ABEL Offering material things to God, 7. Anciently connected with failure in tithe-paying, 7. Bearing of the Septuagint on the rejection of Cain's offering, 8. Sacrifices of Noah, Abram, and Jacob, II . . . . . . 7 12 CHAPTER II ABRAM AND JACOB Abram's tithe to Melchizedek, 13. Tithing traced to Babylonia, 15. Extent of Abram's tithes, 15. Jacob's vow and its confirmation of tithe-paying, 17. Scientific deduction from patriarchal tithing, 18. Hypothesis for primeval origin of tithe-paying, 19. Adam's sons presumably the first tithe- payers, 19. Absence of written law, and silence of Genesis, no objection thereto, 21. Pagan tithe-paying not learnt from Jewish Scriptures, 21 13 22 flDosatc CHAPTER III ISRAEL'S THREE TITHES Tithe-paying expressly enjoined in the Pentateuch, 24. The first tithe, and observations thereon, 24. Given by God to the Levites, 25. The second, or festival, tithe ; its object, mode of payment, and personal benefit to the offerer, 26. The third, or poor's, tithe, 30. Not a substitute for second tithe, as witnessed by Tobit, Josephus, and others ; Maimonides to the contrary, notwithstanding, 32. The third tithe, by modern comparison, not excessive, 34 .... 23 36 3 2OGO234 4 CONTENTS CHAPTER IV MOSAIC OFFERINGS PAGES Other fixed claims on Israelites ; corners, gleanings, firstfruits, the firstborn, and seventh year debtors, 37. Freewill offer- ings and vows, 41. An income of six thousand bushels reduced one-fourth after tithing, 44. Method of tithing and profession before God, 45. Nature of evidence from the Pentateuch as to tithing, subsidiary, indirect, and frag- mentary, 47. Law of tithe-paying somewhat similar to that of the Sabbath, 49. Adaptation of tithe-paying to the Mosaic law, 50 3751 Testament CHAPTER V FROM JOSHUA TO SOLOMON Working of tithe laws during two periods, 52. I. Under Joshua and Judges, 53. The law established under Joshua, 53. Lawlessness under Judges, 54. Returns to Jehovah under Jephthah, Eli, and Samuel, 55. II. Under the monarchies, 57. Saul's offerings of spoils, 58. David anointed king, 58. Ark brought to Jerusalem, and Levites reorganized, 59. David's accumulated offerings, 59. Solomon's dedica- tion of the Temple, and his offerings, 61. Tithes under Israel's monarchs, 61 . ... . . . 52 62 CHAPTER VI BEFORE AND AFTER THE CAPTIVITY Working of tithe-laws during two further periods: III. Under Judah and Israel, 63. Reformations under Asa and Jeho- shaphat, 64. Giving in the times of Elijah and Elisha, 64. Church repairs under Joash, 66. Amos on Israel's tithes, 67. Hezekiah's restoration of Passover, tithe-paying, and firstfruits, 68. Temple repairs and offerings under Josiah, 70. IV. After the Captivity, 71. Offerings from Cyrus, 71. Rebuilding and presents to Temple under Ezra, 72. Malachi's "robbery" for withholding tithes, 73. Nehemiah's offering, and the people's oath concerning tithes, 73. Tithing organized, 74. Review of tithing from Joshua to Malachi, 75 6377 CONTENTS 5 Bpocrgpbal CHAPTER VII TITHING IN THE APOCRYPHA pAGEg Apocryphal books illustrative of Jewish antiquities, 78. Tobit pays three tithes, 79. Judith dedicates spoils of war, 79. Offerings by Demetrius, Heliodorus, King Seleucus, and Judas Maccabeus, 80. Liberality and tithe-paying urged in Tobit and Ecclesiasticus, 82. Summary of evidence from Apocrypha, 85 7886 UalmuMc CHAPTER VIII TALMUD 1C TEACHING ON THE FIRST AND SECOND TITHES The Talmud : Mishna and Gemara, 87. Divisions and transla- tions of Mishna, 88. Book VII., on first tithe, regulates what is to be tithed, and when, 88. Tithing applied to business transactions, 89. Tithing cooked fruit, transplanted vege- tables, and ant-hills, 91. Rules concerning the second tithe, 92. Not to be exchanged, nor coins for it reckoned common, 93. Redemption of the second tithe, 95. Second tithe in relation to reciting Mosaic formula, 96 ... 87 97 CHAPTER IX THE "DEMAI," OR DOUBTFUL TITHE The Denial, or doubtful tithe, 98. Its exemptions, differences, and minute requirements, 98. Its bearing on the unedu- cated, on buying and selling, exchange of corn, payment of rent, and acceptance of hospitality, 99. Four tithes recog- nized in the Talmud, and their application to all classes, 102. Antiquity of Talmudic bye-laws, and their influence when Christianity appeared, 104 ..... 98 104 IRew Testament CHAPTER X CHRIST S ATTITUDE AND EXAMPLE AS TO TITHING Jews, in the time of Christ, ruled by Gentiles, 105. Tithing among the Romans, Samaritans, and Palestine Jews, 106. Essenes, Sadducees, and Pharisees, 107. The Pharisees, tithe-payers par excellence, and how admitted to membership, 1 08. Varieties of Pharisees, and our Lord's attitude towards them, 108. Prevalence of tithe-paying, and impossibility of 6 CONTENTS PAGES indifference thereto, 109. Christ not regarded as "unin- structed," no. His teaching respected and consulted by the learned, in. Christ entertained by Pharisees and not accused of withholding dues, 112. His parents scrupulous in legal observances on His behalf, 113. Christ's observance of the law and payment of temple money, 114. Our Lord's purse, and its tripartite expenditure, 1 1 5 . . . 105 116 CHAPTER XI CHRISTS TEACHING ON TITHING AND BENEFICENCE Christ's teaching on tithe-paying and beneficence, 117. Christ's exhortations to almsgiving, and manner thereof, 118. His encouragement to almsgiving, its proportion, and whole- heartedness, 119. Denunciations of Pharisees explained, 121. His commendation of three large givers, 124. Summary of Christ's teaching in relation to tithe-paying, 125 . , .-.* , ; .... 117 126 CHAPTER XII EARLY CHRISTIAN GIVING Community of goods and money among the first disciples, 127. Wholeheartedness of Barnabas, and fraud of Ananias, 128. Apostolic organization of charity, 129. Alms of Tabitha, and of Cornelius, 130. Peter's relation to rabbinical tithe-paying, 131. Grecian Jews at Antioch sending alms by Barnabas, 132. Tithe-paying not rescinded at first Council at Jerusalem, 133. First missionaries enjoined to "remember the poor," 134. Paul acting as almoner, 134 .... 127 135 CHAPTER XIII ST. PAULS TEACHING AND PERSONAL EXAMPLE Paul's injunctions about raising a church fund, 136. His instruc- tions to Galatians, Corinthians, and Philippians about giving, 137. Paul's application of Mosaic claims to Christians, 138. Is the law concerning tithe abrogated? 138. Paul's example, and instructions to Corinthians and Ephesians concerning almsgiving and hospitality, 141. The proper recipients of Christian almsgiving, 142. Paul's own standard as to giving, 144. Retrospect of entire field of revelation as to tithe-paying and beneficence, 146. Denial of God's claim to a portion of income equivalent to spiritual anarchy, 148 136148 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE CHAPTER I CAIN AND ABEL Offerings to Jehovah, 7. Cain's sin anciently connected with failure in tithe-paying, 7. Bearing of the Septuagint on the rejection of Cain's offering, 8. Sacrifices of Noah, Abram, and Jacob, n. THE picture-writings of Egypt, the cuneiform tablets of Babylonia, and early writers of Greece and Rome inform us that before the Bible was written, and apart therefrom, it was an almost universal practice among civilised nations for people to pay tithes to their gods ; but none tell us when, or where, the practice began, or who issued the law for its observance. Our object therefore in this volume is to in- vestigate what may be learned concerning tithe- paying from Holy Scripture, and from Jewish writings of the period between the Old and New Testaments. If we begin by inquiring concerning tithe-paying from the book of Genesis, we naturally turn first to such passages as tell of the offering of material 7 8 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE things to Jehovah. We find at least six persons who made such offerings namely, Cain and Abel, Noah, Abram, Isaac, and Jacob ; and we proceed to ask what we learn from them as to patriarchal or what is called pre- Mosaic tithe-paying. The rejection of Cain's offering was by very early ju*t v o e s r , s n? 2 . Christian writers connected with tithing. Tertullian/ for instance, in the third century wrote that God rejected the sacrifice of Cain, because what he offered he did not rightly divide ; following herein a Latin version of Genesis iv. 7, made from the Septuagint.* Some perhaps would call this reading a meaning into the text, rather than drawing one out of it : but before we thus judge let us see what can be said in its favour. Concerning Cain and Abel, our present Hebrew 2 Gen. iv. 3-7. text * reads (as literally as I can translate it) thus : " And it came to pass at the end of days Cain brought of the fruit of the ground a present to Jehovah. And Abel he also brought of the firstlings of his sheep and of their fat. And Jehovah looked favourably upon Abel and upon his present ; but upon Cain and upon his present * Clement of Rome also (Ep. ad Corinth, n. 4), who lived in the first century, and Irenaeus, who wrote in the century following (Adv. Hares, bk. iv. ch. 34), both quote the seventh verse according to the Septuagint reading. In the fourth century Hilary, Bishop of Poictiers, explaining Psalm cxviii., maintained that the receiving of tithes was a natural commandment from the beginning. So, again, in the twelfth century did Hugo, Abbot of St. Victor's, and Peter Comestor ; whilst, five centuries later, Grotius wrote upon this text that the sense, according to the Septuagint, was, that Cain either did not offer the best, or else that he gave a less proportion than the tenth, " which," he continues, " from the most ancient ages was the proportion due to God." CAIN AND ABEL 9 He did not look favourably. And it vexed Cain exceed- ingly, and his countenance fell. And Jehovah said to Cain, Wherefore did it vex thee, and wherefore did thy countenance fall ? If thou wilt do well, shall not thy face be lifted up ? but if thou wilt not do well, sin is couching at the door." * But passing now to the Septuagint, or Greek, translation of Genesis, this sixth verse runs as follows : " And the Lord God said to Cain, Wherefore didst thou become vexed, and wherefore did thy countenance fall ? If thou didst rightly offer, but didst not rightly divide, didst thou not sin ? Hold thy peace." This Greek version, be it remembered, was made about three hundred years before the Christian era, from a Hebrew copy that must have been more than a thousand years older than the oldest Hebrew manuscript we possess now. This translation, moreover, was perfectly familiar to the writers of the New Testament. And if we may reverently picture the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews glancing over his Greek Bible before penning his chapter of Old Testament worthies, we should remember that he had before him these very words concerning Cain's not dividing rightly, when he wrote, " By faith Abel offered unto God a more abundant sacrifice (irXdova 6v In the case of the sin offering, the trespass offering, and the meat (or meal) offering, that which was not burnt was for the officiating priest, or the priests generally ; * whilst, in the case of the peace offering, ^'J; 2 " the breast and right shoulder only belonged to the priests, and the remainder might be consumed by the offerer.* Thus the Israelite would have the oppor- tunity of eating and rejoicing before God, and feasting with his household ; and the second, or festival, tithe, was intended to furnish the means for doing this. Furthermore, if the first and second tithes be compared, it will be seen, by way of distinction, that whereas the offerer had no voice whatever in * I remember how these distinctions were practically brought home to my mind in India at Jaipur, where, at the daily sacrifice, I saw a goat decapitated before a Hindu altar. The head was placed on the altar, curtains were drawn, and the god was supposed to be left to partake of the meal in some mysterious way. Again, in Calcutta, as I approached the temple of Kali, I saw a man carrying the headless carcase of a goat, which he had just offered in sacrifice, the head having been taken by the priest, and the offerer being at liberty to dispose of the carcase as he pleased. 3 o THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE the disposal of the first tithe, the disposal of the second tithe was largely in his own hands ; and that whereas the offerer did not receive again any portion for himself of the first tithe, he might receive in some cases the greater part of the second tithe for his own use, or purposes, as well as for the enjoyment of others. We now come to a third tithe : 1 " At the end of every three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase in the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates ; and the Levite, because he hath no portion nor inheritance with thee, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied ; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest." This seems to teach that : A tenth of every third year's increase was to be laid up at home. This tenth was to be shared by the local Levite, ihe stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. The object of this tithe was, that Jehovah might bless the work of the tithe-payer's hands. Some think this was not a third tithe, but a triennial substitute for the second tithe, so that in the third, and again the sixth, years (as well as the seventh year, when the land was not to be culti- vated), the Israelite would not take the second, or festival, tithe to the sanctuary, but would dispose of it among the poor at home. Perhaps this view may have been in part suggested by the Septuagint, which varies the punctuation, and reads : " After three years thou shalt bring ISRAEL'S THREE TITHES 31 forth all the tithe of thine increase. In that year thou shalt lay it up in thy cities." 2 * i Deut. v. 27 . Selden and Michaelis also argue in the same direction, saying that a third tithe would be an excessive demand upon the income of a man who had already expended two-tenths of his increase. 2 * McCKmodc J * and Strong s Peake likewise says : " It may be urged that it is SftfSS*. not probable that a double tribute should be exacted from the crops." And again : " Nor is it probable that a tax of nearly one-fifth of the whole produce should be imposed on the farmers." 8 -Tithe/ 1 b On the other hand, as opposed to these con- Sa , , , Bible, I. p. 780. jectures, it may be observed : That the Hebrew text nowhere says explicitly that the third tithe should be substituted for the second. The injunction is several times repeated that every male should go up to the festivals yearly ; but neither the third, sixth, seventh, or any other year is excepted.f * In support of this opinion may be quoted the words of Mai- monides : " On the third and sixth years from the sabbatical year, after they have separated the first tithe, they separate from what remains another tithe, and give it to the poor, and it is called the poor's tithe ; and not on those two years is the second tithe, but the poor's tithe." Gill on Deut. xiv. 28 ; Maimonides, Hilchot Mattanot Anaytm, c. 6, sect. 4. See also Speaker's Commentary on Deut. xiv. 28-9, and McClintock and Strong's Cyclopcedia, vol. x. p. 433. t Some (and Professor Driver 4 among them) have supposed that, 4 international as the land was not to be sown in the seventh year, no tithe would m"ntary, Deut- be paid (McClintock and Strong, vol. x. p. 435). But if so, how were eronom y. P- * 68 - the Levites during that year to live, unless a double or treble tithe was to be paid in the sixth year ? And this the law had already provided for. "If ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase. Then I will command My blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years," etc. (Lev. xxv. 20-2). 32 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE Besides, not going up to the festivals on the third, sixth, and seventh years would be attended with a further and practical difficulty : for if a man had sinned after returning, say, from the last feast of the fifth year, he would, under normal circum- stances, be deprived of the opportunity of offering a sacrifice of expiation at the sanctuary until after an interval of two years. Moreover, we have at least three witnesses of prominent rank for the third tithe being an addition to, and not a substitute for, the second tithe. The author of Tobit, for instance, when stating how he walked in the ways of truth and righteousness, not- withstanding the falling away of his father's family from God's command to sacrifice at Jerusalem, makes his subject say : "I alone went often to Jerusalem at the feasts, as it hath been ordained unto all Israel by an everlasting decree, having the firstfruits and the tenths of mine increase, and that which was first shorn ; and I gave them at the altar to the priests, the sons of Aaron. The tenth part of all mine increase I gave to the sons of Levi, who ministered at Jerusalem : and the second tenth part I sold away, and went, and spent it each year at Jerusalem : and the third I gave unto them for whom it was meet, as Deborah my father's mother had commanded me." 1 The foregoing quotation is the revised English version from the Vatican codex ; but the reading of the Sinaitic codex is still more noteworthy.* * I translate this passage as follows : " Having the firstfruits, and the firstborn and the tithes of cattle, and the first shearing of the sheep, I proceeded to Jerusalem, and I gave them to the priests, the sons of Aaron, at the altar ; and the ISRAEL'S THREE TITHES 33 Again, Josephus is quite clear as to a third tithe. He writes : " Beside those two tithes which I have already said you are to pay every year, the one for the Levites, the other for the festivals, you are to bring every third year a tithe to be distributed to those that want ; to women also that are widows, and to children that are orphans." 1 After Josephus we have the testimony of Jerome, who, like the preceding two witnesses, lived in Palestine. He says one tithe was given to the Levites, out of which they gave a tenth to the priests ; a second tithe was applied to festival pur- poses, and a third was given to the poor/ And so, evidently, Chrysostom understood, for he preaches : "What, then, did they [the Jews] give? A tenth Strong> " 434 ' of all their possessions, and another tenth, and after this a third [tenth]," etc. 3 Once more, for a modern opinion to the same purpose, may be instanced that of Dr. Pusey, late Regius Professor of Hebrew at Oxford, who, preaching on Ash Wednesday, at St. Paul's, Knightsbridge, is quoted thus ; The Pharisee " paid tithes of all which he possessed : a double tithe, you will recollect, one for God's priests, the tenth of the wine, and of the corn, and of olive, and pomegranate, and the other fruit trees to the sons of Levi ministering in Jerusalem. "And the second tithe I sold away for money during six years, and I used to go every year and spend it in Jerusalem. And I gave them [i.e. the tithes] to the orphans, and to the widows, and to the strangers living among the children of Israel. I brought in and I gave [the tithes] to them in the third year, and we ate them according to the ordinance ordained concerning them in the law of Moses, and according to the commandments which Deborah, the mother of Ananeel our father, commanded. 3 34 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE 1 Pearson, Systematic Bene ficence, p. n. * De Jur. Paup. vi. 4, (juoted in McClintock and Strong, x. p. 434 3 See Gill on Deut. iv. 28. h See Sacred Tenth, pp. 79, 106. other for the sacrifices, and yet another every third year for the poor : 4^. &/. in the pound he anyhow gave to God, not, as our custom is, underrating property for the poor- rate, but a good 4J. &/. in the pound on the average of the three years."* In fact, I can find no authority in favour of this supposed triennial substitution of the third tithe for the second, until the twelfth century, when Mai- monides says that the third and sixth years' second tithe was shared between the poor and the Levites, i.e. that there was no third tithe.* But even then we have a contemporary rabbi of the same century (Aben Ezra) who says : " This was a third tithe, and did not excuse the second tithe." s The reader, therefore, will judge concerning the plain statement of the law, supported by what we have seen was thought right by the author of the book of Tobit in perhaps the third century before Christ ; and also at the time of Josephus (two or three centuries later, and when tithe-paying was still practised),* together with the testimony of Jerome (who lived in Palestine four centuries later, and may be presumed to have known how his contem- poraries, at least among the Samaritans, were paying their tithes,) whether all this is not more likely to be true than a statement such as that of Maimonides, who, though buried in Palestine, yet flourished in Spain, but not until a thousand years after the Jewish nation had been dispersed. As for the objection that a third tithe would be an excessive demand upon income, the late Sir Monier Williams, Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford, ISRAEL'S THREE TITHES 35 having referred me to passages of Sanskrit law, especially the code of Manu, the oldest compendium of the laws of the Brahmans, pointed out that the usual proportion of produce taken by the king was a sixth part (as we have seen was the case in Egypt ),* but that in times of necessity he might ^J^s take one-fourth of the crop.* *MonierWii- hams, Indian We may remember also that, in the time of the wi lom> p " 26 Maccabees, the inhabitants of Judea seem to have been taxed to the extent of one-third of their seed and half of their fruit. 3 x. 30. For modern illustrations I would observe, that on my first visit to Bokhara, in 1882, I asked about taxes, and received widely divergent answers in different parts of the Khanate. At one place they said that out of ten batmans of harvest they paid eight (or four-fifths) for taxes ; and at another, four (or a half) ; and that, as a matter of fact, the beks took more and more, and as much as they pleased/ R^n'c Again, in 1894, when travelling through most of jTsV 1 '"' the large towns of Italy, I was told more than once that the taxes then being levied upon the people amounted to at least 20 per cent, of their incomes. Given, then, a conscientious Italian paying 20 per cent, of his income to the State, and, as expected by the Council of Trent/ another tithe, or 10 per * h s< ^ ion xxr - cent., to his church, and these demands, united, would be a heavier claim upon income than the three tithes of the law. Moreover, if Josephus could enjoin the Jews to pay three tithes for their own religion, when they were paying also taxes to the Romans, much more might the Mosaic law 36 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE require three tithes under the theocracy, especially as the payment of these procured to the Israelite not a few of the judicial, educational, and social benefits for which other nations now pay taxes. It would seem, then, that the Mosaic law enjoined upon the Israelite to pay yearly, in connection with his religion, two-tenths, and, at the end of three years, a third tenth, of his income. CHAPTER IV MOSAIC OFFERINGS Other fixed claims on Israelites ; corners, gleanings, firstfruits, the firstborn, and seventh year debtors, 37. Freewill offerings and vows, 41. An income of six thousand bushels reduced one-fourth after tithing, 44. Method of tithing and profession before God, 45. Nature of evidence from the Pentateuch as to tithing, subsidiary, indirect, and fragmentary, 47. Law of tithe-paying somewhat similar to that of the Sabbath, 49. Adaptation of tithe-paying to the Mosaic law, 50. BESIDES three tithes, properly so-called, the Pentateuch imposed other fixed claims, both annual and occasional. Thus the Israelite was commanded : " When ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather the fallen fruit of thy vineyard ; thou shalt leave them for the poor and for the stranger." * Again : " When thou reapest thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it : it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow : that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shall not go over the boughs again. . . . When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not 37 38 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE glean it after thee ; it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow." 1 From the foregoing we learn that, at the time of fruit-gathering, the owner was to leave for the needy, fallen fruit, overlooked olives, and small bunches of grapes ; whilst in the harvest field he was not to care for forgotten bundles nor gleanings (that is, ears of corn dropped from the hands of the reaper) ; and the corners of his fields he was not even to cut. How large the corners thus left were to be, the Mosaic law does not specify ; but as a matter of practice we learn, in later years, from a chapter on "the corner" in the Miskna, that " they do not leave less than a sixtieth part " of the whole. 2 Another annual claim upon the Israelite was that of his firstfruits ; and although the law, again, does not define the amount of the offering, it is instruc- tive to notice how Maimonides asks concerning the quantity to be brought, " What measure do the wise men set ? " which he answers, saying, " A good eye [or a bountiful man] brings one of forty ; a middling one [one that is neither liberal nor niggardly] brings one of fifty [or the fiftieth part] ; and an evil one [a covetous man] one of sixty [or the sixtieth part] ; ^GiiionExod. but never less than that." 3 Another authority, referring to the Mishna and its chapter on firstfruits, u see Mcciin- names one-fiftieth of the produce/ Sid?" Tithe - ^ Ut besides the firstfruits to be offered annually, voi.x. P . 434. t h e } aw enjoined certain charges to be paid occa- sionally. Thus : " Sanctify unto Me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth MOSAIC OFFERINGS 39 the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast ; it is Mine." Again : "The firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto Me. Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep : seven days it shall be with its dam ; on the eighth day thou shalt give it Me." 1 The firstborn of man was to be redeemed by payment of five shekels ; * and the firstlings of unclean animals were to be redeemed also. The firstling, however, of a cow, a sheep, or a goat might not be redeemed ; but it was brought to the altar, and the flesh, after being offered to God, became the property of the priest.* * 6 P^ ut - **& Another fixed charge was made at the time of the census in the wilderness to the amount of half a shekel. The rich were not to give more, nor the poor less. 3 Also the law prescribed that when the JEKXL xxx. Israelite should plant a fruit tree, the fruit for three years was to be regarded as unclean, and not to be eaten ; whilst in the fourth year the fruit was to be set apart for giving praise to Jehovah.* A Lev. xix. 23-24. * This is still observed, apparently, among modern Jews in Lemberg. Mr. Israel Sunlight, an ex-rabbi of my acquaintance (and who was kind enough to read over what I have hereafter written about Talmudic teaching on tithes), writes thus : " At the beginning of the month I was invited to be present at a unique ceremony, the redeeming of the firstborn " ; and he continues, in short, as follows : The parents present the child to the cohen (or priest), who takes it in his arms, and then asks them whether they wish him to keep the child, or whether they would rather redeem it for the sum of five shekels (about twelve shillings). The parents, of course, take the latter alternative, and pay down the redemption money : whereupon the priest pronounces his blessing upon the child, and hands it back to its parents (Jewish Missionary Intelligencer ', March, 1903, p. 43). 40 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE Moreover, the seventh year was to be a year of release, when every creditor was to refrain from enforcing re-payment for that which he had lent to his neighbour : " Beware that there be not a base thought in thine heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand ; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou give him nought : and he cry unto the Lord against thee, iDeut.xv.i-2,9. and it be sin unto thee." l Such, then, were the fixed deductions, annual or occasional, laid by the Mosaic law upon an Israelite's increase, the discharge of which was a duty and the withholding a sin. Besides the foregoing, it was enjoined for the Feast of Weeks : " Thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give, according as the Lord thy God blesseth thee : and thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man- servant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are in the midst of thee, in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to cause His name to dwell t Deut. xvi. 10- there." * IX. The nature and amount of the freewill offering is here left to the liberality of the giver ; and this seems to be the only one of the feasts held at the metropolis to which the stranger, fatherless, and widow are expressly named as persons to be invited. But the law contemplated other offerings also, the bringing of which was not obligatory, but which God expressed His willingness to accept from any of His MOSAIC OFFERINGS 41 people who were disposed with a willing heart to give. A famous example of this occurred at Sinai, at the making of the tabernacle, when the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, " Speak unto the children of Israel, that they take for Me an offering : of every man whose heart maketh him willing, ye shall take my offering," 1 the result of this appeal being that i Exod. x*v. i. the people had to be restrained from bringing, " for the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much." 2 * Exod - ****. 7 . We have frequent mention also, in the law, of vows and freewill offerings. It was directed that " whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord to accomplish a vow, or for a freewill offering, of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted." 3 An imperfect bullock 3 Lev. xxu. n . or lamb might be brought for a freewill offering, but not for a vow/ Other directions concerning u ver. 3 . vows and devoted things take up nearly the whole of the last chapter of Leviticus. The general rule, seemingly, for voluntary giving at the festivals was this : " Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which He shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles : and they shall not appear before the Lord empty : every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which He hath given thee." 5 At the same time, concerning vows generally, the law enjoined : " When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not be slack to pay it : for the Lord thy God 42 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE will surely require it of thee : and it would be sin in thee. But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt observe and do ; according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God, a freewill offering, which thou hast promised with i Deut. xxiii. thy mouth." 1 21-3. Another general rule, that might be practised every day and everywhere, was : "If there be with thee a poor man, one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother : but thou shalt surely open thine hand unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth. . . . Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him : because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy work, * Deut. xv. 7-8, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto." 2 Such, then, were the tithes and offerings of the Mosaic law. In some cases the amount or pro- portion due was definitely stated ; in others it was not stated with precision as, for instance, with the second and third tithes it is not stated whether each tithe was to be a tenth of the whole or a tenth of the remainder after the previous tithe or tithes had been deducted. Hence, to reduce to figures what an Israelite was called upon annually to pay, and encouraged to give, is not easy, especially in relation to such matters as the first- lings and tithes of cattle, and his own firstborn son, to say nothing of the fruit of young trees for four years, as well as debts not enforced in the seventh year. If, however, we may suppose the case of a man MOSAIC OFFERINGS 43 whose entire income for a year consisted of a stand- ing crop of 6,000 ephahs of wheat, this total would be reduced, probably, by his tithes and offerings, somewhat as follows : STANDING CROP OF 6,000 EPHAHS. SSSf Fixed Claims. Tit Se! he 6,000-^60 Corners, gleanings, forgotten sheaves T V 100 loo (Lev. xix. 9; Deut. xxiv. 19) 5,900-^-40 Firstfruits (Deut. xxvi. i-io) rfr r 5 - 150 5,750 -r 10 The Lord's Tithe (Lev. xxvii. 30) . r V 600 -575 5,175-^-10 The Festival Tithe (Deut xiv. 22) . ^ 600 - 517 4.658 -r 30 The Poor's Tithe (Deut. xiv. 28) . ^ 200 - 155 4,503 remainder. To be deducted 1,650 Other Possible Deductions. A freewill offering at the Feast of Weeks (Deut. xvi. 10). Animals in payment of vows or things devoted (Lev. xxvii. 9, 28). Remission of debts in year of release. Redemption of firstborn. Thankofferings generally. From the foregoing it will be seen that if the standing crop amounts to 6,000 ephahs, or bushels, an estimated -^ must be left in the corners, or as gleanings, or forgotten sheaves, for the poor. Then, of the remaining 5,900 bushels, an estimated 44 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE 4^ more is to be offered as firstfruits. From the 5,750 bushels left, the Lord's tithe for the Levites is to be taken, which reduces the ingathering to 5,175 bushels ; and when from this the festival tithe is taken, it leaves to the owner 4,658 bushels. From this must be deducted -j^ (or a third of the triennial tithe), by which the net remainder is reduced to 4,503 bushels, or three-fourths of the original whole. Out of this remainder, however, there might have to be provided the redemption for a firstborn son, or, once in seven years, the remission of debts ; and from the same source, according to the owner's liberality, would come a freewill offering at the Feast of Weeks ; and, on other occasions, animals for the payment of vows, or devoted things and thankofferings, generally. So, then, on the principle of tithing the remainder, a liberal Israelite's outgoings would amount to, at least, a fourth of his income. On the other hand, if each item is charged upon the whole 6,000, then it will be seen that there would remain, after the payment of fixed claims, only 4,350. Added to this, the consumption of time for several weeks, for the observance of festivals, would be considerable ; and if 350 bushels more may be regarded as an equivalent for this loss, as well as for redemption of the firstborn, remitted debts, for vows and freewill offerings, then a man's outgoings would amount, on this principle, to a third of his entire harvest. Perhaps, therefore, we are justified in supposing MOSAIC OFFERINGS 45 that the Mosaic law required the Israelite to set apart, in some way or other connected with his religion, from one-fourth to a third of his income. Or, to put it in another away : a conscientious man, wishful to act up to his duty, might begin by setting apart a tenth of his income for the Lord's tithe. He would regard his firstborn and the first- lings of his cattle as belonging to the Lord. The fruit of young trees for three years he would not eat, and on the fourth year would set apart the fruit for God, whilst every seventh year he would not claim money from his debtors. At the time of every harvest he would leave for the poor the corners of his field, the gleanings and forgotten sheaves, as well as fallen fruit and overlooked olives and grapes. He would then set aside a second tenth for expenses connected with going up to the sanctuary, taking with him a freewill offering at the Feast of Weeks, and possibly animals for payment of vows, or thankofferings, or things devoted, in addition to his firstfruits. These first- fruits he would put in a basket, and, coming to the priest, would say to him : " I profess this day unto the Lord thy God, that I am come unto the land which the Lord sware unto our fathers for tO give US." 1 JDeut.xxvi.3- Upon this the priest would take the basket and set it down before the altar, and the offerer then would solemnly say before God : * 2 Deut> "^ 5> " A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there, few in number ; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous : 46 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE and the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage : and we cried unto the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice, and saw our affliction, and our toil, and our oppression : and the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders : and He hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground, which Thou, O Lord, hast given me." The firstfruits thus dedicated, the offerer would worship before Jehovah, in gratitude and acknow- ledgment of all the good given to him, his family, the Levite, and the stranger. 1 This beautiful form was provided for yearly use, whilst every third year, a third tenth having been set apart for the local poor, our pious Israelite would solemnly declare before God : " I have put away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all Thy commandment which Thou hast commanded me : I have not transgressed any of Thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them : I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I put away thereof, being unclean, nor given thereof for the dead : I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God, I have done according to all that Thou hast commanded me. Look down from Thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Thy people Israel, and the ground which Thou hast given us, as Thou swarest unto our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey."* Having now collected various pieces of infor- mation concerning Mosaic tithes and offerings, we MOSAIC OFFERINGS 47 do well to notice the nature of the evidence thus brought together. Professor Driver, in his com- mentary on Deuteronomy/ would have us to believe that " the data at our disposal do not enable us to write a history of the Hebrew tithe." But this is no sufficient reason why we should not make the most of the information we have, remembering, however, that the evidence is not primary, direct, and complete, so much as subsidiary, indirect, and fragmentary. We have not, for instance, throughout the Pentateuch so much as a single chapter, or even a long paragraph, dealing with tithe as a whole. We have had to collect our information mainly from three short passages in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, these passages being there introduced not so much for their own sakes as for their bearing upon other things. Thus the first authoritative statement (in the generally received order of the books) of the great foundation principle that a tenth of the produce of the land and of beasts belongs to Jehovah, is not ushered in, as we might expect, with the solemn preamble, " The Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto the children of Israel," etc. ; but we see this great truth specifically mentioned for the first time at the end of Leviticus, in a supplementary chapter regu- lating the making of vows and determining how far things or animals devoted to God might be re- deemed. Here the subject of the tithe comes in, quite incidentally and without explanation ; and then it is spoken of, not for the purpose of 48 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE enjoining it as something new, or as though it were not already in use, but in order to exclude the tithe portion from vows, and to prescribe how far and under what conditions, like vows, tithe i Lange-s Com- might be redeemed. 1 mentary on Lev. vii. 3 o- 3 . g o a g a in, in Numbers xviii., after the rebellion of Korah, when several laws are being given concern- ing the priests and Levites, this first tithe is again introduced, not so much, seemingly, for its own sake, as to show how the Levites, though having no inheritance among the tribes, are to be repaid for their labour by its appropriation to their benefit. Once more, when we come to Deuteronomy xiv. we have a chapter regulating what may be eaten and what may not be eaten, of beasts, fishes, and fowls ; and then follow directions concerning eating before God of the second tithe at an appointed place of worship. Furthermore, what we are told about tithes is not only fragmentary, but it is also incomplete. The Mosaic law, for instance, does not define particularly what seeds, fruits, or animals are to be tithed ; nor does the legislator give directions " whether the tenth is to be paid of all newly born animals ; whether it in- cludes those newly purchased or exchanged; whether it is payable if a man have less than ten cattle, or at 2Mcciintock what age of the animals the tithe becomes due." 2 and Strong, x.p.434- Nor, as already observed, does the law say whether each tithe is to be computed in reference to the whole, or out of what remains after previous tithes have been deducted ; nor, again, is it clear whether MOSAIC OFFERINGS 49 the second tithe includes a second tenth of all animals.* The law concerning tithe, then, in general has in one respect a close resemblance to the law con- cerning the Sabbath. When Jehovah promulgated the Decalogue as a statute or written law, He said, "Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy," thereby implying that the commandment was already in existence or had been enjoined before ; and the same might be said of other commandments which were laws of God and rules of life for man, and for keeping of which Abraham is praised, and for the non-observance of which punishment is recorded, long before Jehovah's laws were published on Sinai/* is eep . 20 . So, with regard to Mosaic tithes and offerings, it has been shown elsewhere that before the descendants of Jacob left Palestine it was a well-established custom in Egypt to make regular offerings to the gods and to pay to the temples firstfruits of the harvest/ so that with these customs, at any rate, * See Sacred the Israelites, on leaving Egypt, would be familiar. They would likewise remember that two-tenths, * By way of illustration we may observe, as a somewhat parallel case, the importation of the word " fasting " into the Book of Common Prayer. In the prefatory matter is "A Table of the Fasts and Days of Abstinence," also a list of the days of fasting ; and in the Com- munion Service the curate is directed to declare what fasting days are to be observed. But nothing is said as to who is to fast, nor in what fasting consists, where it should be observed, or with what accessories, nor why or how, but only when. Just, then, as these minutiae, when the first English Prayer Book was issued, were well known and understood, and were taken so to be ; so, presumably, the less needed to be said by the writer of the Pentateuch about the particulars connected with tithing, because the people were familiar with the custom as descended from their forefathers. 50 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE or a double tithe, of increase was paid by the Egyptians to Pharaoh, who supported the priests, and that, by virtue of the legislation of their own ancestor, Joseph, whose bones they were taking up for burial in the land of Canaan at the very time their own law was given ; whilst as for tithes, how could the Israelites forget the observance of this custom by their great ancestor Abraham, or fail to remember the vow of his grandson Israel, " Of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give i Gen. xxviii. 22. the tenth unto Thee " ? 1 These things, presumably, must have been to them as household words, and hence there can be little doubt that the inspired legislator adopted the already existing practice of tithe-paying, and inserted it in the statute law of the divine code, because he found that, with some modification, this ancient payment might be made a proper stipend for the servants and officers of the theocracy, and also that second and third tithes might furnish the means of promoting regular worship at the national sanctuary, and foster social intercourse and good feeling between rich and poor.* We have thus reached, as already intimated, a higher platform than any upon which we have yet stood. We have emerged from the clouds of pro- bability and conjecture concerning the origin of tithe-paying, to see the custom recognized, regulated, and embodied in what has been generally accepted as a most ancient code of written laws. It is claimed for this code that it was written by * See McClintock and Strong's Encyclopedia, x. p. 436. MOSAIC OFFERINGS 51 inspiration of the God of Israel, of whom Jews and Christians alike believe that He never yet made a law that was unjust or unwise, or that did not tend to His people's happiness. If, then, God has given laws upon tithe-paying, they are sure to be worthy of at least our respectful study, and we accordingly proceed to examine, so far as our data enable us, the working of these laws among the Israelites, from their entrance into Canaan down to the close of Old Testament history. CHAPTER V FROM JOSHUA TO SOLOMON Working of tithe laws during two periods, 52. I. Under Joshua and Judges, 53. The law established under Joshua, 53. Lawless- ness under Judges, 54. Returns to Jehovah under Jephthah, Eli, and Samuel, 55. II. Under the monarchies, 57. Saul's offer- ings of spoils, 58. David anointed king, 58. Ark brought to Jerusalem, and Levites reorganized, 59. David's accumulated offerings, 59. Solomon's dedication of the temple, and his offerings, 61. Tithes under Israel's monarchs, 61. HAVING studied the laws of the Pentateuch concerning tithes and offerings, we proceed to inquire what further light may be obtained upon tithe-paying from the working of these laws during the period covered by the rest of the Old Testament, taking the books in the generally received order. This period may be conveniently divided into four parts, beginning with the settlement of Canaan under Joshua and the Judges, and taking next the monarchy under Saul, David, and Solomon. A third era begins with the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel, which may be followed by the re-settlement of the land after the Babylonian captivity. As in previous chapters, let us search diligently for passages concerning firstfruits, presents, and 52 FROM JOSHUA TO SOLOMON 53 dues to priests ; for sacrifices, and instances of the offering of material things to God ; as well as for examples of private beneficence in general, so that, in the absence of actual mention of tithes, we may see what can be inferred respecting them, as also concerning religious giving, and non-prescribed benevolence generally. After crossing the Jordan, Joshua at once put in force the laws concerning circumcision and the observance of the Passover. 1 Also, on coming * Josh. to Mount Ebal, he built an altar unto Jehovah, offered burnt offerings, sacrificed peace offerings, ** Jo*, vm. 3 o- 3 . and wrote on the stones, in the presence of the people, a copy of the law of Moses. . . . "There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them." 3 5 jo*, vm. 3S . Joshua read therefore all that was commanded about tithes; and, seeing that the only means of support of many thousands of Levites with their families was dependent on these contributions, we can- not suppose that this item of the law was permitted to remain a dead letter. Nor, indeed, were the Levites slow to claim their rights, for they came to Joshua at Shiloh, saying: "The Lord com- manded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle"/ and if they thus put in their claim for places to dwell in, which was allowed to the extent of forty-eight cities, it is not likely they would have 54 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE failed, had there been need, to ask for their tithes also. As for other kinds of offerings, when Joshua was directed to divide the land, it is expressly mentioned that " only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance ; the offerings of the Lord, the God i josh. xiii. 7-14. o f Israel, made by fire are his inheritance." 1 Under the Judges we have an unsettled time, both politically and religiously. " There was no king in Israel ; every man did that which was right judg. xvii. 6. in his own eyes."* The priesthood no doubt suffered in common with others from this lawless- ness, as indicated, perhaps, by the young Levite departing from Bethlehem- Judah to sojourn where he could find a place, and on coming to Mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, was content to remain there for food, clothing, and shelter, coupled with the annual pittance of ten shekels Again, the foul treatment, at Gibeah, of a Levite and his concubine shows the men of Benjamin to have sunk at this period to a very degraded condition. Nevertheless, we observe indications both here and throughout the book of Judges, that the worship of Jehovah was still maintained ; for when an angel came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and reproved the Israelites for not throwing down the altars of the inhabitants of the land, we read A jud K . u. 2.5. that the people wept and sacrificed to Jehovah.* Also, when, under the oppression of the Midian- ites, some of the people fell away to Amorite gods, we find Gideon building an altar, calling it Jehovah- FROM JOSHUA TO SOLOMON 55 Shalom, and offering thereon the bullock of the altar of Baal^ ijudg.vi.i 0(3 8. Next we have Jephthah delivering Israel, after making a vow to his God that whatever might come forth out of the doors of his house to meet him on his return from victory, should be devoted to Jehovah, and offered as a burnt offering/ *judg. . 3 i. So, too, when Israel was oppressed by the Philis- tines, and Samson was to be raised up from the house of Manoah, it was to Jehovah that Manoah presented his burnt offering ; 3 just as when Samson, * J an d the house of God was set in order/ After this BEFORE AND AFTER THE CAPTIVITY 69 Hezekiah observed the Passover tor fourteen days, giving for offerings i ,000 bullocks and 7,000 sheep ; whilst the princes added 1,000 bullocks and 10,000 Sheep. 1 ^Chron.xxx. Now, when the priests and Levites were thus re-appointed, the king's portion of his substance for burnt offerings was arranged for the services according to the law ; and Hezekiah commanded the people in Jerusalem to furnish the portion of the priests and Levites, that they might give themselves to the law of the Lord ; whereupon, as soon as the commandment was promulgated, the children of Israel gave in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, oil, and honey, and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly ; whilst the people living in the towns of Judah brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of dedicated things, and laid them by heaps. 2 j.chn.=d. Questioned concerning these heaps, the chief priest said, "Since the people began to bring the oblations into the house of the Lord, we have eaten and had enough, and have left plenty ; for the Lord hath blessed His people ; and that which is left is this great store." Then Hezekiah prepared cham- bers in the house of the Lord, and the people brought faithfully oblations, tithes, and dedicated things, over which two Levites were appointed chief rulers, with ten overseers under them. 3 Besides 32Chron - xxxi - 10-13. this, another Levite was over the freewill offerings, and under him were six assistants to distribute the oblations of the Lord to the Levites in their courses, and to the priests in their cities ; and in every town 70 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE men were appointed to give portions to the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogy among the Levites, their little ones, wives, sons, and H 2 I g hron< xxxi- daughters. 1 From this reformation by Hezekiah we may reasonably deduce that the closing of the temple had brought poverty upon the priests and Levites, but that, on the restoration of the services, the normal state of things was restored, and the pay- ment anew of the tithes and offerings brought back peace and plenty. The next king, Manasseh, re-established idolatry, and was taken captive to Babylon ; but, being restored to his kingdom in Jerusalem in answer to prayer, he took away the strange gods out of the temple, built up the altar of Jehovah, and * chron.jxui. 0ff ere d thereon sacrifices. 2 On the other hand, I-IO. Amon, his son, sacrificed to the graven images sachron.xxxiii. w hich Manasseh, his father, had made/ We now come to Josiah, the last of the reforming kings of Judah, who, after purging the land of idolatry, directed the money collected by the Levites at the door of the temple, from all Judah, Benjamin, and Jerusalem, as well as from the peoples of Manasseh, Ephraim, and the remnant of all Israel, to be expended on temple repairs. In the course of these repairs a copy of the law of the Lord was discovered. The king at once gathered the elders of Judah and Jerusalem, and they made a covenant to perform the law, and all the people stood to the . Kings xxiii. covenant.* Then Josiah kept a Passover, and gave of his own BEFORE AND AFTER THE CAPTIVITY 71 substance 3,000 bullocks and 30,000 sheep, lambs, and kids. Three rulers of the house of God gave to the priests, for Passover offerings, 2,600 small cattle and 300 oxen. Several chiefs of the Levites gave also to the Levites, for Passover offerings, 5,000 small cattle and 500 oxen, all being done as it is written in the law of Moses.* " Notwithstanding, the Lord turned not from the fierceness of His great wrath": but said, " I will remove Judah also out of My sight," 5 which was f^ ings *" done by their being taken captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, about 588 B.C. This closes the period of decline under the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel. We now pass to the re-settlement of Palestine by the captives returned from Babylon. During the period passed by the Jews in captivity they doubtless became lax in some of their religious observances ; but about 536 B.C. Cyrus proclaimed that he was " charged " to build Jehovah a house at Jerusalem, and he offered facilities for the Jews to return. Accordingly, when the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, prepared to leave, those remaining in Babylon " strengthened their hands with " gifts. Cyrus himself gave back the vessels which Nebu- chadnezzar had taken from the temple, " all the vessels of gold and silver being 5,400";* so that * Ezra L 6-n. when the offerings of the king, his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel present, were weighed for the house of God at Jerusalem, the treasure amounted to " 650 talents of silver, 100 talents of 72 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE silver vessels, 100 talents of gold, 20 bowls of gold of 1,000 darics, and two vessels of fine copper j Ezra via. 26-7. p rec ious as gold." 1 On their arrival in Jerusalem, "some of the chiefs of the fathers . . . offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place. They gave after their ability . . . 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 pound Ezra HI. 68-9. o f silver, and 100 priests' robes." 2 We read also of a subsequent burnt offering, by returned captives, of 12 bullocks for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, and s Ezra viii. 35 . j 2 he-goats for a sin offering. 3 When the seventh month was come, the people "gathered as one man to Jerusalem," built the altar of the God of Israel, and restored the continual daily burnt offering, and other customary offerings, as well for the feasts, as for " every one that willingly k Ezra iu. 2-5. offered a freewill offering unto the Lord." 4 The rebuilding of the temple having been stopped for some years, the work was again favoured by king Darius, who ordered that of the king's goods expenses should be given to the builders : " And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail : that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savour unto the God of heaven, and pray for the s Ezra vi. 8-10. uf e o f the king, and of his sons." 5 The house, accordingly, was finished, and the dedication kept with joy, the people offering at the dedication 100 bullocks, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and, for a sin offering, 12 he-goats; after which, "they BEFORE AND AFTER THE CAPTIVITY 73 set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, as it is written in the book of 1 1 Ezra vi. 16-18. So much, then, for information from the book of Ezra, which represents the worship of Jehovah restored, and the priests and Levites settled in their offices ; but no mention is made as to how they were to be permanently supported. We read again of tithes, however, in the book of Nehemiah and in the prophecy of Malachi, who, by some, is thought to have been Nehemiah's contemporary and assistant in the work of reformation. The prophet Malachi rebukes his contemporaries sharply for their defection from the law. He charges the priests with despising God's name in offering polluted bread upon the altar, and the blind, the lame, and the sick for sacrifice/ Mai.i. 7 -8;iv. Furthermore, in reference to tithes, the prophet's words are still more drastic ; and he calls the people " robbers " for withholding them : " Will a man rob God ? yet ye rob Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with the curse ; for ye rob Me, even this whole nation. Bring ye the whole tithe into the store- house, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." s s Mai. m. s-io. And almost the last words of Malachi are : " Re- member ye the law of Moses my servant." u *Mai.iv. 4 . In view of these exhortations, it is satisfactory to observe that Nehemiah himself gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 basons, and 530 74 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE priests' robes. Heads of fathers' houses gave 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 pound of silver; whilst the rest of the people gave 20,000 darics of i Neh. vii. 70-2. gold, 2,000 pound of silver, and 67 priests' robes. 7 Later on we have that remarkable gathering when the children of Israel "assembled fasting, and with sackcloth and earth upon them," at the con- clusion of which they " entered into a curse, and into an oath to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God." The principal features of the oath were, not to marry heathens, nor purchase on the sabbath ; to leave the land to rest in the seventh year, and not to enforce debts : "Also ... we made ordinances for us to charge our- selves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God. . . . And we cast lots ... for the wood offering ... to burn upon the altar . . . and to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all manner of trees, year by year, unto the house of the Lord ; also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle . . . and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks . . . and the firstfruits of our dough, and our heave offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, the vintage and the oil, unto the priests . . . and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites . . . and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God . . . 3 Neh. x. 29-39. and we will not forsake the house of our God." 2 Once more we read, that when the city wall was to be dedicated, the Levites were brought to Jerusalem, where they " offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced " : " And on that day were men appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the heave offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them, BEFORE AND AFTER THE CAPTIVITY 75 according to the fields of the cities, the portions appointed by the law for the priests and Levites : for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited." 1 J 3 ^ h - xiil 27> How far, then, do these passages from the Old Testament illustrate the Mosaic law concerning tithes and offerings ? We may notice, in the first place, that, after the arrival of the Israelites in Canaan, the divine law was speedily put in force as a working institution. This included the rules for the devotion of tithes and offerings ; and various intimations imply that the obligation of such tithes and offerings was actually and strictly recognized. A central place of worship was established and sustained, whither the tribes went up to the feasts, in connection with which we read of priests and Levites by tens of thousands ; or (if we add their families) by hundreds of thousands. These included not only those who waited about the altar, but the educational or teaching staff of the nation, as well as judicial officers, represented by judges and 2iChron.xxiii.4j Ezra ^^ 25- To these persons were given several cities and their suburbs wherein to live ; but their appointed means of support was a tithe of the increase of the land and of cattle, with other offerings of the people. No other opportunity of obtaining a liveli- hood remained to them ; for the tribe of Levi was not reckoned when the land was divided. Regard, therefore, for the maintenance of the law, such as we have seen exemplified from time to time by the whole nation, to say nothing of civil advantages 7 6 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE brought to the people by the Levites, forbid us to think that the people, under ordinary circumstances, defrauded the Levites of the portion assigned them by God. We may further observe that the law of Moses not only proved practicable, but, so far as tithes and religious offerings are concerned, we do not find it complained of as burdensome or oppressive not even when, to pay Persian tribute, the people had mortgaged their lands. 1 Nor do we read, during all the centuries in which tithe-paying was observed as a working institution, of any request being made that the tithe should be repealed or lessened. Even the heretical Jeroboam (if we rightly understand the words of Amos 2 ) does not appear to have abolished the payment of tithes for religious purposes. Later on, when the people fell away to the worship of false gods, or were oppressed under a foreign yoke, we see how, in their times of humilia- tion, they took upon themselves afresh to observe the law of Moses, including tithes, always reverting to the Pentateuch as their standard of right living, but never questioning their obligation as to religious payments in general, or the proportion prescribed. It seems clear, indeed, that some of the people did not come up to the required standard during the reign of the wicked Ahaz, nor about the time of the return from captivity, when Malachi reproved such defaulters as " robbers of God." But these episodes seem to have been exceptions, and not the general rule. BEFORE AND AFTER THE CAPTIVITY 77 Putting together, therefore, what we have thus far learned of our subject, we conclude that as secular history tells of other nations, such as the Babylonians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and Romans, dedicating a tenth of their income and spoils to their gods, so the people of Israel, from their settle- ment in Canaan to the end of the period covered by the Old Testament, did likewise ; the proportion payable by the Israelite, being a tenth applied to the use of the ministers of the sanctuary, and other tenths and offerings as prescribed by the law of the Pentateuch. CHAPTER VII TITHING IN THE APOCRYPHA Apocryphal books illustrative of Jewish antiquities, 78. Tobit pays three tithes, 79. Judith dedicates spoils of war, 79. Offerings by Demetrius, Heliodorus, King Seleucus, and Judas Maccabeus, 80. Liberality and tithe-paying urged in Tobit and Ecclesiasticus, 82. Summary of evidence from Apocrypha, 85. WE now proceed (in the next three chapters) to the study of tithe-paying and religious beneficence as taught and practised in Palestine during the period between the Old and New Testaments ; taking as our sources of information the Apocrypha and the Talmud. Whatever may be thought, theologically, of the doctrinal authority of the books of the Apocrypha, their antiquity and oriental authorship make them valuable as illustrating the ideas and customs of- the period of which they are historical documents. Bearing this in mind, we proceed to search therein for passages concerning tithes, firstfruits, and re- ligious offerings, as well as for examples of, and exhortations to, private beneficence generally. The books giving us most information on our subject are Tobit, Judith, Ecclesiasticus, and Maccabees. 78 TITHING IN THE APOCRYPHA 79 The book of Tobit is especially useful in showing that it was thought right for a good man, as already observed/ to pay three tithes; that is to say, an*s ce p. 32 . annual tenth for the Levites, a second tenth for the yearly festivals, and, triennially, a tenth for the pOOr. 2 * Tobit i. 7-8. Tobit himself is represented as a liberal giver. To Gabael, who had accompanied Tobias, the son of Tobit, to Nineveh, and faithfully brought him back with goods, servants, cattle, and money, both father and son thought it not too much to give a half of what had been brought, which represented ample wages and something more. 5 Also we read * Tobit *ii. 1-2 of Tobit that he did many almsdeeds to his brethren and his nation, for in the days of Shalmaneser he gave his bread to the hungry and his garments to the naked, and if he saw any of the race of Israel dead and cast forth on the wall of Nineveh, he buried him/ A Tobit L 3 -i6. Passing now to the book of Judith, we find recorded an instance of the world-wide practice of vows and offerings made in prospect of war, followed by presentation of spoils after victory. Thus: "Joakim the high priest . . . offered the continual burnt offering, and the vows and free gifts of the people : and they had ashes on their mitres, and they cried unto the Lord with all their power, that He would look upon the house of Israel for good." 5 sjudhh iv. M . Further, when Judith had cut off the head of Holofernes, we read that the people offered their whole burnt offerings, freewill offerings, and their 8o THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE gifts, and that Judith dedicated all the stuff of Holofernes which the people had given her, and gave the canopy, which she had taken for herself, is- out O f hi s bedchamber, for a gift unto the Lord.* Some regard the books of Tobit and of Judith not as real histories, but as pious and instructive stories only. But even if this be so, the stories may be presumed to reflect the manners and customs of their age ; and for our purpose they harmonize with the statements of the first book of the Mac- cabees, which is certainly, in the main, historical. Thus, on the cleansing of the Temple by Judas Maccabeus, we read they "offered sacrifice according 2 1 Mace. iv. S3- to the law, upon the new altar of burnt offerings" ; * and in the same chapter it is related that among the promises made by Demetrius to secure the support of the Jews, one was that Ptolemais and its lands should be given to the Temple at Jerusalem, for the s i Mace. iv. 39 . expenses that befit the sanctuary. 3 Furthermore, in the second book of the Maccabees it is stated that the kings of the Gentiles glorified the Temple with the noblest presents, and that Seleucus, the king of Asia, of his own revenues bore all the costs belonging to the service of the A > Mace. Hi. 3- sacrifices/ Likewise, in the case of Heliodorus, chancellor of the governor of Ccelo-Syria, we have a Gentile officer who, being struck with a loathsome disease, was prayed for by Onias, the high-priest ; where- upon, on recovery, Heliodorus offered a sacrifice unto Jehovah, and vowed great vows unto Him that had s 2 Mace. iii. 35. saved his life. 5 TITHING IN THE APOCRYPHA 81 Again, king Seleucus, smitten on his way to Jerusalem by disease, vowed unto the Sovereign Lord, saying on this wise : That the holy city to which he was going in haste, to lay it even with the ground, and to make it a common graveyard, he would declare free: and, as touching the Jews whom he had decided not even to count worthy of burial, but to cast them out to the beasts, with their infants, for the birds to devour, he would make them all equal to citizens of Athens ; and the holy sanctuary, which before he had spoiled, he would adorn with goodliest offerings, and would restore all the sacred vessels many times multiplied, and out of his own revenues would defray the charges that were required for the sacrifices ; and, besides all this, that he would become a Jew, and would visit every inhabited place, publishing abroad the might of God." 1 ** Macc> ix - 14> Yet another charitable action is attributed to Judas Maccabeus, who, on discovering that his Jewish followers had acted wrongly in touching dead bodies of idolaters, exhorted the multitude to keep themselves from sin. " And when he had made a collection, man by man, to the sum of two thousand drachmas of silver, he sent into Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice for sin, doing therein right well and honourably." s J 3 Macc - xii : 3 8 - If now we pass from alleged facts, to principles, or exhortations concerning religious giving, we have Tobit saying : "Give of thy bread to the hungry, and of thy garments to them that are naked : of all thine abundance give alms." 3 It is also clear that the author of the book of Tobit regarded the giving of alms as pleasing to God, and a means of obtaining the divine blessing. 6 8 2 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE He also thought that giving should be done with discrimination, and in proportion to a man's income. Exhorting his young son as to his manner of life, Tobit says : " Give alms of thy substance ; and when thou givest alms, let not thine eye be envious : turn not away thy face from any poor man, and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee. As thy substance is, give alms of it according to thine abundance : if thou have little, be not afraid to give alms according to that little ; for thou layest up a good treasure for thyself against the day of necessity : because alms delivereth from death, and suffereth not to come into darkness. Alms is a good gift in the i Tobit iv. 7-n. sight of the Most High for all that give it" 1 And to show that almsgiving should be performed with discrimination, he added : " Pour out thy bread on the burial of the just, and give nothing to Tobit iv. 16-17. sinners."* Later on in life Tobit advised his son Tobias thus : " Good is prayer with fastings and alms, and righteous- ness. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold : alms doth deliver from death, and it shall purge away all sin. They that do alms and righteousness shall 3 Tobit xii. 8-10. be filled With life." 3 It is noteworthy also that the principles practised during early life, Tobit could recommend still in old age ; for we read that on recovering his sight, at threescore and six, " he gave alms, and feared the Lord more and more," whilst the concluding words of his deathbed sayings were : " And now, my children, consider what alms doeth, and how k Tobit nr.a-ii. righteousness doth deliver." 4 TITHING IN THE APOCRYPHA 83 These principles, taught in Tobit, are re-echoed and enlarged upon in Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, wherein we read, con- cerning gifts to God and His ministers, " My son, according as thou hast, do well unto thyself, and bring offerings unto the Lord worthily." 1 More iEccius.xiv. fully this same writer says : " He that keepeth the law multiplieth offerings ; He that taketh heed to the commandments sacrificeth a peace offering. He that requiteth a good turn offereth fine flour : And he that giveth alms sacrificeth a thank offering. To depart from wickedness is a thing pleasing to the Lord; And to depart from unrighteousness is a propitiation. See that thou appear not in the presence of the Lord empty. For all these things are to be done because of the com- mandment. The offering of the righteous maketh the altar fat ; And the sweet savour thereof is before the Most High. The sacrifice of a righteous man is acceptable ; And the memorial thereof shall not be forgotten. Glorify the Lord with a good eye, And stint not the firstfruits of thine hands. In every gift show a cheerful countenance, And dedicate thy tithes with gladness. Give unto the Most High according as He hath given ; And as thy hand hath found, give with a good eye. For the Lord recompenseth, And He will recompense thee sevenfold." 2 2 Eccius. The following is much to the same effect : " Fear the Lord with all thy soul ; And reverence His priests. With all thy strength love Him that made thee : And forsake not His ministers. I-H. 84 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE Fear the Lord and glorify the priest : And give him his portion, even as it is commanded thee : The firstfruits, and the trespass offering, and the gift of the shoulders, And the sacrifice of sanctification, and the firstfruits of holy things. Also to the poor man stretch out thy hand, iEcdus. v. 29. That thy blessing may be perfected." 1 This last sentence takes our thoughts from religious offerings to God, to almsgiving to men, concerning which the son of Sirach says : " Water will quench a flaming fire ; * Eccius. iii. 3 o. And almsgiving will make atonement for sins." 2 Again : " Be not faint-hearted in thy prayer ; s Eccius. vii. 10. And neglect not to give alms." 3 Once more : " With Him the alms of a man is as a signet ; And He will keep the bounty of a man as the apple of h Eccius xvii. 22. the e y e /' u But, at the same time, alms were not recom- mended to be given to all alike, as the following shows : " There shall no good come to him that continueth to do evil, Nor to him that giveth no alms. Give to the godly man, And help not the sinner. Do good to one that is lowly, And give not to an ungodly man : Keep back his bread, and give it not to him, Lest he overmaster thee thereby : For thou shalt receive twice as much evil For all the good thou shalt have done unto him. TITHING IN THE APOCRYPHA 85 For the Most High also hateth sinners, And will repay vengeance unto the ungodly. Give to the good man, And help not the sinner." 1 i Eccius. xii. 3-7. There yet remain to be noticed a few passages in Ecclesiasticus, some of which look at almsgiving from quite a lofty point of view. Thus : " Shut up alms in thy store-chambers [i.e. for beneficent purposes], And it shall deliver thee out of all affliction : It shall fight for thee against thine enemy Better than a mighty shield and a ponderous spear." 2 ^Eccius. xxix. Once more : " He that sacrificeth of a thing wrongfully gotten, His offering is made in mockery. And the mockeries of wicked men are not well pleasing. The Most High hath no pleasure in the offerings of the ungodly, Neither is He pacified for sins by the multitude of sacrifices. As one that killeth the son before his father's eyes Is he that bringeth a sacrifice from the goods of the poor." 3 s Eccius. xxxiv. If now we summarize what we have gathered upon our subject from the Apocrypha, we notice first, and negatively, that we have found no pas- sages implying that the payment of tithes and other offerings was repealed, or fell into disuse, during the period succeeding the return of the Jews from captivity, to the final destruction of their temple, or, say, during the three centuries preceding the Christian era. On the contrary, we have met with historical incidents and allusions showing that the temple 86 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE services, as restored by Ezra and Nehemiah, were continued under a regular priesthood, which suggests payment in the form of tithes and offerings from the people. The laws of the Pentateuch are still recognized as the standard of right giving. Seleucus and Heliodorus, like the kings of Babylon, con- tribute to the Jewish temple. Tobit is represented as paying three tithes, and Judith as dedicating her spoils of war ; and all this is in harmony with the canonical books of the Old Testament. Moreover, the Apocrypha rises to a still higher platform in the enunciation of lofty principles concerning almsgiving in general ; for abundant, discriminating, proportionate giving of alms, accom- panied with prayer and fasting, is strongly urged upon all. He who would keep the law is instructed to multiply offerings, none appearing in the presence of God empty-handed. The reasons given, are, that alms are pleasing to God; that, when rightly offered, they deliver from death, and purge away sin. Also, it is promised, as leading to temporal prosperity, that the Lord will recompense the liberal giver sevenfold. He is exhorted, accordingly, in every gift to show a cheerful countenance, and to dedicate his tithes with gladness. CHAPTER VIII TALMUDIC TEACHING ON THE FIRST AND SECOND TITHES The Talmud : Mishna and Centura, 87. Divisions and translations of Mishna, 88. Book VII., on first tithe, regulates what is to be tithed, and when, 88. Tithing applied to business transactions, 89. Tithing cooked fruit, transplanted vegetables, and ant- hills, 91. Rules concerning the second tithe, 92. Not to be exchanged, nor coins for it reckoned common, 93. Redemption of the second tithe, 95. Second tithe in relation to reciting Mosaic formula, 96. FROM the Talmud we get not only fuller and more detailed ideas of tithe-paying during the period between the Old and New Testaments, but we learn also how this practice was affecting the daily life of a religious Jew when Christianity appeared. The Talmud contains the spoken or traditional law of the Jews, as distinguished from their law written. It is said by the Jews, that when God gave the written law on Mount Sinai, He delivered also to Moses, a number of precepts and explana- tions thereon, which were handed down by word of mouth to Joshua, to the seventy elders, to the men of the great synagogue, and so on to the great rabbis of a later period. Whatever of truth there may be in this tradition, 87 88 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE it is well known that much activity was manifested in collecting precepts and decisions about the law, with comments thereon by the rabbis, in the days of the Maccabees, or, say, the second century before the Christian era, though it was not until the second century after Christ, that the rabbinical rules, interpretations, and decisions, some four thousand in number, were codified and arranged according to subjects, as we have them now. The Talmud consists of a text called the Mishna, with comments called Gemara. The first division of the Mishna is on " Seeds," or matters relating to agriculture, of which the third, seventh, and eighth books respectively treat of doubtful matters connected with tithing ; with the first or tithe proper, and with the second tithe.* In Book VI I.,' on Maaseroth, or the first tithe, we find it stated as follows : " This general rule has been handed down about the tithe : whatever serves for food, is worth keeping, and grows out of the ground, is subject to tithe : and another rule handed down is, that whatever is eatable at the beginning, as well as when fully grown, although cus- tomarily kept till it is mature, is subject to tithes, be it small or .grown large. But when, in its early stages it is not an ordinary article of food, but becomes so later, it is not subject to tithe until fit to be eaten." Section 2 determines from what time fruit becomes * The Mishna has been translated into Latin by Surenhusius, and into French by Schwab. Both are before me ; but I shall attempt to translate, or in some cases to give the gist of, such sections only as are likely to serve our purpose in illustrating Jewish opinion and practice concerning tithe-paying. TALMUDIC TEACHING ON TITHES 89 subject to tithe : for instance, figs, when they begin to ripen ; grapes, when transparent ; and mulberries, when they turn red, etc. The next section settles similar questions respecting black fruit generally ; whilst section 4 names the time for tithing green vegetables, such as gourds, cucumbers, melons, etc. Sections 5-7 determine at what moment fruits are considered as gathered or harvested, and so tithable. For gourds and cucumbers it is when the down, or bloom, has gone off, or, this indica- tion failing, when they are collected in heaps. Vegetables which are sold in bundles are tithable when packed and covered up. Dried pomegranates and raisins are tithable when heaped up ; onions when they peel ; corn when gathered ; and wine when the froth of fermentation has risen. Chapter 1 1 . 1 lays down, that if a man suspected i sects. 1-3. of not paying his tithes offer figs in a public place, one may eat them ; but if brought to the house, they must be tithed. Again, if persons seated before a door or shop offer figs, they may be eaten without scruple ; but the proprietor himself, seated at home, must pay tithe for what he has gathered. Also, if one is carrying fruits from Galilee to Judea, for instance, or if one is going up to Jeru- salem, he may eat of them on the road up to his destination, or on his return ; and hawkers who sell in the towns may eat of their fruits up to the place where they spend the night, but then they must pay tithe. Sections 4-8 set forth that when one says to another, " Take this penny [or Roman as] and give 90 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE me five figs," they must not be eaten unless tithed ; but that a man, if giving a penny to be allowed to select ten figs, may choose and consume them one by one without tithing. In the case of workmen employed in the field, it is a general rule that when the law allows eating, the tithe is waived, but not otherwise. Again, if figs for different purposes are exchanged for each other, tithe must be paid. Rabbi Judah says, however, if they exchange figs that can be readily eaten, they must be tithed, but not if they are under process of drying. i sects, i, 3, 7-10. Chapter III. 1 provides that when figs are placed in a court-yard to dry, all the owner's family and his servants not on board wages, may eat without tithing ; but if food is part of the servants' wages, they are not to eat [without tithing]. So, if a man working amongst olive-trees eat olives one by one, he need not tithe ; but must do so if he collects a number of olives. Similarly, if engaged to weed onions, and the workman bargain that he may eat the green leaves, he may pluck them singly and eat ; but if he gather them into a bundle, he must pay tithe. Products placed on watch-towers, sheds, and summer-houses are exempted from paying tithes. If a fig-tree is planted in a court-yard, one may eat now and then without tithing ; but if one gather several figs, they must be tithed. So, again, if a fig-tree planted in the yard leans toward the garden, one may eat without restriction ; but if the tree stands in the garden and leans toward the courtyard, the figs may be eaten one by one TALMUDIC TEACHING ON TITHES 91 untithed, though not when several are gathered together. As for towns on the borders of Pales- tine, this question [of overhanging branches] is decided by the position of the trunk of the tree ; but in the cities of refuge and at Jerusalem, by the direction of the branches. The six sections of Chapter IV. provide, among other things, that he who preserves, cooks, or salts, fruits, must pay tithe ; whilst he who places them underground (to keep) may eat without tithing. If children have buried figs in the field, to eat on the Sabbath, having omitted the tithe, they cannot, even on the evening after the Sabbath, eat them before the tithe is paid. Again, if a man take olives from a basket and dip them one by one in salt, he may eat without tithing, but not if the olives have been salted already. Similarly, when leaning over a wine-press, one may drink the wine without tithing, whether mixed with warm water or cold ; though some rabbis say that in either case the tithe should be paid. By way of illustrating the minuteness to which these practices were regulated, it may be added that Rabbi Simeon, son of Gamaliel, lays it down that even little buds or sprays of fennel, mustard, and white beans, are liable to tithe. Chapter V. 1 states that if one pull turnips or i sects. 2 - 4 , 7 -s. radishes to transplant in the same field, or for the purpose of gathering or taking out seed, he owes the tithe. Moreover, as soon as the products of the land 92 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE have reached the period for tithing, they may not be sold to any one suspected of keeping back the tithe ; nor, in the seventh year, to one suspected of non-observance of the Sabbatical year. Neither, again, ought one to sell straw in which grains of corn may be left, nor dregs of oil, nor grape-skins (for extraction of juice), to any one suspected of withholding tithes. If, notwithstanding, it should be done, tithe ought to be paid. Even the holes of ants which may have passed a night near a heap of tithable produce are equally liable to the tithe, because it is well known that all through the night they are carrying it away to their nests. Once more, strong garlic that makes the eyes water, the onion of Rikhta, peas of Cilicia, and lentils of Egypt ; also the seeds of the slender leek, of watercress, onions, beet, and radishes in fact, seeds that are not eaten as such, are exempt from tithe. This may suffice for extracts from Book VI I. of the Mishna concerning the first tithe, which contains in all forty sections ; but of these I have alluded to about thirty only, thinking this will be enough to give an idea of Talmudic teaching on this part of our subject. Let us now proceed to deal similarly with the book Maaser Sheni, or the Second Tithe, which has also five chapters and contains fifty-four sections. We read of the second tithe in Deuteronomy xiv. 22-7. It consisted of the yearly increase of the land, which was to be eaten with firstlings of herd TALMUD 1C TEACHING ON TITHES 93 and flock at the ecclesiastical metropolis ; but if this pl.ce were too far from a man's home, he might turn his increase into money, and take the money to this central place of worship, and there spend it at the religious festivals.* i see P . 87 . Accordingly Chapter I. begins : They do not sell the second tithes, nor pledge them, nor exchange, nor weigh anything against them as an equivalent ; neither does any one say to his neighbour at Jerusalem, " Take of my wine and give me of your oil," or the like with other products. Men may, however, give to each other reciprocal presents. Sections 2-4 and 7 lay down that it is not per- missible to sell the tithe of living cattle nor to employ the price for betrothing a wife. Also, that it is not lawful to change the second tithe for defaced money or obsolete coins, nor for money not yet in possession. If with the price of the second tithe a man purchase a beast to serve for a peace offering, or a wild animal for a banquet, the skin is to be considered profane. Moreover, that there is not to be bought with the price of the second tithe slaves, servants, lands, nor unclean animals. If, notwithstanding, this should be done, the equivalent in value ought to be consumed at Jerusalem. So also, as a general rule, that there ought to be restored, by consuming the equivalent at Jerusalem, everything not serving for food, drink, or anoint- ing, which has been taken from the money of the second tithe. 94 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE Chapter II. in its nine sections sets forth, among other things, that the second tithe ought to serve for food, drink, and anointing, the oil being per- fumed at pleasure, but not the wine. Rabbi Simeon, however, as opposed to other rabbis, was of opinion that a man ought not to anoint himself at Jerusalem with oil of the second tithe. With regard to money, if one should drop at the same moment ordinary coins and other coins representing the proceeds of the second tithe, what is gathered should first of all make up the amount of the tithe, and the rest should be applied to the other amount. Again, he who converts small coins of the second tithe into a shekel (for convenience of carnage) ought so to convert the whole ; and if at Jerusalem one should convert a silver shekel into small money, the whole shekel should be changed into copper. Chapter III. 1 sets forth that a man ought not to bid his neighbour carry fruits of the second tithe to Jerusalem, offering him as a recompense a part of the fruit ; but that he should say, "Carry these to Jerusalem in order that we may eat and drink together." People might, however, make reciprocal presents. Fruit having been brought to Jerusalem as second tithe might not be taken away again, though the money of the second tithe might. Again, fruit bought with the money of the second tithe, and which had become unclean, might be redeemed ; though, according to Rabbi Judah, unclean fruit ought to be buried. Similarly, when a deer TALMUDIC TEACHING ON TITHES 95 purchased with money of the second tithe had died, it should be buried in its skin. Rabbi Simeon, however, is of opinion that a man may redeem the carcase. Chapter IV. provides that if one has brought fruits of the second tithe from a locality where they are dear, to a place where they are cheap, or vice versa, a man may redeem them at their price in the place of arrival, the profit, if any, going to the tithe. When one desires to redeem the second tithe at a low rate, the rate must be fixed at the cost price to a shopkeeper. When this price is well known, the valuation of a single person suffices ; but if unknown, the estimates of three persons should be taken as, for instance, in the case of wine that has begun to turn sour, deteriorated fruit, or imperfect coins. When a man redeems his second tithe he must add one-fifth to its value. Artifice, or evasion, is so far permitted in regard to the second tithe, that a man may give money to his adult son and daughter or his Hebrew servants, engaging them for that sum to redeem the second tithe (without adding the fifth) ; but he may not do so by his younger children or by Gentile slaves, because their hands are, as it were, his own. Money that is found, no matter where, is con- sidered profane, even if one find a piece of gold among silver and copper coins ; but if one find among them a fragment, even of earthenware, whereon is written the word "tithe," the whole is sacred ; or, again, if one find a vase with any of 96 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE the letters p Jb T * inscribed, the vase may be considered profane. The fifth chapter of the book on the second tithe has fifteen sections. Taking one here and there sect. i. by way of illustration, we learn 1 that pious and conscientious persons deposited money during the Sabbatical year to redeem the four-year-old vines, declaring that all fruit gathered therefrom should be 2 sect. 2 . considered, by this money, redeemed. Also, 2 that the produce of vines of the fourth year was to be carried to Jerusalem from all suburbs within a day's journey. Section 6 mentions that, on the eve of the Feast of the Passover, they proceed to the removing or bringing away of all legal dues. Also 3 towards the hour of the evening sacrifice, on the last day of the feast, the declaration is made : " I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine u Deut. xxvi. 13. house " * (which, says the Mishna, means the second tithe) ; " and also have given them unto the Levite" (which applies to the Levitical tithe), " and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and the widow " (which comprises poor's tithe, gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and corners of the field)." The Mishna adds that the not having carried out these precepts ought not to be an obstacle to the recitation of the formula. If, however, the second tithe has been levied before the first, the declaration ought not to be recited ; nor if a person has infringed the commandment, " I have Deut. xxvi. i 4 . not eaten thereof in my mourning." 5 Neither, again, * These letters indicated, in times of persecution, the Hebrew words for sacrifice, tithe, doubtful tithe, etc. TALMUDIC TEACHING ON TITHES 97 should the declaration be made by proselytes or freed slaves, who have no share in the land. The Mishna also observes that John Hyrcanus (high-priest B.C. 135) abolished the recitation of the declaration which accompanied the offering of the tithes ; adding, too, that under him none had need to seek information on the demai (tithe) or doubtful points of tithing. CHAPTER IX THE "DEM A I? OR DOUBTFUL TITHE The Demai, or doubtful tithe, 98. Its exemptions, differences, and minute requirements, 98. Its bearing on the uneducated, on buying and selling, exchange of corn, payment of rent, and acceptance of hospitality, 99. Four tithes recognized in the Talmud, and their application to all classes, 102. Antiquity of Talmudic bye-laws, and their influence when Christianity appeared, 104. TH E RE is a book in the Mishna called Demai, which in point of order comes before the books on the first and second tithes, but which for our present purpose has been reserved till now.* Chapter I. begins by naming certain things, which by reason of their trifling value are exempted from the demai tithe, such as inferior figs, arti- chokes, service-berries, shrivelled dates, late grapes, wild grapes, and buds of capers, coriander, etc. After this it is pointed out that the demai tithe differs from the other tithes, because among other * Demai, according to Maimonides (Surenhusius, vol. i. p. 76, col. 2), is a word signifying that about which there is a doubt whether from it should be offered gifts to God ; and he adds that it was an obligation to render i per cent., or a tenth of a tenth, to the priest, after which they separated the second tithe, which the owner con- sumed at Jerusalem. Lightfoot, on Luke xviii. 12, says : *NE1 est res dubia. Id est, cum ignoratur, an de ea sumpta sit decima, necne. Et haec etiam est vox composita *ND NT quid hoc ? 98 THE "DEMAI," OR DOUBTFUL TITHE 99 things, when redeeming it, a fifth need not be added, nor need it be brought out of the house as prescribed in Deuteronomy xxvi. 13. Again, persons in mourn- ing might eat thereof; 1 it might not only be brought i Deut. xxvi. J3 . to Jerusalem, but carried away again ; a small quantity left on the road was treated as lost ; it might be given to a non-tithe payer or "a man of the land " [that is an ignorant or uninstructed person] ; and, once more, the money received there- for might be used for profane purposes. Chapter II.* says, that he who undertakes [before a sect. 2 . witnesses] to deserve universal confidence with regard to tithes ought to be careful not only to pay the tithe upon what he eats, but also on what he sells, or buys to sell again to others ; and he ought not to accept hospitality at the house of a person uninstructed in rabbinical tithe-paying [lest he should eat of anything not tithed]. Again, he who engages to adopt the pure and scrupulous manner of life of a companion of wise men, ought not to sell to an uninstructed person either soft fruit, or dry ; he does not purchase of him green products ; he does not accept hospitality of an uninstructed person, neither does he invite such an one to his own house [because of his communicating uncleanness even by his dress]. Retail shopkeepers 3 are not authorized to sell s sect. 4 . products subject to dental, but wholesale dealers may do so [it being taken for granted that owing to the larger quantity, the purchaser will have paid the proper dues]. Chapter III.* directs that he who wishes to cut k sects. 2 - 3) e. joo THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE the green leaves from bundles of vegetables, to lighten what he has to carry, ought not to throw the leaves away before levying the tithe thereon [so that no one, finding them, may eat unlawfully]. Again, he who buys green vegetables, and then, changing his mind, wishes to return them, must tithe them before so doing. Also, fruit found on the road may be eaten at once, but not put aside to be kept, before paying the tithe. Even he who delivers to his mother-in-law fruits to cook or prepare, ought to levy the (demai) tithe on what he gives to and receives from her. i sects. 2 , 7-8. ] n Chapter IV. 1 we read that if an " uninstructed " person adjure his companion by vow to eat with him, the companion, though not sure about his host paying tithe, may eat with him for one week, pro- vided the host assures his guest that the demai tithe has been paid ; but that in the second week he must not eat with him unless the guest has paid the tithe. Again, if a man commissions a person untrust- worthy in the matter of tithes to buy fruits from some one worthy of confidence, he must not, for all that, rely on his messenger; but if the employer orders him to go definitely to such and such a person, he may then believe the messenger. Never- theless, if after going to the person mentioned he says on his return, "Not having met the individual to whom I was sent, I went to another equally worthy of confidence," the messenger's opinion is not to be regarded as sufficient. So also, if a traveller enter a town wherein he knows no one, and inquires, " Who is trustworthy ? THE "DEMAI? OR DOUBTFUL TITHE 101 Who pays tithes?" and if a man reply, " I am not considered trustworthy, but such and such a one is," the stranger may believe him. Section 7 states : If two donkey-drivers enter a town and one of them says, "My fruits have not been tithed, but my companion's have," one ought not to take his word [because his testimony may be given by collusion]. Chapter V, 1 says that he who buys bread from i sects. 4 , 5, *. a retail bread-seller ought to tithe each loaf. Again, he who buys from a poor man, or even a poor man himself who shall have received pieces of bread or fragments of fig-cake, ought to tithe each piece separately ; but in the case of dates or figs the portion due may be taken collectively. He who buys from two places different products which have been declared untithed may levy from one purchase so much as will suffice for the other ; but notwithstanding this, it is well understood that a man ought not to sell untithed products, except in case of urgent necessity. A man 2 may use corn bought from an Israelite* sect. 9 . to redeem corn purchased from a Gentile ; or even corn from an Ethiopian [to redeem that of an Israelite ; or corn of an Israelite to redeem that of a Samaritan ; and similarly that of one Samaritan to redeem corn from another Samaritan, though Rabbi Eliezer condemns this last case. Chapter VI. 3 lays down, that he who farms a field s sects. i )4 ,8 . for a percentage of the crop, be it from an Israelite, Samaritan, or Gentile, should divide the harvest in the presence of the landlord [without tithing] ; loz THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE but the tenant who farms under an Israelite ought to levy, before everything, the priestly portion. Again, if any one sell fruits in Syria, saying that they come from Palestine, the buyer pays tithe. It would be easy to continue these curious and interesting extracts from others of the fifty-three sections into, which the seven chapters of the book on the demai tithe is divided, and the inquiry might be extended (with a view to considering rabbinic beneficence generally) to such books as that on Peak, or the corners of the field to be left for the poor ; on Terumoth, or tribute from the crop due to the priests ; and on Bikkurim, or firstfruits ; but enough, perhaps, has now been presented from the Talmud to illustrate the character of its bye- laws, and to afford us various items of information concerning tithe-paying as practised during the period we are considering. The Talmud clearly recognizes the first or Levitical tithe ; the second or festival tithe ; the third or poor's tithe ; and also appears to add a fourth or supplementary tithe of a tithe that is, a levy of i per cent., for the priests, in certain cases which the Pentateuch left open to doubt. The minuteness with which these bye-laws are elaborated, indicates the standard set before religious Jews who desired to live up to the traditional requirements of their law ; from which requirements, moreover, no class of society seems to have been held exempt, tithe-paying being thereby brought to bear on the daily life not only of the affluent and well-to-do, but of the labourer who weeded THE "DEMAI? OR DOUBTfUL TITHE 10$ onions, the errand-boy sent to market, and the man who asked his mother-in-law to cook fruit. Of course, it may be urged that some of the minute requirements previously mentioned are of a later date, because internal evidence connected with certain of the rules points to their belonging to the time of the Roman domination of Palestine ; but it is highly probable that a larger number of the rules were of very ancient usage. When we consider that the whole of what is written in the Pentateuch concerning tithes is com- prised in a few verses, it will be seen at once that so soon as the laws on tithe came to be put in force, a number of questions would be immediately raised as to how the law was to be carried out ; such, for instance, as to what particular seeds, fruits, or animals were to be tithed ; the age at which animals and products were to become tithable ; how far products of trifling value were to be disregarded, to what extent products of the second tithe might be consumed on the way to the ecclesiastical capital ; and many others. Unless we are to imagine that every man was left to do as he pleased (which would mean confu- sion), it is reasonable to suppose that such questions would in the first place be referred for determina- tion to Joshua, to the seventy elders, or to other competent authority. Such decisions, with other additions as time went on, would naturally be handed down by the priests and Levites, who, if only because their bread partly depended thereon, would be interested in preserving them ; and thus io 4 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE many of the decrees and traditions embodied in the Mishna may well have passed down as un- written rules to the days not long before the Christian era, when these traditions were com- mitted to writing, thus serving as the basis for their arrangement in the form we have them now. These extracts, at all events, may suffice to show that during the period between the Old and New Testaments the practice of tithe-paying was in full force, and carried out by many with a minute- ness and conscientiousness such as cannot be traced in the Pentateuch or in the after history of Israel as exhibited in the remaining books of the Old Testament. There is, moreover, another and more important consideration to Christians, which adds greatly to the value of the evidence here collected, in that we trace in the Talmud what was considered the standard of tithe-paying and religious beneficence, and what was received and practised among the Jews in Palestine when Christianity appeared ; and consequently what probably was thought and practised by most, if not all, of those Jews who became the first heralds of the Cross. CHAPTER X CHRIST S ATTITUDE AND EXAMPLE AS TO TITHING. Jews, in the time of Christ, ruled by Gentiles, 105. Tithing among the Romans, Samaritans, and Palestine Jews, 106. Essenes, Sadducees, and Pharisees, 107. The Pharisees, tithe-payers par excellence, and how admitted to membership, 108. Varieties of Pharisees, and our Lord's attitude towards them, 1 08. Prevalence of tithe-paying, and impossibility of indiffer- ence thereto, 109. Christ not regarded as " uninstructed," no. His teaching respected and consulted by the learned, in. Christ entertained by Pharisees and not accused of withholding dues, 112. His parents scrupulous in legal observances on His behalf, 113. Christ's observance of the law and payment of temple money, 114. Our Lord's purse, and its tripartite expendi- ture, 115. WE proceed in this, and the next chapter, to consider Jewish tithe-paying and religious beneficence as they were received and practised in the days of Jesus Christ ; together with His example and teaching thereon. During our Lord's ministry the population of Palestine, like that of India to-day, was ruled by Europeans, who were of a different religion from that of the natives. Tithe-paying, as we are aware, was well known to the Romans, and among this ruling class, we occasionally read of liberal- 105 106 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE minded or pious soldiers, who favoured the Jews' religion, as in the case of the centurion at Caper- iLukevii. 5 . naum/ who built the synagogue; or of Cornelius, who prayed and gave alms that were had in remem- 2 Acts x. 3 i. brance in the sight of God. 2 Herod the Great, likewise, though an Idumean, rebuilt the Jews' temple. But besides this European, or foreign, element in Palestine, there had also lived there for several centuries the Samaritans, who accepted the law of Moses, and consequently the obligation to pay tithes (as indeed they do to this day), whilst the mass of the people were Jews, who, concerning tithes and all other requirements, professed obedience to the laws of Judaism. That tithe-paying was a general practice in the days of our Lord and until the destruction of Jerusalem (A.D. 70) is plain from what Josephus (born A.D 37) says of himself in his thirtieth year : " As to what presents were offered me, I despised them, as not standing in need of them ; nor indeed would I take those tithes which were due to me as a priest, from those s Life, sect. 15. that brought them." s Again, he says of Ananias, the high-priest : " He also had servants who were very wicked, who joined themselves to the boldest sort of the people, and went to the threshing-floors, and took away the tithes that belonged to the priests, by violence, and did not refrain from beating such as would not give these tithes to them. So also other high-priests acted in the like manner, as did those his servants, without any one's being able to prohibit h Ant ; qu ; ties them : so that [some of the] priests that of old were wont bk. xx. ch. ix. to t, e supported with those tithes died for want of food." sect. 2. r sr CHRISTS EXAMPLE AS TO TITHING 107 There was, however, in the condition of the Jews in our Lord's day, this great difference as compared with that of Jews under Jewish monarchs, in that being now enrolled as Roman subjects, they were not required by the law of the empire to observe the ordinances of the Jewish religion ; and hence it is not surprising if some may have availed themselves of the opportunity to evade the pay- ment of religious dues, and became lax in the observance of tithe-paying and other religious duties. But concurrently with this possible laxity, and perhaps provoked thereby, there had sprung up a great zeal for religion among the Jews, as manifested by three religious parties. Of these the Essenes, who arose about the second century B.C., renounced their worldly goods, lived in communities in the desert, and greatly extolled the virtue of poverty. 1 There were also J.^ hen> vo1 ' "* the Sadducees, who, if not absolutely rejecting tradition and the unwritten law, brought them to the test of the Pentateuch, the authority of which they acknowledged ; whilst closely allied with these, there were the Pharisees, who accepted all the Old Testament writings with the rabbinical interpreta- tions thereon, and who were exceedingly zealous for the religion of their forefathers. The Pharisees arose about B.C. 150, and were not so much a sect as what we in England should now call a "party." Josephus speaks of their fraternity as numbering about six thousand/ The JJ-fSfrSUs object of their association was twofold : first, to pf ^ US| vo1 ' '' io8 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE secure extreme care and exactitude in the payment of tithes and religious dues, and secondly, to promote the observance in the strictest manner, and according to traditional law, of the ordinances concerning Levitical purity. A candidate had to be admitted into the Phari- sees' confraternity in the presence of three members.* He might undertake the obligation as to complete tithe paying without going forward to the vow concerning purity ; but he could not undertake the latter, and supposed higher degree, without passing through the lower. If he entered upon the first degree only, he was simply a Naaman, who undertook four obligations, namely, to tithe (i) what he ate, (2) what he sold, (3) what he bought, and (4) not to be the guest of an " outsider." Having attained this degree, he was looked upon as a person accredited, with whom one might freely transact business, since he was assumed to have paid on his goods all religious dues. If a candidate took in addition the "higher" vow, he was called a Chaber, or associate, who (in relation to the subject before us) undertook not to sell to an outsider any substance, whether fluid or solid ; not to buy from him any such ; nor to be a guest with him, and not to entertain the outsider in his own clothes [on account, that is, of their possible impurity]. The Pharisees accordingly were tithe-payers par excellence as distinguished from the J*^H Dp (Am- ha-aretz), or " people of the land," the uninstructed CHRIS TS EXAMPLE AS TO TITHING 109 ones, who knew not, or cared not, for the oral or unwritten law, and were looked down upon by the learned as "accursed." 1 A Pharisee was i John i. 49 . regarded as an aristocratic, punctilious religionist ; an Am-ha-aretz as a "heathen man and a publican." * 3 Matt. xvui. i 7 . What attitude, then, did our Lord assume in regard to the paying of tithes and religious offer- ings as respectively observed, or more or less neg- lected by these two classes of Jews ? It would be impossible that He should have been neutral ; and we cannot imagine that He grew up in careless- ness, or ignorance, or indifference to, this prominent feature of a Jew's religion. In His days tithe- paying in Palestine was not only recognized, but " in the air," as witnessed by the minuteness of the directions of the Mishna. Any man having a spark of religion was neces- sarily brought face to face with this question continually. To buy a pennyworth of figs in the street involved also the responsibility of consider- ing whether or not they had been tithed ; and something similar had to be thought of even when a few leaves of vegetables were cut off and thrown aside to lighten a burden. 3 No class of people, s see P . too. moreover, was free from the observance of these details, for they had to be remembered alike by the field labourer, the gatherer of fruit, and the errand-boy. Accordingly, when our Lord's parents went up, as they did every year, to Jerusalem, and in the ordinary course of things took their second tithe, no THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE with legal and appropriate offerings, it could hardly have escaped the observation of their Divine Son that the festival tithe was regarded as sacred ; that it might not be pledged nor sold on credit ; and that if perchance for convenience of carriage some of it were turned into money (say at Nazareth), the coins received had to be perfect, nor might those coins be mingled with ordinary money .* When, further, it is remembered that for a wife to set before her husband untithed food was regarded as an offence sufficiently grave to warrant her divorce, 2 it will be seen that in our Lord's time, De t sJia t a'nd nd and with respect to this burning question, none Raphall, p. 259. 111 1 could be neutral. Was Christ's position, then, as regards tithe- paying, that of an Am-ha-aretz, that is, one of the uninstructed ? He certainly was not so regarded by His contemporaries. The multitudes not only heard Him gladly, but, quite early in His ministry, after the Sermon on the Mount, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, for "He taught 5 Matt. vii. 28-9. them as one having authority." 3 Even in His own country, in the synagogue at Nazareth, many were astonished ; and though some of them asked for the source of His learning, none of them doubted that the wisdom was there, for they asked, " What wisdom is this which is given unto Markvi.2. Him?"* Later on, at Jerusalem, the Jews marvelled, saying, " How knoweth this Man letters, having s John vii. 15 . never learned?" 5 and as it was at the beginning CHRIST 'S EXAMPLE AS TO TITHING in of His ministry, " All the people were astonished at His doctrine," 1 so it continued to its close, " for i Matt. vu. 2 s. all the people were very attentive to hear Him." 2 2Luk ex ix. 4 8. Hence by the populace our Lord was never looked upon as " uninstructed," "not knowing the law," or in any way approaching "a heathen man or a publican." Nor was He so regarded by the learned. When only twelve years of age He surprised the doctors in the temple by His remarkable under- standing and answers ; and just as Josephus tells us s s Life, sect. a . that he himself when a youth was frequently con- sulted by men learned in the law, so the Scribes and Pharisees sometimes consulted Jesus not always, let us hope, in malice, but sometimes rather to discover His attitude towards what they regarded as criteria of orthodoxy. We have an instance of this when they brought to Him a woman taken in adultery, 4 quoting, as they did, the law, and inquiring * johnviii.2. for His opinion. On another occasion He was asked under what circumstances divorce was per- missible. 5 Again, they asked what was the first 5 Matt. xix. 3 . and great commandment (that is the most essential principle) of the law, 6 and the Pharisees wished, likewise, to know when He thought the kingdom of God was coming. 7 The foregoing are not inquiries such as educated men would put to an Am-ha-aretz. Such questions concerned their highest branch of learning, namely the law the law, probably, both written and unwritten, to which again our Lord referred His inquirers. And that such questions were skilfully answered was borne witness to sometimes by ii2 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE expressed approval, as in the words, "Well, Master, jMarkxii. 32. Thou hast said the truth" 1 ; and sometimes in general terms : " We know that Thou sayest and 2 Luke xx. 21. teachest rightly." 2 It is noticeable also that the Pharisees expected to see our Lord, as a teacher, living up to a standard resembling their own. Hence they asked His disciples : "How is it that your Master eats and 5 Matt. ix. ii. drinks with publicans and sinners?" 3 And on another occasion they murmured, saying, "This Man u Luke xv. 2. receiveth sinners and eateth with them" 4 things which the Pharisees expressly undertook not to do. But there would have been in this nothing to murmur at, and the questions would have been without point, had they regarded Him as one of the uninstructed or common people. They murmured because they expected Him to set what they thought a higher example. The strongest proof, however, that the Pharisees regarded our Lord as an observer of the law, like themselves, is seen in the fact that early in Christ's ministry, "as He spake, a certain Pharisee besought Him to dine with him, and 5Lukexi. 37 . Jesus went in and sat down to meat." 5 Nor was this the only occasion on which He did so, for later on in His ministry He went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sLukcxiv. i. Sabbath day. 6 Now, we remember that the Roman centurion at Capernaum was sufficiently familiar with Jewish custom to be aware that Jesus would contract ceremonial defilement by coming as a guest under CHRIST'S EXAMPLE AS TO TITHING 113 his Gentile roof,* since it was considered a breach i Luke vii. 6. of the law for a Jew to keep company or be guest with one of another nation/ But the fact that * Acts x . 2 s. we find two Pharisees, one of them a chief Pharisee, inviting our Lord to be their guest, is clear proof that these rigid religionists did not look on Jesus as a heathen man or a publican. Our Lord's enemies, even, who watched His every word, action, and behaviour in order to find fault, never accused Him of not paying tithes or ecclesiastical dues ; and if not to pay tithe in Athens was a sufficient handle wherewith a Greek comedian might hold up to ridicule a rich com- mercial statesman, 3 whose obligation to pay tithe ^f n e t e h Sacr 2 ed was not nearly so plainly enjoined as was the case with the ordinary Jew, how gladly, may we not suppose, would the enemies of our Lord have exulted over a similar shortcoming, had they been able to hold up Jesus to scorn, as a trans- gressor of this command of Moses, and of its interpretation according to the traditions of the elders ? But let us pass on to inquire if we can learn anything respecting our subject from our Lord's own example. On the eighth day He was circum- cized, and when the days of Mary's purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they brought the child Jesus to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord, and " to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord." h A Luke ii. 21-4. 8 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE Missionary Intelligencer, March, 1903, P- 43- Mr. Sunlight's description of this ceremony as now observed by the Jews in Lemberg has been i see p. 39- quoted/ and he adds : "Whilst watching the proceedings, I was reminded of a similar incident which happened in the life of our Lord, commonly called ' The presentation.' . . . Simeon, being no doubt one of the officiating priests in the temple, per- formed this rite, and that accounts for his taking up the child Jesus in his arms and blessing Him. Thus we see that the Redeemer had also to be redeemed, for it behoved Him to fulfil all righteousness." 2 Again, when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Nazareth, whence His parents went to Jerusalem every year, at the Feast of the Passover, taking up their Son also when He was twelve years old, after the custom of the feast. 3 Here, then, we find the Evangelist careful to note that both parents and child were strictly observant of the Mosaic law ; and, in harmony with this when, later on, John hesitated aboutbaptizing One so much greater than himself, Jesus answered: i. Matt. iii. i S . " Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness."* So, again, during our Lord's ministry, He more than once showed His allegiance to the law, saying, for instance, to the leper healed after the sermon on the mount : " Show thyself to the priest, and B Matt. viii. 4 . offer the gift that Moses commanded" 5 ; whilst later He similarly directed the ten lepers : " Go, e Luke xvii. i 4 . show yourselves to the priests." 6 We know of only one occasion when our Lord was applied to for money, and then it was not for 3 Luke ii. 39, 41-2. CHRIST >S EXAMPLE AS TO TITHING 115 a compulsory tax imposed by the Romans, but when His disciples were asked, at Capernaum, whether their Master paid the contribution for the support of the temple services. Moses, it is written, levied at God's command, for the furnishing of the tabernacle, a half-shekel for every one numbered ; also, on the return from captivity, the people charged themselves with the third part of a shekel, yearly, for the service of the house of God, 1 and i Neh. x . 32 . it was to pay this contribution that Peter was directed to find a stater, or the equivalent of two half-shekels, in the fish's mouth, wherewith to pay for himself and his Master. 3 ^4 V L 2 , 4 Concerning our Lord's personal arrangements about money, we know that though Himself a poor Man, yet He was accustomed to give to the poor. s s John xm. 9 . He and His little company had, indeed, a purse, and Judas carried it ; but three objects only are hinted at upon which its contents were spent. At the well of Samaria we read of the disciples having gone away to buy food; 4 and on another 4 John iv. s occasion the well-known habits of their Master left His puzzled disciples only two uses for money they could conjecture, when, the traitor having left the room, " some thought because Judas had the bag that Jesus said unto him : ' Buy what things we have need of for the feast ' [which reminds us of the festival tithe], or that he should give some- thing to the poor." 5 s John xiu. , 9 . Hence it has been beautifully observed that the slender provision of the Lord and His little company was disposed of under a tripartite division, for n6 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE S io8. daily wants, God's ordinances, and charity. 1 Look- ing, therefore, at our Lord's perfect example in scrupulously keeping the law, we are left to infer that He not only paid tithes and all other religious dues, but that He probably exceeded what the law required. CHAPTER XI CHRIST'S TEACHING ON TITHING AND BENEFICENCE Christ's teaching on tithe-paying and beneficence, 117. Christ's exhortations to almsgiving, and manner thereof, 118. His encouragement to almsgiving, its proportion, and whole-hearted- ness, 119. Denunciations of Pharisees explained, 121. His commendation of three large givers, 124. Summary of Christ's teaching in relation to tithe-paying, 125. WE now pass from our Lord's example to His direct teaching on tithe-paying and religious beneficence. Here we may observe that the Founder of Christianity proclaimed expressly, at the outset of His ministry, that He was not come to destroy THE LAW, but to fulfil it, and that whoever would do and teach the precepts of that law should be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 1 i Matt. v. i 7 .i 9 . In harmony with this, when a lawyer stood up and tried Him, saying, " Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" the Lord replied, "What is written in the law"? 3 Besides which, we know * Luke x . as -6. that the law was invariably referred to by Him as the proper standard of godly living, and therefore (by implication, of course) the right standard of proper giving. 117 n8 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE 1 Matt. v. 42. 9 Luke iii. As for almsgiving, and religious beneficence in general, Jesus Christ laid down several broad and deep principles as foundations on which His followers might build. " Give," He said, " to him that asketh thee ; and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away." 1 "He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none ; and he that hath ii. food, let him do likewise." 2 Again, " Give, and it shall be given unto you : good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they 38. give into your bosom." 3 Another of these far-reaching principles was addressed to His apostles on the first occasion they were sent out to preach : " Freely ye have received, s freely give." k And our Lord enunciated one other principle, which, in its own sphere, has no parallel in the literature of the world, and which, though not recorded in the gospels, seems to have been a household word among the early Christians, so that it sufficed for an apostle to enjoin upon the elders of the Church at Ephesus to " remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more 35- blessed to give than to receive." 5 Besides the foregoing exhortations on giving generally, our Lord expressly enjoined upon His followers the habit of giving as a religious duty. " Sell that ye have," said He, " and give 33- alms." * Nevertheless, the giving was to be no mere per- functory distribution of money, irrespective of the motive by which it was prompted. The giving CHRIST ON TITHING AND BENEFICENCE 119 of alms and doing righteousness, in order to be acceptable in the sight of God, was, He taught, not to be done ostentatiously, so as to be seen by men, but rather so unobtrusively that one's left hand was not to know what the right hand was doing.* i Matt. YL 1-4. Nor was a gift to be offered on the altar by a man at variance with his brother ; but rather, the gift should be left before the altar, and a reconciliation be first effected." 3 Matt.vi. a3 - Neither, again, was- almsgiving to be done with a view to reciprocal favours : "When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbours ; lest haply they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, bid the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and thou shalt be blessed : because they have not wherewith to recompense thee : for thou shalt be recompensed in the resurrection of the just." 3 sLukexiv.i 2 -i 4 . As a further encouragement to such almsgiving and righteousness, the Lord Jesus taught, in effect, that such good deeds thus done would be taken as done to Himself; " 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 Me : I was sick, and ye visited Me : I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. . . . Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these My brethren, even these least, ye did it unto Me." 4 k Matt - xxv - 3S< As for the amount, scale, or proportion in which alms were to be devoted, no gift, Jesus implied, could be too small, if worthily offered : for a cup 120 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE of cold water only, given in the name of a disciple, jMatt. x. 42. was in no wise to go unrewarded. 1 But, whatever may be lawfully inferred as to the religious value of gifts of intrinsically small worth, it is quite clear that it was not intended as a standard for those who ought to give more ; inasmuch as we have already seen that the teaching of Christ, as recorded in the gospels, enjoins an almost lavish system of beneficence. Indeed, there seems to be no limit to the claim which Christ made upon His followers as to the consecration to Himself of their persons and their possessions, saying, " He that loveth [not merely his money, but even] father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me : and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy t Matt. x. 37 . of Me." 3 In contrast to (or shall we not say in fulfilment of?) the legal spirit of the Old Testament, which named the proportion in which men should contri- bute of their substance to God, Jesus Christ bade His followers to seek first and before all else God's kingdom and His righteousness, promising that all such things as food and clothing should be s Matt. vi. 33 . added to them. 3 Moreover, they were not to lay up for themselves treasure upon the earth, but to lay u Matt. vi. 19-20. up for themselves treasure in heaven/ Hence when the rich young ruler asked the Lord what he should do to inherit eternal life, the answer was : " Sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto ^ivutt. xix. 16- the p Oor> an( j thou shalt have treasure in heaven." 5 If this seems to us a hard test, we may remember that it was not asking more than was implied on CHRIST ON TITHING AND BENEFICENCE 121 two other occasions, on one of which our Lord called the people unto Him with His disciples, and said to them all, " If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me," 1 a saying that was afterwards i Matt. xvi. 24 . repeated with even more stringent conditions when there went great multitudes with Jesus, and He turned and said unto them, " If any man cometh unto Me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple." 2 2 Luke x iv. 25-6 It follows, then, that if a man is required to give up, when necessary, such persons and things as are by an ordinary person most valued of all, a man's money may not be excepted from this general surrender. Matthew, at all events, did not treat such terms as merely figurative, when, called by the Lord Jesus, " he left all, rose up, and followed Him." 3 3 Luke v. 28. But, it may be asked, did not our Lord denounce the Pharisees ? The reply is, " Yes, on several grounds, but not as regards their tithe-paying." When they rejected a plain command of God such as to honour father and mother, and quoted a traditional interpretation which allowed a man to escape from this duty as such by saying that his money was Corban (or a gift to God), this, Christ pointed out, was making void the word of God by reducing what was a matter of obligation to one of free will. In view of such perversions of scripture as this, 122 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE Jesus bade His disciples to beware of the leaven jLukexii. i. of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy/ But no dis- approval was expressed with the Pharisee who went up to the temple to pray, because he said, " I 3 Luke xviii. I2 . give tithes of all that I possess." 3 His fault lay in trusting in himself that he was righteous, and in his contempt for others. So again, in that chapter of repeated woes, one of them reads : " Woe unto you scribes and Phari- sees, hypocrites, for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, s Matt. xxiu. 23. and cummin," 3 which is in keeping with the Mishna, wherein Rabbi Simeon, son of Gamaliel, was of opinion that little buds or sprays of fennel and iSr n o a th, mustard were liable to tithe. 4 Schwab, vol. HI. But what then? Did the Lord disapprove of this minute tithing ? Far from it, for He expressed approval, and said, " These ought ye to have done." Besides which, it should be remembered that the eight woes pronounced upon these religion- ists, are prefaced by the Lord's own statement ; " The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, 5Matt.xxiii.2-3. that observe and do." 5 Here then, certainly, is expressed our Lord's approval of tithe-paying, and, up to a certain point, of the teaching of the Pharisees thereon, even when that teaching seems to have been coloured with rabbinical interpretations such as could not be so minutely deduced from the laws of the Pentateuch only. We do well further to remember, that our Lord was conversant with certain, at least, of the traditions CHRIST ON TITHING AND BENEFICENCE 123 now found in the Miskna, for He sometimes used its arguments in vindication of His conduct and teaching, as, for instance, when His disciples on the Sabbath plucked ears of corn and rubbed them in their hands, Jesus rebutted the charge brought against them by quoting a maxim of the Pharisees, " The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." 1 !d&h Amongst a class of men such as the Pharisees, Mccunt 5 k vui. possessing such wide divergences of character and ?2 ' views,* our Lord undoubtedly had many enemies ; but there must have been some of them with whom He had much in common, and who were friendly, for we are told that certain of the Pharisees (and these seemingly with goodwill) came to warn Him " Get Thee out, and depart hence, for Herod will kill Thee." 2 fLnk.xni.3. We know, too, that Jesus accepted hospitality, as we have already noticed, from a Pharisee, eating with one at Nam/ 5 and afterwards entering the s Luke v. 3 6. house of one of their chiefs to eat bread on the Sabbath/ Besides these instances, we may reason- * Luke xiv - * * The Talmud says there were seven varieties of Pharisees : (i) The Shechemite Pharisee, who kept the law for what he could profit thereby. (2) The tumbling Pharisee, who hung down his head with feigned humility and frequently stumbled. (3) The bleeding Pharisee, who, in order not to look on a woman, closed his eyes, and so some- times injured himself even to incurring bleeding wounds. (4) The Pharisee who wore a mortar-shaped cap to cover his eyes from beholding impurity. (5) The what-am-I-yet-to-do Pharisee, who, not knowing much of the law, and having done one thing, asked, " What next?" (6) The Pharisee impelled by fear. (7) The Pharisee actuated by love, who obeyed the Lord because he loved Him with all his heart (McClintock, viii. 72, referring to Mishna-Babylon ; Sota, "iib : Jerusalem, Berachoth, cap. ix.). 124 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE 1 John iii. i 50 ; xix. 39. 3 i Kingsxvii. i ably suppose that our Lord was on intimate terms with Nicodemus, who was a man of the Pharisees, a ruler of the Jews/ These remarks, then, may suggest, in relation to our subject of tithe-paying, that it was in matters of conduct, rather than of principle, that Jesus found so much to criticize in dealing with the Pharisees. The Pharisee who invited our Lord to dine was surprised that Jesus did not first wash, as no doubt the host himself had done, after having seen that what he was about to eat had been duly tithed. But the Lord said : " Rather give alms as you are able, and behold all things are clean unto you." * s But, passing now from the Pharisees, and our Lord's teaching in connection with them, we may notice three persons, all of them large givers in proportion to their incomes, who offered to God more than the utmost requirement of the law as to tithes, and each of whom was specially com- mended by Christ. It looks at first somewhat hard that the poor widow of Sarepta, who possessed only a handful of meal and a little oil in a cruse, should have been called upon to contribute to the support of the Lord's prophet ; but she gave largely, and Jesus commended her as having received greater honour than all the widows who were in Israel. 3 Again, the crowds called Zaccheus the publican * I have wondered whether our Lord had this Pharisaic tithing in mind when, after a warning against covetousness, and uttering the parable of the rich fool, Jesus added : " Seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind " [that is as to tithing], but rather "sell that ye have and give alms" (Luke xii. 15, 28-9, 33). CHRIST ON TITHING AND BENEFICENCE 125 " a sinner." But even if he were an Am-ha-aretz, and not instructed in rabbinical tithing, he never- theless gave half of his income to the poor, and the Lord Jesus called him "a son of Abraham," and was a guest in his house. 2 ;Lukexix. 9 . Yet another instance. When the Lord sat over against the treasury, and afterwards commended a certain poor widow who cast two mites therein, it was not because she paid her tenth (as did many of the rich, no doubt), nor because she paid a fourth (as the covetous Pharisees would do), neither because her demai, or doubtful tithe, had been paid, nor because (Zaccheus-like) she gave a half, but rather because she cast in all that she had, even all her living. 2 *Markxu. 4 .. How, then, shall we summarize these remarks on tithes and offerings in the days of our Lord, and His relation thereto ? All must allow that tithe-paying was enjoined upon the Jews, by God, in the law ; and we all contend that Jesus Christ, as a Jew, kept that law to the letter ; therefore the inference seems inevit- able (and we have found not a tittle of evidence to the contrary) that the Lord Jesus Himself paid tithes.* Nor does He appear to have expected less than this of His disciples. He knew perfectly well that a Pharisee was called upon to spend some- * Here, of course, we cannot dogmatize, for we do not know what means of livelihood our Lord had at His disposal. But even if we think of Him as dependent on alms, we may remember that the Demai chapter of the Mishna directs that the poor man who received pieces of bread, or fragments of fig-cake, should tithe each pie*ce separately. See p. 101. 126 THE TIHTE IN SCRIPTURE thing like a fourth of his income for religious and charitable purposes, notwithstanding which, Jesus told His disciples that unless their righteousness exceeded the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, they should in no case enter into the i Matt. v. 20. kingdom of heaven. 1 Jesus Christ did not promulgate afresh for Chris- tians, as from a New Testament Sinai, the law against murder, or adultery, or any other law ; but to show the binding and spiritual nature of the Mosaic law, and its far-reaching principles, He taught that these commandments may be broken by an angry word, or even a sinful look. Neither, again, did the Lord re-enact that His followers should pay a patriarchal tithe, a Levitical tithe, a festival tithe, a poor's tithe, a demai tithe, or any other ; but so far was He from repealing the law concerning tithes, or lowering God's claims on pro- perty, that He set before those who would be His followers a more complete fulfilment of God's law ; and an ideal more lofty by far, leaving enshrined in the memories of His hearers those remarkable words "It is more blessed to give than to * Acts xx, 3S . receive;" 2 and proclaiming to each of His would- be followers, " Whosoever he be of you that for- saketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My a Luke xiv. 33 . disciple. " 5 CHAPTER XII EARLY CHRISTIAN GIVING Community of goods and money among the first disciples, 127. Wholeheartedness of Barnabas, and fraud of Ananias, 128. Apostolic organization of charity, 129. Alms of Tabitha, and of Cornelius, 130. Peter's relation to rabbinical tithe-paying, 131. Grecian Jews at Antioch sending alms by Barnabas, 132. Tithe-paying not rescinded at first Council at Jerusalem, 133. First missionaries enjoined to "remember the poor," 134. Paul acting as almoner, 134. IN previous chapters we have brought under review various laws relating to tithes and offerings as recorded in the Pentateuch ; after which we looked for further light from the working of those laws in the remaining books of the Old Testament. In like manner, having studied in the Gospels the example and teaching of the Founder of Christianity in relation to tithes and religious beneficence, we have now to investigate what further instruction is given upon our subject by the remaining books of the New Testament. Fifty days after our Lord's resurrection the Holy Spirit was sent down, and St. Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost is scarcely ended when, almost immediately, we read of the first Christians 127 128 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE that they devoted to the calls of their new religion, not merely one or more tenths of their property, but that each gave his all ; for " all that believed were together, and had all things common ; and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted i A S a. 44.5. them to all, according as every man had need." 1 Again, in the following chapter of the same book, we see Peter and John going up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, of whom a lame man solicited alms. Peter apparently recognized at once the propriety (not to say the duty) of helping the poor ; but having neither silver nor gold, he gave such as he had, and that was, in the name of Jesus Christ, to bid the lame man walk. A commotion ensued, which led to the imprison- ment of Peter and John ; but so far was this from diminishing the zeal and self-denial of the newly formed body of Christians that " The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul : and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own ; but they had all things common. . . . Neither was there among them any that lacked : for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet; and distribution was made unto each, according as any one t Acts iv. 32-5. had need." 2 One of these more than princely givers was Barnabas, a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race, who, having a field, sold it, and brought the money and s Acts iv. 3 6, 37- laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 This good example provoked probably the zeal of many, and perhaps EARLY CHRISTIAN GIVING 129 the envy of some ; for Ananias also, with his wife Sapphira, sold a possession, but kept back part of the price. They then laid the remainder at the apostles' feet/ as if they were giving the whole, i Acts v . i. thus enacting one lie before uttering other two to cover the first with what a sad result we know. The recorded incident, however, is instructive as showing that the wholesale giving up of property by these early believers was not compulsory, this land being regarded as their own, whether in their possession or after it was turned into money. As believers were added to the Lord, there came also " a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks and them which were vexed with unclean spirits." 2 Nor did the * Acts v. 14-16. sick appeal to the apostles in vain ; for they were healed every one, and in all probability they were, in many cases, also relieved by alms. We soon learn, in fact, that there had been a church provision made for the relief of the needy, and this is suggested by the murmuring of the Gentile Christians against the Jewish Christians, because the widows of the former had been in some way neglected at the daily ministration, or distribution, of church money or similar provision. Upon this, the apostles, calling together the mass of the disciples, pointed out that it was not reasonable that the twelve should leave preaching and ministerial work to serve "tables" a phrase including, no doubt, the distribution of alms ; whereupon seven officers were appointed to attend 9 130 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE to this department ; the church thereby recognizing it as one of her duties to care for and distribute i- 3 . alms to the poor and needy .^ Not that the officers of the church, however, were ready to receive money from all and every source ; for when Simon Magus offered money to Peter and John, saying, " Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands he may receive the Holy Ghost," Peter said unto him, 2 Acts viii. 18-20. " Thy silver perish with thee." * Then, we are told, the Christians throughout Palestine (that is Judea, Galilee, and Samaria) had peace, being edified ; and our attention is drawn specifically to the case of Tabitha, who was reported to be full of good works and almsdeeds, such as the making of coats and garments, presumably for the poor s Acts ix. 36-9. and needy. 3 On the death of Tabitha, Peter was called to Joppa, and Tabitha was raised to life again. After this we have an instance of Gentile giving ; for whilst the apostle remained at Joppa, a vision was vouchsafed to a man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band called the Italian cohort, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people. " Thy prayers and thine alms," said the divine messenger who appeared to him, " are gone up for a memorial before God. And now send AActsx.i-s. men to Joppa and fetch . . . Peter." 4 Precisely at the same time the apostle, whilst praying on the housetop at Joppa, saw in a vision living creatures let down from heaven, and also EARLY CHRISTIAN GIVING 131 heard a voice saying to him, "Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord ; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." 1 Nevertheless, Peter went to Caesarea, i Acts x. 9 -i 4 . and, addressing Cornelius and his friends, said, "Ye yourselves know that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation." 2 Notwithstanding, * Acts x.8. they invited Peter to tarry with them certain days, which he did. For this ecclesiastical irregularity, when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, the Jewish Christians contended with him, saying, " Thou wentest in to men uncircumcized, and didst eat with them." Whereupon Peter justifies his conduct, relating his vision, in the course of which he calmly repeats to the apostles and brethren his reply to the divine message, " Not so, Lord ; for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my mouth." 3 sActsx.. i-s. These words, read in the light of a previous chapter,* might suggest that Peter had been all ASeep. 108. his life a strict tithe-payer, because, if he had so scrupulously observed the higher law (as the rabbis deemed it) concerning ceremonial purity, and not being the guest of, or entertaining, ah outsider, it goes without saying that he would have observed what they regarded as the lower vow (that is, con- cerning tithes), and so have paid and expended annually for religious purposes a fourth, or there- abouts, of his income. We are not told that the apostle Peter belonged, or had belonged, to the party of the Pharisees; but T32 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE in the present instance he seems to speak like one. Not, however, that the Pharisees alone were careful to avoid ceremonial defilement. The reason why the captors of Jesus would not go into the Gentile judgment hall of Pilate was that they might not i john xviii. 9 8. thereby be rendered unclean * ; and we read that " all the Jews, except they wash their hands up to the elbow, eat not, holding the tradition of the Markvii. 3 . elders." 2 The words, too, of Peter to Cornelius imply that it was unlawful for any Jew to be guest with an outsider. Thus far, then, we have been dealing with Christian practice and principle in almsgiving and beneficence in Palestine, among the Jews, until Peter, preaching to Cornelius, opened the door of entry to the Christian Church to the Gentiles. We read, however, " They therefore that were scattered abroad, upon the tribulation that arose about Stephen, travelled as far as Phenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, but preaching Christianity to s Acts xi. i 9 . none but Jews." 3 Meanwhile, certain men of Cyprus and Cyrene spake to the Grecian Jews at Antioch, where Barnabas and Saul taught for a whole year. Here the disciples were first called Christians, the one practical feature of their Christianity mentioned, being that " the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren that dwelt in Judea, which also they did, sending it A Acts xi. 20-30. to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul."* Then, Barnabas and Saul, having accomplished 5Actsxii. 25. this labour of love, 5 went back to Antioch, where, EARLY CHRISTIAN GIVING 133 not long after, certain men came down from Judea, and taught the brethren that they ought to be circumcized. A deputation, therefore, was sent to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders ; and it is in connection with the conference that followed we read that some, at least, of the Jewish Christians at Jerusalem, especially those who had been Pharisees,* had thought it needful that the Gentile i ACU xv. 5 . converts should be circumcized, and that they should be charged to keep (presumably in its entirety) the law of Moses, which would include, of course, spending a considerable portion of their incomes for religious purposes. Moreover, it was not ex- Pharisees alone who were of this opinion, for, later on, we read of the Christians at Jerusalem saying to Paul, " Thou seest, brother, how many [myriads or tens of] thousands of Jews there are which believe, and they are all zealous [for the observance] of the laW." 3 SActsxxi. 20 This zeal for the law no doubt included the payment of tithes, which practice was, at that very moment, in full force, presumably, by these tens of thousands of converts, and so continued for many years afterwards, as witnessed by Josephus A.D. 67. 3 ss eep . 106. Accordingly, neither here nor throughout the Acts of the Apostles is any exception mentioned con- cerning tithes and offerings, as if they were obsolete, or the law concerning them rescinded. Passing now from St. Luke's testimony in the Acts of the Apostles, to that of other writers of the New Testament, we find the author of the Epistle 134 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE to the Hebrews urging Christians "to do good i Heb. xiii. 16. and to communicate," 1 these words including a duty, no doubt, as Dr. A. B. Davidson puts it, to " impart of their substance, to minister to the HandbooSn necessities of those in want or in affliction." 2 So Hebrews xiii. l6 . alsQ ^ j^ ^ j^ ^ ^^ puts before his readers this far-reaching question : " Whoso hath this world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, s i John in. i 7 . how doth the love of God abide in him ? " 3 whilst the apostle James asks very practically, "If a brother or sister be naked, and in lack of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled : and yet ye give them not the things needful for the body ; what doth it *j.ii. 13-16. profit?" 4 It is in accordance, therefore, with these prin- ciples, that we see the early Christians did not stint to give for, among other things, the relief of the needy ; and so, when Paul and Barnabas were sent to the heathen, the one practical injunction mentioned as laid on them was, " that we should remember the poor ; which very thing," says Paul, 5Gai.ii. .0. "I was also zealous to do." 5 How peculiarly zealous he was we have already seen, in his bearing the alms of the Christians from e Acts xi. 3 o. Antioch to the famishing brethren at Jerusalem.* Moreover, this was not the last time of Paul's acting as almoner ; for, when writing to the Romans, this great apostle says : "I go unto Jerusalem, ministering unto the saints, for it hath been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia EARLY CHRISTIAN GIVING 135 to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints that are at Jerusalem. "* And again, in i Rom. xv . his speech before Felix, the apostle stated that, after some years, the cause that took him to Jerusalem was to convey to his nation alms and offerings/ all which, together with what has been 2 Acts xxiv. previously said, tends to show that the first Christians, whether converted from Judaism or heathenism, looked upon right giving, to say the least, as an important part of right living. CHAPTER XIII ST. PAUL'S TEACHING AND PERSONAL EXAMPLE Paul's injunctions about raising church funds, 136. His instructions to Galatians, Corinthians, and Philippians about giving, 137. Paul's application of Mosaic claims to Christians, 138. Is the law con- cerning tithe abrogated ? 138. Paul's example, and instructions to Corinthians and Ephesians concerning almsgiving and hospitality, 141. The proper recipients of Christian almsgiving, 142. Paul's own standard as to giving, 144. Retrospect of entire field of reve- lation as to tithe-paying and benevolence, 146. Denial of God's claim to a portion of income equivalent to spiritual anarchy, 148. F ROM the foregoing instances of Paul's minis- tering to the needs of Christians, let us pass to his teaching on the subject of monetary obliga- tions, given to the churches which he founded among the Gentiles. In the churches of Corinth and of Galatia, when on a certain occasion money was needed for the saints (that is, apparently, the poor of the church of Jerusalem), the apostle, with a founder's authority, directed or gave order : " Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay Cor. xvi. 2 . by him in store, as he may prosper." 1 Here four things may be noticed about this method of raising a charitable fund : i. It seems to be assumed that every one would give. 136 ST. PAUL'S PERSONAL EXAMPLE 137 2. Givings were to be stored beforehand. 3. Giving was to have reference to prosperity. 4. Giving, or laying by, was to be exercised every Lord's day. And it should be observed that some- times collections, enjoined by the apostle, were on behalf of Christians outside the churches in which the contributions were made. Other instructions upon giving, taught by Paul to his Galatian converts, seem to occur in con- nection with their support of the ministry, for he says : " Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived ; God is not mocked : for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." J * Gai. vi. 6, 7 . In addressing the Christians at Corinth Paul entered more fully into the right of Christian ministers to the support of the faithful ; 2 whilst to * * cor. xvi. ,. the Christians at Rome, his words on the subject of almsgiving may serve as a broad general principle for all churches. " If the Gentiles have been made partakers of their [the Christian Jews'] spiritual things, they [the Gentiles] owe it to them [the Christian Jews] also to minister unto them in carnal things." 3 3Rom. xv. 27 . The Christians of Philippi, likewise, may be mentioned in this connection, their liberality being recognized by the apostle, who wrote that " in the beginning of the Gospel no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving, but ye only : for even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my need." A A Phih iv ' I5 ~' 7 ' 138 THE SACRED TENTH There were other churches where, for good reasons, Paul chose to forego personal remunera- iiCoT.ix.ii. tion, 1 but he did not thereby give up his right thereto ; for, with the Corinthian Christians, he argues thus : " Have we no right to eat and to drink ? . . . What soldier ever serveth at his own charges ? . . . If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things ? . . . Know ye not that they which minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they which wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar ? Even so did the Lord ordain that they which proclaim the Gospel should live of the i cor. ix. 4-14. Gospel." 2 Here the apostle seems to have in mind two sources of maintenance for the Jewish priesthood. The one probably included tithes brought to the 3 Neh. x. 37.40. storehouse of the temple, 3 and the other consisted of those portions of the sacrifices which were brought u Deut. xviii. 3 to the altar and retained by the priest, 4 as signified by the words : " They which wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar." Some may contend, however, that the law was abrogated under the Gospel. If so, how much of the law, and in what sense ? Is the law so abrogated as that we may now, at our pleasure, murder, lie, and steal ? * * The Rev. Watts Ditchfield, a vicar whom I know in Bethnal Green, was calling on a shoemaker, who declared he would not come to church to hear the Commandments read, for, said he, " The Ten Com- mandments were long ago abolished." To argue, the vicar judged to be just then undesirable ; but, acting on a sudden thought, he said, " Oh ! I am very glad the eighth commandment is abolished, for I am just now in want of a pair of boots, and I think these are my ST. PAUL'S PERSONAL EXAMPLE 139 Have we not already seen that Christ came to fulfil the law to confirm it to the least iota ? 1 and i Matt. v. , 7 fulfilling is the perfecting, not the destruction, of anything. Hence the payment of tithes and offer- ings applicable to the support of the ministry, and to other religious and charitable works, is clearly the duty of Christians, unless it can be shown that Christ repealed God's law previously promulgated. And this, as Leslie writes * : Tu edition, p. 8 " He never did, but rather confirmed it by approving the tithe payments of the Pharisees, and by ordaining that they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. Some would have the Gospel merely eleemosynary nothing due, but all freewill offerings. But was this so in the Temple ? I trow not : for though there were freewill offerings, there were also tithes and other offerings, the with- holding of which was counted as robbery. Moreover, if the ministers of the Temple were sure of at least a tenth, whilst the ministers of the Gospel are not sure of a hundredth part of some men's incomes, where is the truth or appropriateness of the apostle's comparison ? " Besides, what was it that the Lord ordained ? That every man should give just what he pleased ? - This men could do without any ordinance being issued to that end. That which leaves every man perfectly at his own liberty is no law at all ; and size." Whereupon he picked up a pair as he spoke, and hurried out of the shop with the boots under his arm. The shoemaker soon followed : and never afterwards raised objections to the reading of the Commandments. (From the Quarterly Letter of the Nawy Mission Society, December, 1902, p. 2.) Would that all who for excuse argue that the law is abolished, and so try to evade their responsibility as to setting aside a proportion of their income for God, could be thus quickly convinced ! 1 40 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE if every man were left thus to act, Christ ordained what amounted to nothing.* The great apostle of the Gentiles therefore seems to lay down two great principles : one, that tithes and offerings of the faithful are due for the further- ance of the Gospel ; the other, that every one should lay up in store, on Sunday, in proportion to his income, so as to have a fund from which distribution may be made as needed : for, con- cerning the support of ministers and the support of the poor, Mr. Rigby justly says, " Both are duties, under the New Testament as under the Old, but each for a different design, and a different significance, and one should never be confounded with the other. 1 In addition to the passages already considered, there are other points concerning Christian giving which occur here and there in the writings of the apostle Paul. * The Rev. Richard Duke, of Stirling, Ontario, an earnest advocate of tithe-paying, in support of his conviction that the tithe law is binding upon Christians, argues thus : 1. It is a principle in jurisprudence that when the reasons which originated a law continue to operate, and there is no explicit repeal of the law, the law remains in force. And this principle appears to have the lucidity and force of an axiom. . . . 2. That which passed away was the symbolical and figurative. Tithing was neither one nor the other, but a duty issuing from the moral law, which is of perpetual force. 3. True, there is no formal re-enactment of the law of the tithe. But why should such a formal re-enactment be looked for ? The law had not become obsolete ; it was not indifferently observed. On the contrary it was conspicuously honoured in the observance. Similarly there is no formal re-enactment of the Sabbath law ; but Christians recognize the law respecting the seventh of time, and by a parity of reasoning should recognize the law respecting the tenth of substance. The Christian Guardian, Toronto, Jan. 13, 1904, p. 9. ST. PAUL'S PERSONAL EXAMPLE 141 The Lord Jesus led His disciples to expect hospitality, even as Martha and Mary, Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, ministered of their substance unto Himself. 1 So, again, when the Lord sent out the * L^ viii. 3 . seventy, He said : " Into whatsoever house ye shall enter ... in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give : for the labourer is worthy of his hire." 2 *Luk ex . i- 7 . Accordingly, the Apostle Paul frequently accepted hospitality from his converts. For instance, we read that Lydia, " when she was baptized and her household, she besought us, saying If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there ; " which, evidently, Paul and Silas did, since, after their imprisonment (during which the Philippian jailor was converted, and set bread before them) the two evangelists went out of the prison and entered into the house of Lydia. 3 J o Actsxvi - I 5. 34 So, again, at Puteoli, Paul and his companion found brethren, and were entreated to tarry with them seven days. 4 i> Acts xxviu. i 4 . In keeping with these instances Paul urges Christians to the practice of hospitality and alms- giving ; and, in the same breath with such lofty precepts as " continuing stedfastly in prayer," he adds, " communicating to the necessities of the saints, given to hospitality." 5 In fact, so full J Rom - xii - 12 ~ is he of this subject that, when writing to the Corinthian Christians, he breaks off in the middle of a sentence to say, " Ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and 1 42 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE that they have set themselves to minister unto 1 1 cor. xvi. i 5 . the saints." 1 Also to these same believers in Corinth he makes known the grace of God given in the churches of Macedonia : " How that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For according to their power I bear witness, yea, and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, beseeching us with much entreaty in regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints," after which the apostle adds, " See that ye abound in this s 2 Cor. viii. 1-4, grace also." 2 To the Christians in Ephesus he gives the following highly practical exhortation : " Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labour ; " and to this Christian end, not merely that he may support himself, but " that he may have whereof sEph. iv. 28. to give to him that hath need." 3 Also to Timothy, Paul says : " Charge them that are rich . . . [not to] have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches ; but . . . that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, and willing to com- A g i Tim. vi. , 7 - mun j cate h If next we proceed to ask for the classes of persons on whose behalf Christian giving is thus called for, we find the apostle directing, concerning ministers : " Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially those who 5 1 Tim. v. i 7 . labour in the word and in teaching." 5 And again : " Let him that is taught in the word communicate e Gai. vi. 6. unto him that teacheth in all good things." 6 ST. PAULS PERSONAL EXAMPLE 143 There are also the claims of the poor generally, amongst whom the Christian poor are to have the first place : " Do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." 1 * Gai. vi. 10. Also widows are mentioned ; and that, in connec- tion with the first information we have concerning the distribution of church bounty ; 2 whilst, in general * *<* vi. i. terms, the apostle more than once mentions, as a suitable object for alms, the supplying of the necessities of the saints. 3 5?iiJ t To these may be added the call for hospitality to I3< strangers; 4 helping poor relations ; 5 and assistance J to foreign missionaries, " because for His name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles." 6 e 3 John 7 . Just as we noticed, however, from the teaching of the Lord Jesus, that true Christian almsgiving was something more than mere giving of money, so we observe several like precepts on this subject from the apostle's pen ; as, for instance, when he tells the Corinthians 7 that though he bestowed all his 7 * Cor - xiii - a- goods to feed the poor, and had not love, it would profit him nothing. Also he enjoins upon the Romans : " He that giveth, let him do it with singleness [or liberality]"; 8 and Paul treats on 8 Rom - xii - 8 - the footing of an ordinance of God, the payment even of Imperial taxes, saying, " Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers . . . Render to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour." 9 Rom. xiii. i- 7 . But it is in writing to the Christians of rich, 144 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE mercantile Corinth that the apostle enlarges most concerning this duty of ministering to the saints. He praises their readiness to give, telling them he gloried thereof to the Christians of Macedonia, and that their zeal had stirred up many. The Corinth- ians' subscriptions, however, though promised, do not appear to have been so promptly paid ; and hence, some of the brethren were sent on in advance, to make up their afore-promised bounty, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty 1 2 cor. ix. 1-5. and not of compulsion. 1 After this their spiritual father continues : "He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly ; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart ; not grudgingly, or of * 2 cor. ix. 6, 7 . necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver." 2 This he supports by a Scriptural quotation, and then proceeds to state how " the ministration of this service, not only filled up the measure of the wants of the saints, but abounded also through many s 2 cor. ix. i 2 . thanksgivings unto God." 3 Such, then, were the general principles concerning monetary obligations as taught by the apostle Paul ; but we may fail to appreciate them adequately unless we remember the force of his own example, for he did not preach what he did not practice, nor lay upon others a yoke which he himself would not carry. He enjoined, indeed, that if any believing man or woman had widowed daughters, they should be u i Tim. v. 16. relieved, rather than the Church be burdened ; k but ST. PAULS PERSONAL EXAMPLE 145 with what perfect propriety could Paul say this, seeing that when it helped to the furtherance of the gospel, he was willing to forego even his rights of maintenance. Moreover, in trying to gauge the mind of the apostle and his ideas on the subject generally, it should not be forgotten that Paul was both a Pharisee, yea, and the son of a Pharisee. From his youth, therefore, he had doubtless been accustomed to dedicate a fourth or more of his income to God, and we refuse to suppose that he would look at his obligations from a less honest or self-denying point of view after he became a Christian. With all delicacy he asked the Corinthians, " Did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God for nought? I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, that I might minister unto you: and when I was present with you, and was in want, I was not a burden on any man." 1 1 * Cor. xi. 7 - 9 And the same true servant of God could say to the elders of Ephesus, " I coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me." 2 Acts XX . 34 . Can we, then, imagine, for a moment, that Paul the apostle was, as a Christian man, less zealous in the observance of his obligations in money matters, than was Saul the Pharisee in obedience to the law ? Tithe-paying, indeed, was a principal factor of his former righteousness, which was under the law. But what things, then, were gain to 10 146 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE him, those he counted loss for Christ Jesus his Lord, for whom he was ready to suffer the loss of i Phii. in. 6-8. all things; 2 thereby reminding us of his Master's words: "Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh sLukexiv.33- not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple." 2 Having now examined our subject in the light of the remaining books of the New Testament, this seems to be a suitable point from whence to pass under review the way by which we have traversed the entire field of revelation. The first religious act recorded of the brothers Cain and Abel, was a recognition of their duty to offer to God a portion of their substance ; and the fact that so many early nations are known to have set apart a tenth, or more, of their property whereby to honour their gods, indicates strongly, even if historical Scriptures had been silent, that this proportion must have been taught, as a primeval ch s x- c 4 r . ed Tenth> law, by God 3 ; and the practice of some at least of the patriarchs is in harmony with this inference. But however this may be, it is quite clear that one, or more, tenths of income, to be expended for religious and charitable purposes, were claimed by God of His chosen people Israel, amongst whom His laws concerning tithes would appear to have been put in operation from, at any rate, the settle- ment in Canaan to the time of Judah's deportation to Babylonia. On the return of the Jews from exile, the code of the Pentateuch was still recognized as the proper standard of religious obligation ; this code, ST. PAUL'S PERSONAL EXAMPLE 147 in the centuries immediately succeeding, being greatly amplified in detail by the traditional inter- pretations of the rabbis ; so that when Christianity appeared in Palestine, tithe-paying was mixed up continuously and inseparably with almost every important act in the life of a religious Jew. Inasmuch, then, as Jesus Christ was born at such a time, and in such a country, and in a Jewish family where the law was strictly observed, there can be no doubt that He grew up a tithe- payer ; nor did His enemies attempt to charge Him with a breach of the law under this head, nor with neglect of the payment of religious or ecclesiastical dues. In His teaching, moreover, Jesus Christ never professed to repeal, abridge, or contract the law, which He emphatically said He came not to destroy, but to fulfil. He not only expressed approval of a minute payment of tithes, which, in the whole, amounted probably to a fourth of a Pharisee's income, but told His own disciples that their righteousness ought to exceed that of the Pharisees; and, as if that were not enough, He claimed from His followers a devotion of heart, life, and property, such as should exceed the love of all that a man holds dearest on earth. And the practice of the first Christians was in harmony with such teaching ; for in some instances they gave up their possessions to a common fund ; whilst in the case of the apostle Paul we see a true Christian servant content to forego, for his Master's sake, his rightful claims for remuneration, whilst 148 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE exhorting those whom he addressed, that, having food and raiment, they ought to be therewith content. 1 It seems clear, then, in the light of revelation, and from the practice of, perhaps, all ancient nations, that the man who denies God's claim to a portion of the wealth that comes to his hands, is much akin to a spiritual anarchist ; whilst he who so apportions less than a tenth of his income or increase is condemned by Scripture as a robber. Indeed, if in the days of Malachi not to pay tithe was counted robbery, can a Christian who with- holds the tenth be now, any more than then counted honest towards God ? RIGHT GIVING IS A PART OF RIGHT LIVING. THE LIVING IS NOT RIGHT WHEN THE GIVING IS WRONG. THE GIVING IS WRONG WHEN WE STEAL GOD*S PORTION TO SPEND ON OURSELVES. INDEX OF TEXTS ILLUSTRATED OR REFERRED TO. GENESIS. NUMBERS. JUDGES. CHAP. PAGE CHAP. PAGE CHAP. PAGE iv. 3 7 8 xviii 48 ii. 2 c "54 21 . . vii. 2 . . . 21 . 10 214 . - 25 268 . . 26 n VI. 10, 28. xi. 31 . . J^ 55 55 xii. 7, 8 . . II xiii. 1 6 . . 55 xiii. 1 8 . . . II DEUTERONOMY. xvi. 23 . . 55 xiv. i . . 21 . . . 21 . 16 iv. 28 ... 34 xii. 6, 7 . . 28 xvii. 6 . . 8 . . 54 54 xv. 9 . . xxvi. 5 . . . II . 20 17, 18 . . 28 XX. I, 2 . . 26, 27 . 55 55 25 . . xxviii. 20 2 . . II . 17 227 . . 26 i SAMUEL 22 . . xxxiii. 1 8 . . 20 . . 50 . II . II 28 ... 31 289 . 30, 31 i. 21 . . ii. 13, 14 . 56 xxxv. i, 6, 14 xxxviii. 24 . . . II . 20 xv. i, 2, 9 . . 40 7, 8, 10 . 42 xvi. 3, 13, 16 . 27 vi. 4, 5 15 . vii. 2, 3 .' 56 57 EXODUS. 10, 1 1 . . 40 9 17 xiii. 2 . . xxii. 29 . . 29, 30 XXV. I . . xxx. 13 . . 1114 xxxvi. 7 . . 39 38 39 41 67 39 . 41 16, 17 . . 41 xvin. 3 . . .138 16, 17 . . 39 xxiii. 21 3 . . 42 xxiv. 19 21 . 38 xxvi. i ii . . 9 2 II . . 46 viii. 1517 ix. 7 . . 12 . . xi. 15 . . xvi. 5 . . xx. 629 . xxi. 9 . . 57 57 : Ii : 11 3 45 xxxi. 10 . . . 58 LEVITICUS k . 5 ... 45 V. 2 10 . vii. 6 10 . 8 . 29 . 29 "yr\ 13 . . 96,99 1315 . 46 14 ... 96 2 SAMUEL. vi. 13 . . 59 xix. 9 . . 9,10 . 23, 24 . ' # 37 JOSHUA, v 53 viii. II 12 i KINGS. 59 xxii. i, 21, 23 4i vui. 302 . . 53 iii. 4 . . . 60 XXV. 2O 2 . . 3i 35 ... 53 v. 1318 . 61 xxvii. 9, 28 . 43 xiii. 714 . . 54 viii. 5 . . . 61 303 24,48 xxi. 1,2 . . 53 63-5. . 61 149 INDEX OF TEXTS CHAP. PAGE CHAP. PAGE TO BIT. ix. 25 ... xii. 4 ... 61 62 xvii. 7 10 . . xxiv. 2 7 . . 64 66 CHAP. PAGE i. 3 16 . . 79 32 ... 63 414 . . 67 6-8 . . 32 xiv. 3 ... 63 66 78 . .'99 xv. 15 . . . 64 8 . . . 67 iv. 7 ii . . 82 xvii. 12 .. . 124 17, 18 . . 67 16 . . . 81 12 15 64 xxviii. 22 4 . . 68 16, 17 . . 8a xviii. . . . 65 xxix. 3 . . . 68 xii. 1,2. . . 79 4 ... 65 719 68 8io . . 82 21,32-5. 68 xiv. 2 ii . . 82 2 KINGS. xxx. 24 . . . 69 iii. 27 ... iv. 8io . . 22, 2 3 . . 65 65 65 xxxi. 3 6 . . 10 13 1419 . xxxiii. i 16 . . 69 69 70 70 JUDITH. iv. 14, 15 . . 79 xvi. 18, 19 . . 80 42 ... 5 22 *7r viii. 8,9. . . 65 XXXV. I 9, 12 . / u ECCLESIASTICUS. x. 1925 . xii. 4 8 . . 916 . . xvi. 12 . . . xxiii. i 3 . . 26,27 . . 66 67 68 70 71 EZRA. i. 6 ii . . iii. 2 5 . . 68 -9 . . 71 72 72 iii. 30 ... 84 vii. 10 ... 84 2932 . 84 xii. 37 . . 85 xiv. ii . . . 83 xvii. 22 ... 84 i CHRONICLES. vi. 8 10 . . 16 -18 . 72 73 xxix. 12, 13 . . 85 xxxiv. 1820 . 85 vi. 57 ... xv. 26 ... 53 59 viii. 25 . . . 26, 27 . . 75 72 xxxv. I ii . . 83 xvi. i, 2 . . . 59 35 72 i MACCABEES. 3 3740 . 59 59 NEHEMIAH. iv. 39 ... 80 53 ... 80 xviii. 1 1 ... xxi. 24, 25, 29 . xxiii. 35 . . 59 60 60 v. 34 vii. 702 . . x. 2939 76 74 74 x. 30 ... 35 2 MACCABEES. 4 xxiv xxvi. 26, 27 . . 27, 28 . . 75 60 59 58 32 . . . 3740 . xii. 27,43,44. 138 139 iii. 3 ... 80 35 ... 80 ix. 14 17 . 80 xxix. 24 . . 6-9 . . 60 60 AMOS. xii. 3843 . 81 21, 22 . . 60 iv. 5 . . . 67 MATTHEW. 6 . . . 68 2 CHRONICLES iii. 15 . . .114 i. 6 ... 60 JONAH. v. 17, 18 . . 139 17,19 . "7 ii. 2, 17 . . 61 i. 15, 16 . . 66 20 ... 126 v. 6 ... 61 42 . . .118 vii. 310 . . 61 MALACHI. vi. I 4 . .119 viii. 9 ... 61 19, 20 . . 120 12 16 . 61 i. 7,8. . . 73 23 ... 119 xiv. 13 ... 64 8 . . . 58 33 ... 120 xv. 3 ... 64 ii. 8io . . 73 vii. 28 . . .in II 18 . 64 iv. 4 . . . 73 28, 29 . .110 INDEX OF TEXTS HAP. PAGE JOHN. CHAP. PAGE viii. 4 ... 114 AP. PAGE xvi. i ... 137 ix. ii . . . 112 i. 49 . . .109 2 ... 136 x. 8 ... 118 iii. i ... 124 15 ... 142 37 120 iv. 8 . . .115 42 ... 120 vii. 15 . .no 2 CORINTHIANS. xvi. 24 ... xvii. 24 7 . xviii. 17 ... 121 "5 109 50 ... 124 viii. 2 . . .in xiii. 9 . . .115 viii. i 4,7 . 142 ix. 15 . . 144 T "7 I A 1 xix. 3 ... 16 21 xx. 27 ... III 120 33 29 ... 115 xviii. 28 . . .132 xix. 39 ... 124 I, 2. . . 143 6,7. . .144 12-15 143 xxii. 368 . . xxiii. 2, 3 . . . in 122 ACTS. 12 ... 144 xi. 79 . . 145 23 ... 122 ii. 44,45 . .128 GALATIANS. xxv. 35 . . . 119 iv. 325 . .128 MARK. 36, 37 . . 128 ii. 10 ... 134 v. i ... 129 vi. 6 ... 142 ii. 7 ... 123 3 ... 19 6,7. . .137 vi. 2 I IO 1416 . 129 10 ... 143 vii. 3 132 vi. i ... 143 xii. 32 ... 112 EPHESIANS. 42 ... LUKE. 125 viii. 1 8 20 . 130 ix. 369 . .130 iv. 28 ... 142 ii. 214 . . "3 x. i5 . . 130 PHILIPPIANS. 39, 4i, 42 . iii. n ... 114 118 914 . . 131 28 . 113, 131 iii. 68 . . 146 v. 28 . . . 121 31 . . .106 iv. 1517 . 137 vi. 38 ... 118 xi. i 8 . . 131 vii. 5 ... 106 19 132 i TIMOTHY. 6 ... 36 ... "3 123 2030 . 132 30 ... 134 V. 8 16 . . 143 16 . . . 146 viii. 3 ... 141 xii. 25 ... 132 17 ... 142 x. i 7 141 xv. 5 ... 133 vi. 8 ... 148 25,26 . . 117 xvi. 15,34,40. 141 17, 18 . . 142 xi. 37 ... 112 xx. 34 . . .145 41 ... 124 35 . 118, 126 HEBREWS. xii. i ... 122 xxi. 20 . . .133 15,28,29, 33 124 xxiv. 17 ... 135 xxviii. 14 ... 141 xi. 4 . . . 9 xiii. 16 . . .134 33 xiii. 31 ... 118 123 ROMANS. JAMES. xiv. i .112, 123 xii. 8 ... 143 ii. 15, 16 . . 134 12 14 . 25, 26 . . 119 121 12,13 . . 141 13 143 i PETER. 33 . 126, 146 xiii. 17 . . 143 ii. 9 ... 143 XV. 2 ... 112 xv. 26 ... 135 xvii. 14 ... 114 27 ... 137 i JOHN. 20 ... xviii. 12 . . . III 122 i CORINTHIANS. iii. 17 ... 134 xix. 9 ... 48 ... 125 III ix. 414 . . 138 12 ... 138 3 JOHN. XX. 21 . . . 112 xiii. 3 ... 143 7 143 GENERAL INDEX AARON, to receive tithes, 26 Aben Ezra, on third tithe, 34 Abram, Altars built by, 1 1 his tithe obligatory, 16 Ahaz, Religion under, 68 Ahijah, Offering to, 63 Alms, distribution organized, 130 Altar, First recorded, n Am-ha-aretz and " uninstructed," 108 how regarded, 109 Amos, mention of tithes, 68 Sarcastic words of, 67 Ananias and Sapphira, Fraud of, 129 instances of covetousness, 19 Anarchist, A spiritual, 148 Annual claim of firstfruits, 38 Antioch, Practical Christianity at, 132 Apocrypha, No repeal of tithes in, 85 principles enunciated, 86 reasons for almsgiving, 86 Summary of evidence in, 85 Value of, 78 Arabs, Present custom of, 10 Argives, consecrated a tenth, 58 Asa, Dedication of spoil by, 64 Reformation under, 64 Ashtaroth, House of the, 58 Athaliah, Sacrilege of, 66 BABYLONIA, temple support, 15 Babylonian influence in Canaan, 14 Barnabas, consecrated money of, 128 Belshazzar, a tithe-payer, 15 Beneficence, Examples of, 64 in days of Christ, 105 Benefits, Israel's, from tithe-paying, 36 Benhadad, Religious offering of, 65 Benjamites, Wrongdoing of, 54 Beth-shemesh, Offerings at, 56 Bokhara, author's inquiries about taxes, 35 Vow of Author's interpreter, 17 Brahman's Code of Laws, 35 British Museum, Receipts for tithe, 15 CJSAREA, Peter with Cornelius, 131 Cain, Note on sin of, 9 Offering of, 7 What the sin of, 9 Calcutta, Author at Kali Temple, 29 Calves, golden, Support of worship, 68 Canaan, New light upon, 13 Capernaum, Centurion at, 106 Carthaginians, Tithes conceded by, 16 Centurion, Favour shown by, 106 attitude to our Lord, 112 Chaber, Higher vow of, 8 Charge, fixed, upon Israelites, 39 Chest, for offerings, and tax, 66 Cheyne, Prof., Reference to, 20 Christians, Early, devotion of pro- perty, 128 tithe-paying at Jerusalem, 133 zealous for the law, 133 Chrysostom, on three tithes, 33 City wall, dedicatory sacrifices, 74 Claims, Fixed, upon Israelites, 37 Comparison of tithes, 29 Conference, on Gentile converts, 133 Corban, misapplied, 121 Corinthians, liberality urged, 142, 144 Cornelius, addressed by Peter, 131 Almsgiving of, 130 Prayers and alms of, 106 Corners, of Israelites' fields, 38 Council of Trent, suggests a tithe, 35 Cuneiform writings, New light upon Canaan by, 13 Cyrus, gifts and offerings to Jews, 71 restores sacred vessels, 71 DAVID, Altar built by, 60 anointed at feast, 58 appoints service for Levites, 60 first war trophy, 58 his example followed, 60 materials for temple, 60 sacrifices and offerings, 59 spoils of war, 58 GENERAL INDEX Declaration of tithe-payers, 96 on offering third tithe, 46 Dedication of second temple, 72 Deductions, fixed, on increase, 40 from crop of Israelites, 43 Defection from law, rebuked, 73 Demai, Book of, 98 bearing on host and guest, IOO bread to be tithed, 101 buying and selling, 99 corn to redeem, 101 farming a field, 102 opinion of Maimonides, 98 Demai, and the " Uninstructed," 99 tithe, Exemption from, 98 Redemption of, 99 Demetrius, Promise of, So Discrimination in almsgiving, 82, 85 Dishonesty, how shown, 26 Ditchfield, Rev., Illustration by, 138 Divorce, through neglect of tithing, r 10 Driver, Prof., quoted, 47 Duke, Rev., argument for tithes, 140 Duty of Israelite, in tithes, 45 Duty of offerings, Recognition of, 12 ECCLESIASTICUS, extracts on giving, 83 on benefits of almsgiving, 85 on discriminate giving, 84 Eli, State of religion under, 56 Elijah, Beneficence shown to, 64 Elisha, Beneficence shown to, 64 Offerings to, 65 Esrd of Babylon, how applied, 15 Essenes, manner of life, 107 Eugippius, on Severinus, 87 Evidence on nature of tithing, 47 Ezra, history of restored worship, 73 FEAST OF WEEKS, 40 Festival, or second, tithe, 26 the end it served, 27 Festivals, Primary end of, 28 Firstborn, modern instance of re- demption, 39 Firstfruits, formula on offering, 45 offered by Arabs, 10 First tithe, repetition of law, 48 Forgiveness, by sacrifice, 28 Form, for offerers of firstfruits, 45 Formula, Jewish, Repetition of, 45 Free-will gifts, Feast of Weeks, 40 GEMARA, comments on Mishna, 88 Gentiles, presents to temple, 80 religious offerings by, 65 Gibeon, Daily service at, 59 Gibeon, Offerings of Solomon at, 60 Gideon, under oppression of Midian, 54 ~ ilyaks, Custom of, 10 Givers, Three large, 124 Gleanings, to be left, 38 HEAPS, of abundant offerings, 69 Heliodorus, supports Jews' temple, 86 vows on recovery, 80 Herod the Great, rebuilds temple, 106 Hezekiah, appoints overseers, 69 chambers for offerings, 69 commands Levites' portion, 69 inference from reformation, 70 Passover kept, 69 Priests and Levites restored, 68 restores true worship, 68 result of reformation, 70 sacrifices and offerings, 68 tithes and firstfruits, 69 Hospitality, a Christian duty, 141 to strangers, 143 Hypothesis, for origin of tenth, 19 Objection to, 21 Hyrcanus, abolished declaration, 96 INTERPRETER, Vow of, 17 Isaac, Altar built by, 1 1 Israel, Oath of, concerning tithe, 74 Israelites, benefits from tithes, 36 Italy, rate of taxation, 35 JACOB, Altar built by, 1 1 pillar set up, 1 1 Vow of, 17 iaipur, Author witnesses sacrifice, 29 ehoiada, Declension of, 67 ehu, proclaims a sacrifice, 66 Jephthah, Vow of, 55 Jeroboam, imitates Mosaic law, 63 Jerome, testimony on three tithes, 33 Jerusalem, offerings of captives, 72 place for sacrifices, 29 Jesus Christ, Allegiance to law, 114 approval of tithe-paying, 122 attitude towards tithing, 109 consulted by Pharisees, in encouragement to giving, 1 19 direct teaching on tithes, 117 division of money, 115 enjoined habit of giving, 118 example and teaching, 105 his claim to consecration, 120 how regarded at Nazareth, no by people, in inference as to tithing, 125 laid foundation principles, 118 154 GENERAL INDEX Jesus Christ, No repeal of tithes by, 147 not accused of withholding tithe, 147 personal example, 113 position as to tithe-paying, I IO regard to Mosaic laws, 1 1 7 Stater paid by, 115 taught motives of giving, 118 three items of expenditure, 115 Jewish sacrifices, Nature of, 29 Jews, in Lemberg, 39 tenth, and its application, 77 Three parties among, 107 Traditional law of, 87 Joakim, priestly service, 79 Joash, Collections by, 66 Jonah, Sacrifice of, 66 Joppa, Peter restores Tabitha, 130 Josephus, consulted in youth, III declining to take tithes, 106 on third tithe, 33 record of Ananias, 106 witness to tithe-paying, 133 Joshua, enforced Jewish Laws, 53 passover observed, 53 Josiah, Covenant of, 70 collection for temple repairs, 70 gifts for Passover, 70 restores true worship, 70 Judas Maccabeus, Sin offering of, 81 Judea, taxation under Maccabees, 35 Judges, Lawlessness under, 54 unsettled time, 54 Judith, Book of, practice of vows, 79 dedicates stuff of Holofernes, 80 LAW, divine, as working institution, 75 for tithe, its obscurity, 23 in the Pentateuch, 24 unwritten in Genesis, 20 how abrogated, 138 of vows and offerings, 41 Lemberg, Jewish ceremony, 1 14 Leslie, quoted, 139 Levites, Apathy of, 66 cities and support, 75 claim rights, 53 themselves to pay tithe, 26 Levites' tithe, The, 25 a divine claim, 26 Leviticus, law for tithes therein, 24 Lightfoot, quoted, 98 Lord's, or first tithe, The, 25 Lydia, Hospitality of, 141 MAASEROTH or first tithe, General rule of, 88 MAASEROTH ; Ants-holes, when tithable, 92 figs, Tithing of, 89 when exempt from tithing, 90 fruit, manner of tithing, 88 produce, when sale forbidden, 92 Rabbi Simeon, on tithing, 91 seeds, exempt from tithe, 92 Maaser SAent, or second tithe, 92 declaration of tithe-payers, 96 Exchange of, 93 Hyrcanus, abolished formula, 97 of what it consisted, 92 presents, when allowed, 93 Rabbi Judah, on unclean fruit, 94 Rabbi Simeon, opinion quoted, 94, 95 Redemption of, 95 Maccabees, Rabbis in time of, 88 Taxation under, 35 Maimonides, tithing described, 25 on the Demai tithe, 98 on poor's tithes, 31 opinion on third tithe, 34 quoted, 38 Malachi, rebuke of robbers, 73 tithe challenge, The, 73 Manoah, offers sacrifice, 55 Manu, Code of, 35 Melchizedek, Abram's tithe to, 13 his priestly acts, 16 why greater than Abram, 15 Mesha, Religious dedication of, 65 Michaelis, on third tithe, 31 Mishna, or Text of Talmud, 88 Author's extracts from, 88 known by our Lord, 123 referred to, 38 -- Translation of, 88 what it embodied, 104 Mizpeh, gathering of tribes, 55 Israel meets for sacrifice, 57 Monarchy, Israelitish, Period of, 57 Money, of unknown origin, 21 Mosaic law, Adaptability of, 76 Israel's return to, 76 observed by our Lord, 114 tithes, no burden, 62 VI ugheir, site of temple at, 14 Music, of unknown origin, 21 NAAMAN, Religious offering of, 65 Nebuchadnezzar, takes Jews captive, 71 Tithes in time of, 15 Needy, Church provision for, 129 Vehemiah, Gifts from, 73 mention of tithes, 73 GENERAL INDEX 155 Nicodemus, a Pharisee, 124 Noah, Sacrifice of, 1 1 N&cEtnan, four obligations of, 108 Numbers, Disposal of tithes in, 25 OBADIAH, Beneficent act of, 64 Offerings, not obligatory, but accepted, 40 Opinions on third tithe, 30 Origin of tithing, primeval, 22 Oman, Threshing-floor of, 60 PARTIES, among Jews, 107 I assover offerings, 7 1 Patriarchal tithe-paying, 7 Paul, as almoner. 132, 134 charge to Corinth, 136 commends Philippians, 137 example in giving, 144 experienced tithe-payer, 145 forgoes rightful claims, 147 hospitality, a duty, 141 method of raising funds, 136 on Macedonian liberality, 142 on payment of taxes, 143 on recipients for alms, 142 on support of ministry, 1 37 principle in almsgiving, 137 speech before Felix, 135 two great principles, 140 zeal in almsgiving, 134 Peake, quoted, 31 Pentateuch, written laws in, 24 Peter, inference as to tithing, 131 resemblance to Pharisee, 132 Peter and John, duty recognized, 128 Petrie, Prof., Reference to, 20 Pharisee, a critical host, 124 Pharisees, admission of candidate, 108 as tithe-payers, 108 ground of denunciation, 121 Hospitality of, to Christ, 123 how regarded, 109 Maxim of, 123 objects of association, 107 opinion of our Lord, 1 12 perversion of Scripture, 121 proportion of income devoted, 126 righteousness to be exceeded, 126 Seven varieties of, 123 Two degrees of, 108 why criticized, 124 Philistines, armour of Saul, 58 Phrenicians, priesthood, tithes from Carthaginians, 16 why tithe-payers, 14 Pillar, of Jacob, u Pre-Mosaic tithe-paying, 7 Present, of Cain and Abel, 9 religious, sent by Jeroboam, 63 Presentation, Ceremony of, 1 14 Priest, his portion of offering, 29 Ptolemais, devoted by Demetrius, So Pusey, Dr., quoted, 33 RABBI SIMEON, on minute tithing, 122 Rabbis, rules, interpretations of, 88 Reformation, under Asa, 64 Restoration of daily burnt offering, 72 Review of tithe-paying, 146 Rule for voluntary giving, 41 Ruler, question, and its reply, 120 SABBATH and tithe, Resemblance of, 48 Sacrifice, a divine institution, 18 Forgiveness by, 28 main idea of, 28 on Carmel, 65 Sacrifices, Jewish, their nature, 29 Sadducees, Practice of, 107 Samaritans, accept Mosaic law, 106 Samson, under Philistines, 55 Samuel, gathers Israel to Mizpeh, 57 Israelites under, 56 Sanskrit law, referred to, 35 Sarepta, Widow of, 124 Saul, dedicates spoils, 58 offering to Samuel, 57 Sayce, Dr., Opinion of, 13 Schwab, translates Mishita, 88 Second Tithe, Israel's, 26 Selden, on Third Tithe, 31 Seleucus, supports Jewish temple, 86 service of sacrifices, 80 vow in sickness, 81 Septuagint, Gen. iv. 7, 8, Reading of Shelomith, charge of spoils, 58 Shiloh, Ahijah enquired of, 63 in days of Eli, 56 Levites present claim, 53 Simon Magus, Rebuke of, 130 Sinai, Freewill offering at, 41 Sinaitic Codex, translated passage, 32 Sippara, Temple at, 15 Solomon, Dedication of Temple, 6l offerings at Gibeon, 60, 61 Staff, educational, of Israel, 75 strangers, Hospitality to, 143 Sunlight, Mr. I., quoted, 39, 114 Surenhusius, translates MtsAna, 88 TABITHA, Almsgiving of, 130 Tablets, as receipts for tithes, 15 Talmud, minuteness of byelaws, IO2 GENERAL INDEX Talmud, described, 87 on varieties of Pharisees, 123 origin and development, 103 standard of tithe-paying, 104 tithes recognized, 102 when codified, 88 Temples of Babylonia, supported, 15 Tertullian, on Cain's offering, 7 Third tithe, Israel's, 30 an additional payment, 32 declaration when offered, 46 Josephus upon, 33 Maimonides' opinion of, 34 Teaching of, 30 Witnesses to, 32 Tithe-law, binding on Christians, 140 Tithe-laws, working among Israelites, Si Tithe-payers, Phoenicians as, 14 Tithe-paying, among ancients, why a tenth, 18 Code of, 50 in days of Christ, 105 not appealed against, 76 Patriarchal, 7 when Christianity appeared, 104 Tithes, First and second compared, 29 incomplete information on, 48 Tithes and offerings, Christian duty of, 139 Tobias, Generosity of, 79 Tobit, a liberal giver, 79 advice to Tobias, 82 Almsdeeds of, 79 Author of, on three tithes, 32 Book of, how useful, 79 exhorts to almsgiving, 81 pays three tithes, 86 personal example of, 82 quotation from, 32 teaches to give alms, 82 discrimination in almsgiving, 82 Trojan war, Custom in time of, 58 UNIVERSALITY of a tenth, 18 Ur, its position, 14 VATICAN CODEX, quoted from, 32 Vows, General law of, 41 WIDOWS, Church bounty for, 143 Williams, reference to Sanskrit law, 34 Wilson, Rev. C. T., on firstfruits from Arabs, 10 YEAR of Release, The, 40 ZACCHEUS, "a son of Abraham," 125 A REVISED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON TITHE PAYING AND SYSTEMATIC AND PROPORTIONATE GIVING. THE following bibliography was compiled chiefly of such books, pamphlets, papers, articles, sermons, etc., as were read, consulted, or referred to in writing The Sacred Tenth. Since the publication of that work the list has been revised ; certain items have been omitted, and several new pamphlets added. The list is arranged alphabetically, according to author's, editor's, or translator's names ; or, in the case of anonymous works, according to the first prominent word of the title. Each work is preceded by a number ; and at the end will be found a list of authors, with the reference numbers standing in the bibliography before their respective productions. ABBREVIATIONS. signifies repetition of preceding author's name. [ ] Square brackets inclose the known, or supposed, author's name. A.B.C.F.M., American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Secretary, Rev. S. J. Humphry, 112, Washington Street, Chicago, U.S.A. A.B.M.U., American Baptist Missionary Union, Tremont Temple, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. A.B.P.S., American Baptist Publication Society, 182, Fifth Avenue, New York City ; and 1420, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. A.T.S., American Tract Society, 54, Bromfield Street, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., and 150, Nassau Street, New York City, U.S.A. B. & C.S.I., Bible &> Colportage Society of Ireland, 41, Fleet Street, Dublin. BLACKSTONE, William E. Blackstone, Oak Park, Cook Co., Illinois, U.S.A. ii THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE B.P.H.E., Brethren Publishing House, Elgin, Illinois, U.S.A. BRIGGS, William Briggs, Wesley Buildings, Toronto, Canada. C.G.P., The Christian Giving Publishing Co., New York City, U.S.A. C.S.B., Commission on Systematic Beneficence. T. J. Morgan, in, Fifth Avenue, New York City, U.S.A. C.T.C., The Churchman's Tithe Club. Hon. Secretary, Rev. Lewis T. Wattson, 1702, North 26th Street, Omaha, U.S.A. EATON, Eaton &> Mains, 150, Fifth Avenue, New York City. F. & O.C.A., Free &> Open Church Association, Church House, Dean's Yard, Westminster, S.W.,and 517, Locust Street, Philadelphia, U.S.A. F.C.S., Free Church of Scotland. Printer, Frank Murray, 9, Young Street, Edinburgh. G.A.C.S.B., General Assembly's Committee on Systematic Beneficence. Chairman, Rev. W. H. Hubbard, 156, Fifth Avenue, New York City, U.S.A. G.C.C.A.E., General Conference Commission on Aggressive Evangelism, 1 50, Fifth Avenue, New York City. GREEN, The Rev. Rufus S. Green, D.D., Elmira College, Elmira, New York, U.S.A. LAYMAN, Thomas Kane cS-> Co., 310, Ashland Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. McNAUGHTAN & SINCLAIR, Printers and Stationers, 24, West Nile Street, Glasgow. MARSH ALL, Marshall Bros., Keswick House, Paternoster Row, E.G. M.E.S.S.C.C., Missionary and Evangelistic Society of the Southern Californian Conference. F. Pearl Sigler, Field Secretary, Huntington Beach, California. NELSON, T. Nelson <& Sons, London and Edinburgh. NISBET,/a;^ Nisbel & Co., 21, Berners Street, London, W. PARTRIDGE, S. W. Partridge & Co., 9, Paternoster Row, London. P.B.E., Presbyterian Board of Education, 1334, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, U.S.A. P.C.E., Presbyterian Church of England. Christian Giving Union, Henderson, Rait & Fenton, Marylebone Lane, London. P.G.U., The Proportionate Giving Union. Hon. Secretary, Miss Watkins, Heveningham, Yoxford, Suffolk. PRITCHARD, Esther Tuttle Pritchard, Kokomo, Indiana, U.S.A. R.T.S., Religious Tract Society, 65, St. Paul's Churchyard, London. S.A., Salvation Army, 101, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.G. S.P.C.K., Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, Northumber- land Avenue, Charing Cross, London, W.C. S.T.G., Society of the Treasury of God. Hon. Secretary, S. E. Gunyon, 7, Ickburgh Road, Upper Clapton, N.E. STOCK, Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, London, E.C. A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON TITHE-PAYING S.V.M.F.M., Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions, 3, West 2Qth Street, New York City, U.S.A. T.C.T.A.A., Twentieth Century Tithers* Association of America, 731, Indiana Pythian Building, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A. U.S.C.E., United Society of Christian Endeavour^ Tremont Temple, 646, Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., and 163, West 63rd Street, New York City, U.S.A., and 155, La Salle Street, Chicago, U.S.A. W.B.F.M., Women's Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church, 53, Fifth Avenue, New York City, U.S.A., and 1516, Locust Street, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. 1. A Clergyman of Church of England. What is Mine ? What is God's? Occasional Paper No. i. S.T.G., 1888 2. Adams, Robert. How it Paid. Green 3. Address on Systematic Benevolence, by the General Assembly to the Ministers and Churches under its Care. See How Much shall I Give ? 4. Address to Churchmen on the Duty of Giving. C.T.C. 5. Adler, Hermann. Irresponsible Wealth. Nineteenth Century Review, December, 1890. Leonard & Scott, New York City 6. Aghadoe, Archdeacon of. The Principles of Christian Giving. Church of Ireland Printing Co., Dublin, 1905 7. Alexander, John. Christian Stewardship. Tract. 1520, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, U.S.A. 8. Amerman, W. L. Learning to Give : How Promoted by the Christian Endeavour Missionary Committee. Foreign Missionary Library, 156, Fifth Avenue, New York 9. Anderson, Edward Pretot. Christian Giving and Living. No. 66. A.B.P.S. 10. Anderson, M. B. The Right Use of Wealth. A.T.S., 1873 11. Angns, John. The Financial Arrangements of Methodism. \d. 26, Paternoster Row, London 12. Anonymons [Davenport]. The Payment of Tithes ; or, The Lord's Portion a Tenth. D. Hobbs & Co., 231, George Street, Glasgow 1 3. Anonymous. Suggestions for Christian Stewards. Methodist Mission Rooms, Toronto, Canada 14. A North Conntry Layman. Money : What is it ? How to make it. What to do with it. Macniven & Wallace, Edinburgh 15. Arnot, William. The Race for Riches. Johnstone & Hunter, London and Edinburgh, 1851 1 6. Arthur, William. The Duty of Giving Away a Stated Proportion of our Income. Nisbet, 1862 17. Proportionate Giving. No. 256. Eaton THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE 1 8. Arthur, William. The Duty of Giving Away a Stated Pro- portion of our Income. How Much shall I Give f 19. Ashmore, Dr. W. The Garden of the Great King. A.B.M.U. 20. Ayres, W. A. Seven Reasons for Tithing. 20 cents per 100. Rev. Chas. A. Cook, Superintendent, General Commission on Christian Stewardship, Bloomfield, NJ. 21. Back to the Stones. B.P.H.E. 22. Baer, John Willis. The Tenth Legion of the United Society of Christian Endeavour. U.S.C.E. 23. Facts about the Tenth Legion of the United Society of Christian Endeavour. U.S.C.E. 24. Bailey, Dr. Loud Calls for Christian Giving. No. 60. A.B.P.S. 25. Baldwin, Maurice, Bishop of Huron. Annual Address delivered before the Synod of the Diocese in London, Ontario, June 16, 1885. Advertising & Publishing Co., London, Ontario, Canada 26. Ballard, Frank Otis. Straight Lines in Church Finance. 2 cents. Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1 50, Fifth Avenue, New York City 27. On Honouring God with our Substance. Price $i per 100. Frank O. Ballard, 1603, Ashland Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A. 28. Barbour, Rev. Dr. Christian Giving. Document No. 3. C.S.B. 29. Barker, M. P. Proportionate Giving. Vol. I., No. 2. C.G.P. 30. Barnes, Lemuel C. Motives instead of Enticements in Giving. A.B.M.U. 31. Barrister, A. The Universal Obligation of Tithes. Stock, London, 1901 32. Bashford, J. W. It Tendeth to Poverty. 75 cents per 100. Missionary Society of Methodist Episcopal Church, Rindge Literature Department, 150, Fifth Avenue, New York City 33. Bass, Thomas J. The King's Coin ; or, God's Fraction. Nisbet, London, 1886 34. Beery, Charles 0. The Problem Leaflet. B.P.H.E. 35. Bensted, B. GK Tithe Money and Church Entertainments. Pulpit of the Cross, C.T.C. 36. Berkeley, Lowry E. The Measure and Method of Christian Liberality. B. &> C.S.I., 1877 37. Bingham, W. P. S. The Offertory : An Essay demonstrating the Superiority of Weekly Offerings at every Service to Pew Rents, as a System of Church Finance. The Fourth of Four Essays on Free Worship and Finance. Rivingtons, London, 1865 38. Binney, T. Money: A Popular Exposition. London, 1865 39. Bishop of Ripon. Two Addresses delivered at Diocesan Con- ference at Leeds. I. The Presidential Address. 2. Systematic Almsgiving. A. W. Lowe, High Street, Knaresborough, 1891 A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON TITHE-PAYING 40. Black, William. Congregational Finance. An Address. David C. Clark, 23, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow 41. Blacksmith (A). The Path to Wealth ; or, Light from my Forge. B. F. Johnson & Co., Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A. 42. [Blackstone, W. E.] Diagram showing the Wealth of Protestant Church Members in the United States. 30 cents per 100. Blackstone 43. Investments. Blackstone 44. Am I my Brother's Keeper? 20 cents per 100. Blackstone 45. Board and Tithing. Comment from Christian Endeavour World, September 17, 1903. Boston, Mass., U.S.A. 46. Boase, C. W. Tithes and Offerings. Clark, Edinburgh, 1865 47. Bohun, W. A Tithing Table. 1868 48. Bolton, T. H. The Tithe Acts. R. D. Dickinson & Co., 89, Farringdon Street, London, 1886 49. Bonar, Andrew A. Christian Giving. A paper in The Christian for July 17, 1879. London 50. Bond, B. W. The Grace of Giving. Printed at the Southern Methodist Publishing House, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A. 51. Bonnell, Charles B. Articles of Association of St. Stephen's Church. Manayunk Sentinel Print, Philadelphia, U.S.A. 52. Proportionate Giving; or, Why, What, and How we should give. McNaughtan & Sinclair, Glasgow 53. Booth, General. The Lord's Corner Guild. A New Venture for the Missionary Field. 101, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.G. 54. Bosworth, Ed. I. The New Testament Conception of the Disciple and his Money. A.B.C.F.M., 1902 55. Boxes for Lenten Offerings. Price is, for 50. S.T.G. 56. Boys, Ernest. Money as a Talent. Nisbet, 1885 57. Brain, Belle M. Speaker's Part. The Ministry of Money; or, The Grace of Giving. U.S.C.E. 58. The Ministry of Money; or, The Grace of Giving. $1.50 per hundred. U.S.C.E. 59. Broadus, John A. Glad Giving. A Sermon. 5 cents. Baptist Book Concern, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A., 1894 60. Browne, T. Lloyd M. Almsgiving. A Paper read before Rhyl Church Congress. Amos Bros., Advertiser Office, Rhyl, 1891 61. Burr, Dr. E. The Law of Christian Giving. No. 56. A.B.P.S. 62. Business Man. Conscience and System in the Stewardship of Money. 2d. Morgan & Scott, London, 1887 63. Butler, H. E. Systematic Almsgiving. A Paper read before Ripon Diocesan Conference. A. W. Lowe, Knaresborough, 1891 64. Butler, Samuel. Genuine Remains. Paper entitled The Miser, Vol. II., p. 341. 1759 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE 65. Calendar of Christian Stewardship for Baptist Churches. 47, Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. 66. Calkins, Harvey Reeves. The Victory of Mary Christopher. Jennings & Pye, Cincinnati ; and Eaton 67. Can all give a Tenth ? From The Life of Faith, February 5, 1902. London 68. Candlish, Dr. The Duty of laying by, for Religious and Chari- table Uses, a Stated Proportion of our. Income. Nisbet 69. Capen, Samuel B. Sunday School Offering. A.B.C.F.M., 1903 70. Carleton, George. Tithes examined and proved to be due to the Clergie by a Divine Right. London, 1606 71. Carnegie, Andrew. Wealth, and the Best Fields for Philanthropy. Victoria Publishing Company, 179, Victoria Street, London, W. 72. The Gospel of Wealth, and other Essays. The Century Company, New York, 1900 73. Caro, Joseph ben Epliraim. Code Civile et Penal du Judaisme. Paris, 1896 74. C. A. S. S. Resources of the Kingdom. A Paper for Women, and Important Statistics for Men. Chicago, U.S.A. 75. Catechism [of the Catholic and Apostolic Church]. October, 1858. Bs. per loo net. Pitman, 140, Gower Street, London, W.C. 76. Gather, Robert GK (Edited by). The Benefactor : The Quarterly Journal of the Systematic Beneficence Society. Nisbet, 1863-73. 77. Origin and Objects of the Systematic Beneficence Society. Nisbet, 1872 78. Chadwick, Edward W. The Moral Effects of Charity ; or, Character and Almsgiving. S.P.C.K., 1900 79. Chadwick, Samuel. Systematic Giving. "Animo et Fide," 18, Park Row, Leeds 80. Chalmers, Thomas (Works of). On the Love of Money. Discourse VIII., p. 187. Glasgow 8 1 . Chaplin, W. Knight (Edited by). Report of Christian Endeavour Convention, held at Glasgow, 1898. Andrew Melrose, 16, Pilgrim Street, London 82. Chapman, Mary S. The Deacon's Tenth. No. 5. 50 cents per 100. Free to those who think they cannot pay. Layman 83. Chat about Proportionate Giving, A. P.G.U, 84. Chetham, Humphrey. A New Defence of Tithes : Being an Answer to the Legal Argument by Mr. Eagle. London, 1832 85. Chisholm, James J. The Gospel in Gold; or, The Grace of Giving. Presbyterian Committee of Publication, Richmond, Virginia 86. Christian Giving : Synod's Pastoral Letter for 1887. P.C.E. 87. Christian Giving Union, The. P.C.E. 88. Christian Liberality. 3 doz., post free, is. 6d. William Clee, Clarence Street, Cheltenham A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON TITHE-PAYING 89. Christian Steward, The : An Essay on the Right Appropriation of Incomes, whether derived from Business, Salaries, Wages, or other Sources ; with Specimen Accounts of Monies devoted to Religious and Benevolent Objects. See Gold and the Gospel. 90. Christian Steward, The. Issued quarterly by the Association of Christian Stewards. Price 25 cents a year. F. C. Stephenson, 33, Richmond Street, West, Toronto 91. Christian Stewards' League, Prospectus of. Layman 92. Church Finance. A Dialogue between an Office Bearer and a Church Member. Daily Journal Office, Clayton Street, Newcastle-upon- Tyne, 1 894 93. Church Finances. No. 1,719. A.B.P.S. 94. Church and the Poor. " Monthly Paper." Open Church Associa- tion, March, 1892. C/, Exchange Buildings, Liverpool 95. Churchman's Tithe Club. Address: The Pulpit of the Cross,Vo\.l\., No. 10, and Vol. III., No. 3, No. 10. February 27, 1897, C.T.C. 96. Membership Pledge. C.T.C. 97. Clarke, Henry William. A History of Tithes. London, 1891 98. Clanghton, Thomas Legh. The Best Means of raising Local Funds in Parishes ; A Paper read at the Church Congress at Oxford. Report, 1862 99. Clements, Jacob. Systematic and Proportionate Almsgiving. Paper read at the Lincoln Diocesan Conference, 1892. 2 O.C.A. 178. French, John Abbott. Giving in Hard Times. P.B.E. 179. Fuller, Morris. The Alleged Tripartite Division of Tithes in England, is. Bosworth, London, 1885. S.P.C.K., 1900 1 80. G. A. C. S. B. To Ministers and Members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. 1904 181. G. A. K. The Use of Money. From the Church Missionary Intelligencer, March, 1900. London 182. Gates, Fred. Systematic Beneficence. No. 1,237. A.B.P.S. 183. General Assembly's Committee on Systematic Beneficence. Document No. 31. Green 184. Gibbon, Benjamin J. The Ethics of Giving. Congregational Church Magazine. April, 1901 185. Gifford, 0. P. Concerning the Collection. Price $i. 25 per 100. Observer Publishing Co., Greensburg, Indiana, U.S.A. 1 86. Tithing a Duty. Delaware Avenue Baptist Church, Buffalo, New York 187. Gilpin, W. The Widow's Mite. A Sermon. From a volume entitled Gilpirfs Sermons. Thos. Hatchard, 187, Piccadilly, London, 1855 1 88. Give ; or, What the Bible says about Almsgiving. Pamphlet. S.T.G. and ^.P.C.A'. 189. Giver, The Conscientious. 25 cents per 100. General Committee of Christian Stewardship : Rev. Chas. A. Cook, Superintendent, Bloomfield, NJ. 190. Giving. Price t)d. per doz. Marshall .191. Giving Alphabet. American Bible Society's Record, Vol. XLIII. p. 42. New York 192. Giving, What ? 2 cents. W. B. P.M., November, 1897 193. Gladstone, W. E. Mr. Carnegie's Gospel of Wealth: A Review and a Recommendation. Nineteenth Century. London, November, 1890 194. Record, p. 211. London, March, 1898 195. Glassford, James. Covetousness brought to the Bar of Scripture. Nisbet, 1837 196. Gledstone, J. P. Should Christians make Fortunes ? Headley Bros., 14, Bishopsgate Street Without, London 197. Gold and the Gospel. The Ulster Prize Essays. By HENRY CONSTABLE, JAMES MORGAN, ROBERT SPENCE, JOHN Ross. Nisbet, London, 1877 198. Good Point, A. A-B.M.U. THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE 199. Gordon, A. J. God's Tenth. A.B.M.U. 200. Dr. Gordon's Letter. A.B.M.U. 201. Grace of Giving, A Few Texts on. F. &> O.C.A. 202. Grace of Giving, The. Chronicle of London Missionary Society, July, 1905. 203. Granger, Francis. The Divine Plan of Church Finance. Baker Jones & Co., Printers, Buffalo, New York, U.S.A., 1891 204. Grove, Henry. Alienated Tithes in Appropriated and Impro- priated Parishes, commuted or merged under Local Statutes and the Tithe Acts, together with all Crown Grants of Tithes, from Henry VIII. to William III. For the Author's subscribers. London, 1896 205. Grubh, Percy H. Giving. Church Missionary Gleaner, Feb- ruary, 1902. London 206. Guilliam [or Guillim], Sir Henry. Edited by C. ELLIS. Acts, etc., relating to Tithes. Second Edition. 4 vols. 1825 207. Guirey, George. How to Open the Windows of Heaven. No. 79. A.B.P.S. 208. Hale, Sir Matthew. Edited by T. THIRLWALL. Works : The Great Audit ; Concerning my Wealth and Temporal Sub- sistence. Vol. II., p. 288. 2 vols. London, 1805 209. Hamilton, James. Tithes. S.P.C.K. 210. An Inquiry into the Principles of Church Finance in Ancient and Modern Times. (The third of Four Essays on Free Worship and Finance.} Rivingtons, London, 1865 211. Hamilton, Kate W. Thanksgiving Ann. (Getting and Thanks- giving.) $d. per doz. Layman; and McNaughtan 212. Hamlin, Tennis S. Business Principles in the Administration of Churches. The Independent, 130, Fulton Street, New York. September 19, 1901 213. Hancock, T. The Puritan and the Tithes. S.P.C.K., London, 1905 214. Hannah, John. The Law of Christian Giving. Wesleyan Methodist Magazine, February and March, 1865. Wesleyan Conference Office, City Road, London 215. Harris, John. Mammon, or Covetousness the Sin of the Christian Church. Thos. Ward & Co., Paternoster Row, London, 1837 216. Harris, Sidney. Modern Methods of Raising Money: Are they Scriptural ? Joyful Neivs Depot, Rochdale 217. Hartley, W. P. The Use of Wealth. Thos. Law, Memorial Hall, London, 1902 218. Havergal, Frances Ridley. Kept for the Master's Use. Chapter VII., " Our Silver and Gold," p. 99. Nisbet, London 219. Hay, E. H. Tenths a Minimum. Price id. or 50 for $s. S.T.G. A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON TITHE-PAYING 220. Hebblethwaite, A. Concerning the Collection. n, City Road, Manchester 221. Helm, Stephen. I must Draw the Line Somewhere. A.B.P.S. 222. Hewitt, C. E. Results of Christian Giving. A.B.P.S. 223. Heylyn, Peter. Historical and Miscellaneous Tracts. The Right and Patrimony of Tithes, p. 163. London, 1681 224. Hibbert, G. K. Systematic Giving. Report of Christian En- deavour Convention, held at Glasgow, 1898. Andrew Melrose, 16, Pilgrim Street, London 22$. H[ills], A[gnes]. Offerings to God. Chas. Cull & Sons, 12 & 15, Houghton Street, Strand, London 226. H. N. T. Will a Man rob God ? St. Bartholomew's Church Tracts, No. 20. \d. Charles Taylor, 23, Warwick Lane, London 227. What does your Religion cost you ? St. Bartholomew's Church Tracts. No. 35. \d. Taylor, 23, Warwick Lane, London 228. Hobson, John C. Systematic Giving in its Relation to Missions, September, 1885. No. 9. Talks about Christian Giving. The Christian Giver Publishing Co., New York, U.S.A. 229. Hobson, J. P. What we Owe. From a Lawyer's Standpoint. Presbyterian Committee of Publication, Richmond, Virginia 230. Hohannes, John. A Sermon on Tithes. A.B.C.F.M. 231. Holmes, Mrs. F. L. Christian Stewardship. Tract. Frank Wood, 252, Washington Street, Boston, U.S.A. 232. Horsefield, F. J. Systematic Giving. Christian Endeavour Times, London 233. Hovey, Dr. Alvah. The Christian Teaching of Old Testament Offerings. Document No. I. C.S.B. 234. How and Why should I Give ? No. 33. The price of this tract, and all others of this size, is at the rate of $i for 1,000 pp. in any quantity, and the Society prepays the postage. A.B.P.S. 235. How? and How Much?, Tract Repository, Dublin 236. How can I Find Out ? B.P.H.E. 237. How Much shall I Give? A Series of Tracts on the Subject of Systematic Benevolence. [By WILLIAM ARTHUR, D. V. SMOCK, W. S. PLUMER.] P.B.E. 238. How to Give the Bible Way. No. 12. P.B.E. 239. How, W. Walsham. The Best Investment. F. & O.C.A. 240. H. T. Christian Giving. An Address delivered before the Y.M.C.A. Bible House, Pilgrim Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne 241. Hubbard, J. G. Church Finance. A Paper read at the Church Congress at Oxford. Report, 1862 242. Hughes, H. Price. Irresponsible Wealth. Nineteenth Century Review, December, 1890. New York City THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE 243. Hughes, H. Price. The Duty of Systematic Giving. The Home Messenger, February, 1903. Horace Marshall & Son, Temple House, Temple Avenue, London 244. Humphrey, S. J. Mammon -versus Missions. No. 567. A.T.S. 2.45. For His Sake. 60 cents per 100. Issued by Rev. A. N. Hitchcock, District Secretary. A.B.C.F.M., January, 1894 246. A Story of the Bees. $i per 100. A.B.C.F.M. 247. Hunter, J. E. Pay, Pray, and Prosper. Pamphlet. Briggs 248. Hurlin, William. What is Christian Giving? No. 54. A.B.P.S. 249. Illustrations of Giving that entails Sacrifice from Members of a Working-class Congregation. 7.d. per doz. McNaughlan 250. Is it Right? Supplement to The Missionary Visitor, February, 1 904. Elgin, ///..U.S.A. 251. Israel's Heaps. 5 cents per doz. W.B.F.M. 252. Jack Randolph's Tithe. S.T.G. 253. Jenkins John. Christian Giving. Illustrated and enforced by Ancient Tithing. A Discourse preached in St. Paul's Church, Montreal, 1881. Mitchell & Wilson, Printers, St. Peter Street, Montreal 254. Jordan, Charles. The Counterfeit in Church Finance and Christian Giving. Nisbet 255. Jessop, A. Before the Great Pillage. London, 1901 256. Jessup, E. Tithing : Its Origin and W T arrant. Canadian Presbyterian Record, September, 1894. 257. Jones, G. Edwardes. History of the Law of Tithes in England. -2s. . London, 1888 258. Jones, J. S- Proportionate Giving and Offertory Development. is. >d. per 100. F. &> O.C.A. 259. Joyce, James Wayland. The Doom of Sacrilege, and the Results of Church Spoliation. London, 1886 260. Judd, 0. B. Good Stewards. No. 49. A.B.P.S. 261. Kane, Thomas. See Layman. 262. Kelsey, H. S. Warning against Covetousness. In Sermons on the International Sunday School Lessons for 1878, by the Monday Club. Henry Hoyt, Boston, 1878 263. Key to the Situation. General Missionary and Tract Com- mittee. Elgin, III., U.S.A. 264. Kidder, Charles. The Systematic Giver. S.T.G., Toronto, 1886 265. Kilpatrick, J. H. Liberal Giving : How to Secure It. No. 42. A.B.P.S. 266. King, GK A. The Use of Money. Students and the Missionary Problem, p. 160. Student Volunteer Missionary Union, London, 1900 A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON TITHE-PAYING 267. Langdon, William Chauncy. Reform in Church Finance. Reprinted from American Church Review, October, 1883. E. and J. B. Young & Co., Cooper Union, Fourth Avenue, New York City, 1884 268. Langford, William S. Christian Beneficence: Its Motive, Measure, and Method. Thomas Whittaker, 2 & 3, Bible House, New York City 269. Lansdell, Henry. Russian Central Asia. 2 vols. London, 1885 270. The Sacred Tenth ; or, Studies in Tithe-giving Ancient and Modern. 2 vols. 16 shillings. S.P.C.K., 1906 271. The Tithe in Scripture. Half a crown. S.P.C.K., 1908 272. Latham, H. J. God in Business. John Menzies, Copthall Avenue, London, 1905 273. Layman [Thomas Kane]. The Pew to the Pulpit. 40 cents per 100. Free to those who cannot pay. Layman 274. What we Owe, and Why we Owe it. $i per 100, or $8 per 1,000. Free to those who cannot pay. Layman 275. What we Owe, and How to Pay it. No. 2. Revised Edition. $i per 100. Free to those who cannot pay. Layman 276. What we Owe, and the Results of Paying it. Layman 277. Lay Member of the Church, of England [J. M. Kemble?]. Pamphlet on Historical Remarks upon the Supposed Antiquity of Church Rates, and the Threefold Division of Tithes. London, 1837 278. Leaflet No. I, The Example of the Heathen. No. 2, The Ex- ample of the Saints. No. 3, Firstfruits : A Lost Means of Grace. No. 4, Tithes : A Lost Means of Grace. No. 5, Offerings : A Lost Means of Grace. No. 6, A Royal Priesthood. S.T.G. 279. [Leakey, Caroline W.] God's Tenth, id. Shaw & Co., 48, Paternoster Row, London, E.G. 280. Lees, Harrington C. The Arithmetic of Heaven. C.M.S. House, Salisbury Square, London 281. Le Penvre, Amy. Jill's Red Bag. R.T.S. [1903] 282. Leslie, Charles. The Divine Right of Tithes. London, 1700, and (reprint) Toronto, 1884 283. Liddell, Edward. The Poverty-stricken Clergy. A Paper read at the Church House, Westminster, June, 1893 id. S.T.G. 284. List of Books and Tracts on the Subject of Christian Giving. Free Church of Scotland Reports. No. 32. Nisbet 285. Literature of Christian Giving and Systematic Beneficence. A.B.P.S. 286. Livesey, H. Charity and its Relation to Temporal Prosperity. Price $d. Partridge 287. Locke, Charles Edward. Tithing as a Christian Duty. H. H. Otis & Sons, Buffalo, New York THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE 288. Locke, Charles Edward. Young People and Scriptural Giving. Price 50 cents per 100. Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Rindge Literature Department, 150, Fifth Avenne, New York 289. Long, Thomas S. Systematic Giving. Assembly Herald. U.S.A. Presbyterian Church, March, 1901. 237, Dock Street, Philadelphia, U.S.A. 290. Lord's Money. The. Leaflet. S.T.G. 291. Lord's Money, The. A Symposium. The Assembly Herald, March. 1328, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, U.S.A., 1905 292. Lord's Offering ; or, The Exchange of the Kingdom [by ALEX- ANDER M. DALRYMPLE] and the Church's Exchequer [by ALEXANDER M. SYMINGTON] ; Essays on Systematic Bene- ficence. Andrew Elliot, Edinburgh, and Nisbet, 1877 293. M. A. Unpleasant Questions. $d. per doz. Brown, 42, Hanover Street, Edinburgh 294. Mackay, Dr. Christian Giving : An Address to the Members of the Presbyterian Church of England. Henderson, Rait, & Fenton, Marylebone Lane, London 295. Magruder, J. W. The Way it Works. Tract. Rindge Literature Department, 150, Fifth Avenue, "New York City 296. What a Local Church has done. Price 50 cents per 100. Missionary Society of Methodist Episcopal Church, Rindge Literature Department, 1 50, Fifth Avenue, New York 297. Hanley, Gr. T. System in Giving. Article in C.M.S. Summer School Report, 1904. C.M.S., Salisbury Square, London 298. Manning, Cardinal. Irresponsible Wealth. Nineteenth Cen- tury Review, December, 1890. New York City 299. Margdschis, A. A Magnificent Offering from Tinnevelly. The Gospel Missionary, October, 1901. Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, London 300. Mather, Mrs. James. The Sanctification of the Tenth. Woman's Home Missions, U.S.A. 301. McCahe, Mrs. H. C. The Lord's Tenth. From the Lutheran Missionary Journal, November, 1903. 1424, Arch Street, Philadelphia, Penn., U.S.A. 302. McClintock, John, and Strong, James. Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature. 12 vols. New York City, 1878 and 1894 303. M. D. Christian Giving : A Bible Study. The Christian, January 30, 1902. London 304. Memorial and Thankoffering. The Pulpit of the Cross, Vol. II., No. ii. C.T.C. A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON TITHE-PAYING 305. Mentzer, W. H. Giving for the Lord's Work, No. 82. A.B.P.S. 306. M[errick], J. Vaughan. Worship without Offerings Incom- plete. Publication No. 30. F. &> O.C.A. 307. Endowments for Churches. No. 45. F. Or* O.C.A. 308. Methodist Branch Papers, Nos. i, 2, 3. Hon. Secretary, Rev. J. Nicholson, Golden Square, Bendigo. Spectator Publishing Co., Melbourne 309. M. E. W. Godly Thrift for Favoured England. S.T.G. 310. Meyer, P. B. The Stewardship of Money. \d. Partridge ; and Fleming H. Revell Co., New York City 311. Middleton, R. What do I Give, and Why ? Jarrold & Sons, 10 and 11, Warwick Lane, London, E.G. 312. Faith Methods in the Use of Money. Go Forward, November, 1904. Y.W.C.A., 26, George Street, Hanover Square, London 313. Miller, A. W. The Law of the Tithe and of the Freewill Offering, and of Almsgiving, etc. Printed at Presbyterian Publishing House, U.S.A., 1873 314. Miller, D. L. The Brethren or Bunkers. General Missionary and Tract Committee, Elgin, III., U.S.A. 315. Miller, E. L. How Estimate the Tithe. Observer Publishing Co., Greensburg, Indiana, U.S.A. 316. Mitchell, Arthur. Giving made Easy. The Message and Deaconess Advocate, Vol. XII., No. 5. Oak Park, Chicago, U.S.A., May, 1896 317. Mitchell, Thomas. Christian Beneficence, with Reference to Proportionate Giving. Kelly, 2, Castle St., London [1905] 318. Christian Beneficence. Edwin Dalton, 48-50, Aldersgate Street, London, 1905 319. M. J. P. What the Bible says on Giving. Our Giving Series, No. 8. Envelope Edition. \d. Partridge 320. Mohler, John E. Opportunities for Giving. The Missionary Visitor, June, 1903. B.P.H.E. 321. Moir, John. Christ's Stewards. The Bible Plan for Christian Giving, id. Nelson 322. Storing for God. The Bible Plan for Christian Giving. is. per doz. Nelson 323. Debtors to God, not Givers. The Tithe still due to God. \d. Nelson 324. The Scriptural Establishment and Endowment of the Church. Nelson, 1896 325. Christian Stewards. I cent. 326. Moncrieff, J. Forbes, Edited by. Christian Giving. Classified Notes and Extracts. \d. Andrew Stevenson, 9, North Bank Street, Edinburgh 12 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE 327. Moncrieff, J. Forbes. Every One of You. Giving for the Cause of Christ, id. Andrew Stevenson, 9, North Bank Street, Edinburgh 328. Giving Better than Getting. Andrew Stevenson, 9, North Bank Street, Edinburgh 329. Giving and Withholding ; or, How to Get and How to Lose a Blessing. Our Giving Series, No. 2. id. Partridge 330. How, When, and Why ? An Address to the Young on Giving for the Cause of Christ, id. Oliphant, Anderson & Ferrier, Edinburgh and London 331. Our Collectors and their Work. id. Partridge 332. Our Giving : What it is and What it Ought to Be. New and enlarged edition. Partridge [1902] 333. Tracts on Christian Giving. Nos. 1-8. id. each, or published together as Our Giving. London 334. Montagu, Richard. Diatribse upon the First Part of the Late History of Tithes. 1621 335. Moore, D. Do you Believe the Bible ? S.T.G. 336. Moore, Melville M. Support the Parish, i cent. James Pott & Co., 14 and 16, Astor Place, New York City, 1892 337. Morehouse,H.L. A Message for the Hour. DocumentNo.2. C.S.B. 338. Morgan, Q-. Campbell. Studies in Malachi ; or, Wherein have we robbed God ? Morgan & Scott, London 339. The Christian and his Money. Illustrated Missionary News, July, 1903. London 340 Morgan, James. The Scripture Rule of Religious Contribution ; or, In what Proportion should a Believer in Revelation dedicate his Property to the Cause of God ? See Gold and the Gospel. 341. Morse, L. L. Consecration of Wealth. Address at Methodist (Ecumenical Conference, 1901. Methodist Times, p. 684, September 19. London, 1901 342. MSS. in British Museum on Tithes are indicated in Class Cata- logue of MSS. as Church History, vol. i. pp. 401-9. 343. Miiller, George. Christian Giving. \d. Partridge, 1879 344. On Giving. An extract from the 24th Report of the New Orphan Houses, Bristol. Partridge 345. The Privilege of Giving as taught in Scripture. Partridge 346. Munro, Mrs. Geo. Proportionate Giving, i cent. 347. Murphy, Thomas. Sustain the Great Enterprise. Document No. 3. G.A.C.S.B. 348. Murray, Andrew. Money : Thoughts for God's Stewards. Marshall 349. The Poverty of Christ, id. S.A.G.M., i4A, Lingfield Road, Wimbledon, S.W. 350. Neff, James M. By the Year or by the Dollar Which ? The Missionary Visitor, February, 1904. B.P.H.E. A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON TITHE-PAYING 351. Noble, W. B. Christian Giving. 3*. per 100. R.T.S. 352. Noel, P. A. D. Systematic and Proportionate Almsgiving. A Paper read before the Wakefield Diocesan Conference, October, 1892. id. S.T.G. 353. Norris, Edward S. The Impropriation of Tithes. Price 6d. Eyre & Spottiswoode, London, 1905 354. Notes on Giving. Missionary Herald, 1904. A.B.C.F.M. 355- Ober, C. K. A Larger Life. S.V.M.F.M. 356. Money a Spiritual Force in the Kingdom of God. S.V.M.F.M., 1903 357. O'Brien, Colonel. The Layman's Point of View. Orillia Packet Printers, Canada 358. Offertory Alms. Pamphlet No. 75. F. & O.C.A. 359. Offertory Rubric, The. is. 6d. per 100. F. &> O.C.A. 360. Ogden, Mrs. U. The Grace of Liberality. Briggs 361. On Giving. From The Australian Churchman, November 7, 1903. Sydney, N.S.W. 362. O.P.J. My Rich Religious Experience. I o cents, per doz. Pritchara 363. Osborne, Henry. Giving. G.A.C.S.B., 1881 364. Osborne, John. Tythes: An Indictment against Tythes, etc. 1659 365. Palmer, A. T. Generousness. Price id. James Clarke & Co., 13-14, Fleet Street, London, 1900 366. Pangborn, Ada L. The Windows of Heaven Open. No. 4, Talks about Christian Giving, April, 1885. C.G.P. 367. Pansy. The Pocket Measure. Lothrop Publishing Co., Boston, U.S.A. 368. Parker, Joseph. Scattering and Withholding. The City Temple, London, 1871 369. The Theology of Money. The City Temple, London 370. The Working Church : An Argument for Liberality and Labour. Nisbet, 1857 371. Path to Wealth. With Introduction by Bishop (now General Superintendent) Carman. See Blacksmith, A. 372. Pearse, Mark Guy. Mister Horn preaches on the Great Hurt. Eaton 373. Mister Horn and his Friends. Wesleyan Methodist Book Room, London 374. A Homily of Mister Horn upon Giving. Wesleyan Methodist Book Room, London '375. Pearson, Anthony. The Great Case of Tithes. 1754 376. The Great Cause of Tithes truly stated, etc., by J. M. London, 1730-62 377. Pearson, Hugh. Systematic Beneficence. A Paper read before the Warminster Clerical Meeting. Thomas Danks, 4 and 9, Crane Court, London THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE 378. Pentecost, George T. Systematic Beneficence. When and How to Give. A. D. F. Randolph Co., 103, Fifth Avenue, New York City, 1897 379. Personal Consecration to Christ. The Great Duty of the Present Age. 3 cents. W. W. Waters, Superintendent Presbyterian Publication Rooms, 198, Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, Penn., U.S.A. 380. Personal Experiences of Christian Giving. [The Lord's Treasury Series, No. 4.] ^d. per doz. McNaughtan 381. Pieraon, A. T. Why and How shall I Give? Experience, No. 90, June, 1903. Partridge 382. New Incentives to Giving. From New Acts of Apostles. Nisbet 383. Bible Plan of Giving. No. 53. American Home Missionary Society, Bible House, New York 384. The Lord's Teachings about Money. Price id. Mildmay Mission to Jews, Central Hall, Philpott Street, London 385. Pigou, Francis. Almsgiving, Ancient and Modern. A Sermon. 3rd Edition. T. Thatcher, College Green, Bristol 386. Pike, J. GK Christian Liberality in the Distribution of Property. R.T.S., 56, Paternoster Row, London, 1836 387. Pitt, Henry A. S. The Free-Will Offering Scheme. 4th Edition. Price 4 #r,///.,U.S.A.,i9O2 405. Tithing versus Entertainments. Leaflet. Women's Tem- perance Publishing Association. The Temple, Chicago 406. Prize Essays on Free Worship and Finance. Four Essays by Rev. T. P. BROWNING, Rev. S. H. SAXBY, Rev. J. HAMILTON, Rev. W. P. S. BINGHAM. Rivingtons, London, 1865 407. Proportionate Giving for the Support of Foreign Missions. The Mission Field, May, 1903 London 408. Proportionate Giving ; or, Why we should Give, and in what Manner. No. 6. Layman 409. Proportionate Giving ; or, Why, What, and How we should Give ? 5 O.C.A. 430. Systematic Almsgiving. A Paper written for the Rochester Diocesan Conference, April, 1890. ^d. F. & O.C.A. 431. To Get or to Give. Why do we go to Church ? S.P.C.K. 432. Ross, John. The Christian Weekly Offering ; or, The Scriptural Principle and Rule of Self-assessment in the Dedication of Property. See Gold and the Gospel. 433. The Certainty of Weekly Offering j or, The Inquirer Directed Stock 434. The Lord's Portion stored on the Lord's Day. London 435. Storing for God, and Giving to God. . Stock 436. The Best for the Lord. A Sermon. Blackie & Co., Glasgow 437. The Weekly Offering Record. Quarterly. Stock, 1865-75 438. Ross-Lewin, G. H. Lord Scudamore : A Loyal Churchman and Faithful Steward of God's Bounty. Price yi. St. Giles' Printing Company, Raeburn House, York Place, Edinburgh, 1900 439. Rumfitt, Dr. C. Bible Method of Giving. $d. Marshall 440. Downright Stinginess : is it true ? is it I ? id. London Jews Society [1905] 441. Sallmon, William H. Systematic and Proportionate Giving. Young Men's Christian Association. 3, West Twenty-ninth Street, New York City, U.S.A., 1902 A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON TITHE-PAYING 442. Salvation Army. The Tenth League. S.A. 443. Sayce, A. H. Patriarchal Palestine. London, 1895 444. 8.0. A. 8. Resources of the Kingdom. A Paper for Women. Proportionate Giving Pledge. Pritchard, U.S.A. 445. Schaeffer, J. G. The T V of All. No. 5. Talks about Christian Giving. The Christian Giver. New York City 446. Schanffler, A. F. Money. 5 cents. S. V.M.F.M. 447. Schurer, Emil. History of the Jewish People in the time of Jesus Christ. Emoluments of the Priesthood. Division II. Vol. I. p. 230. T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1890 448. Schwab, Moise. Le Talmud de Jerusalem. Paris, 1878 449- Scott, J. R. The Primitive Rule of Giving. A.B.P.S. 450. Scott, Robert S. The Grace of Christian Liberality. Aird & Coghill, 263, Argyll Street, Glasgow, 1884 451. S. D. H. [A businessman.] Biblical Finance. Chicago 452. The King's Portion. Chicago 453. Selborne, Earl. Ancient Facts and Fictions concerning Church and Tithes. 8vo, 75. 6d. Macmillans, London, 1888 454. Selden, John. The History of Tythes. London, 1618 455. Seymour, James Cooke. Christ the Apocalypse. [Chapter on Wealth and its Uses : Law of Giving.] Eaton 456. The Gifts of the Royal Family ; or, Systematic Christian Beneficence its Nature and Need. W. Briggs, 70 and 80, King Street, East, Toronto, 1888 457- Shaver, M. A. Ten Reasons for Tithing. Briggs 458. Shelton, 0. Don. Higher Ideals of Christian Stewardship. Second edition. S.V.M.F.M., 1901 459. Sheppard, W. J. L. The Grace of Giving. Article in First C.M.S. Summer School Report, 1904. C.M.S., Salisbury Square, London 460. Short Catechism of Tithes, A. Tract No. 5. S.T.G., Toronto 461. Sloan, Walter B. The Grace of Giving, id. Morgan & Scott, 12, Paternoster Buildings, London, E.G. 462. Smith, Asa. Giving out of their Deep Poverty. Document No. 4. G.A.C.S.B. 463. Smith, Edward Everett. Christian Stewardship. Green 464. Smith, G. L. Giving as God directs. No. 6. Talks about Christian Giving. C.G.P., 1888 465. Smith, Hugh C. Book of Remembrance. Win One Series. No. 3. Price 8 cents. G.C.C.A.E. 466. Smith, Mrs. S. T. "O. P. J." Women's Board of Missions of the Interior. 53, Dearborn Street, Chicago, U.S.A. 467. Smith, Sir George. Perils of Wealth. Essay at Methodist CEcumenical Conference, 1901. Methodist Times, p. 684, September 19. London, 1901 THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE 468. Smith, Wemyss. God's Way for Christian Giving. Church Series, No. 8. $2 per 100. 3 cents each. Rev. Wemyss Smith, St. Matthew's Church, Bloomington, Illinois, U.S.A. 469. Smith, W. Robertson. Lectures on the Religion of the Semites. Edinburgh, 1889 470. Smock, D. V. Systematic Benevolence. See How much shall I give? Second (revised) edition, 1894. P.B.E. 471. Smyly, E. S. The Grace of Giving. Church Missionary House, Salisbury Square, London, E.G. 472. So many Calls. Eaton 473. So many Calls, ^d. Partridge 474. Soames, Werner H. K. Proportionate Giving. The Record, June 26, London, 1896 475. Some Abominations of Modern Church Finance. Tract No. 6. S.T.G., Toronto 476. South, Robert. Sermons on Covetousness. Nos. 46 and 47. Vol. III. p. 287. Oxford, 1823 477. Spelman, Sir Henry. Larger Treatise concerning Tythes. London, 1728 478. The History and Fate of Sacrilege. Fourth edition, with an Appendix bringing the Work up to the present date, by the Rev. C. F. S. WARREN. London, 1895 479. History and Fate of Sacrilege. Edited by SAMUEL J. EALES, D.C.L. Hodges, London, 1888 480. Speer, Robert E. Systematic Giving. From Memorial of H. T. Pitkin, p. 89. Fleming H. Revell Co., New York City 481. Speer, William. God's Rule for Christian Giving. A Practical Essay on the Science of Christian Economy. P.B.E. 482. Spence, Robert. The Jewish Law of Tithe. A Guide to Christian Liberality. See Gold and the Gospel. 483. Spencer, D wight. Church Finance. A.T.S. 484. Spuffbrd, H. T. The Law of Christian Giving. Rev. H. T. Spufford, New Bushey, Watford 485. Spurgeon, C. H. A Cheerful Giver beloved of God. Sermon No. 835. Passmore & Alabaster, London 486. Stanton, Mrs. Thank-Offerings. 10 cents per doz. W.B.F.M. 487. Star of Oblation. S.T.G. 488. Stewart, E. B. The Tithe. Winona Co., Chicago ; and Winona Lake, Indiana, U.S.A. 489. The Tithe Covenant Plan for Financing the Kingdom of Christ. Layman. 490. Stewart, T. C. Systematic Beneficence ; or, The Tithing System in the New Testament Church. A Sermon to be had of the Author. 1231, South $8th Street, Philadelphia, U.S.A. A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON TITHE-PAYING 491. S[tock], E. The Ministry of Money. Church Missionary Intelligencer, February, 1890. Salisbury Square, London, E.G. 492. Storing and Obtaining. A Quarterly Magazine 1888 to April 1901 ; and onwards, as The Lord's Portion, to 1905 [in pro- gress], 6d. per doz. P.G.U. 493. Strickland, A. B. Tithing in the Modern Church. Price 81.50 per 100. Observer Publishing Company, Greensburg, Indiana 494. Strong, Josiah. Money and the Kingdom. 2 cents. A.T.S. 495. Strong, Robert. The Farmer's Tithe-box. Leaflet. Society of Friends Foreign Missionary Union in America. Cheltenham, Penn., U.S.A. 496. Stuart, E. A. The Spiritual Standard of Giving. Students and the Missionary Problem, p. 153. Student Volunteer Missionary Union, London, 1900 497. Stllbbs, C. W. Some Principles of Almsgiving. The Church Monthly, January, 1903 London 498. Suggestions for Christian Stewards. Methodist Rooms, Toronto 499. Suggestions for the More Godly Laying Aside Weekly Offerings according to I Cor. xvi. 2. Price is. per 100. Charles Brewer, Holly Mount, Lcominster ; also H. J. Raymond, 16, Paternoster Square, London 500. Surenhusius, Ghilielnms. Mischna : sive totius Hebraeorum juris. Amstelodami, 1698 501. Button, M. H. Proportionate Giving. Letters to the Editor of The Record, June 22, etc. London 502. Swartz, William P. The Financial Problem. Document No. 10. G.A.C.S.B. 503. Symington, Alexander M. The Church's Exchequer. See The Lord 1 s Offering. Andrew Elliott, Edinburgh 504. Why, How, and When to Give. Nisbet, 1880 505. System in Religious Offerings. Bulletin No. 2. C.S.B. 506. Systematic Beneficence. No. 31. Green 507. Systematic Beneficence, the Commission on, submits to the Churches the following with reference to Plans of Giving. Bulletin No. 3. C.S.B. 508. Systematic Giver. Paper of the [Canadian] Society of the Treasury of God. Toronto, November, 1886, and January, 1888 509. Systematic and Proportionate Giving. Correspondence in the Record, September, 1887. London 510. Talks on Tithes : Why Pay Them ? S.P.C.K., London 511. Taylor, William. What the Bible says about Giving. No. 429. A.T.S. 512. Temporal Side of Christian Giving. The Lord's Treasury Series, No. 3. ^d. per doz. McNaughtan 513. Tenth Band. Missionary and Tract Committee. B.P.H.E. THE TITHE IN SCRIPTURE 514. Tenth Legion, Enrolment Blank of the. John W. Baer, 646, Washington Street, Boston, U.S.A. 515. Texts on the Grace of Giving. F. & O.C.A. 516. T.H. Christian Giving. 6d. doz. Bible House, Pilgrim Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne 517. Thanksgiving Ann. 4 ^Legislation CHAPTER XX TITHE LEGISLATION IN EASTERN, AFRICAN, ITALIAN, AND SPANISH COUNCILS PAGES Community of goods in Palestine, Alexandria, Gaul, and North Africa, 210. Canons framed in Church councils, 212. The " Apostolical " Canons, with directions concerning firstfruits, 213. Councils of Ancyra, Antioch, and Gangra, concerning firstfruits, 213. Christian tithing witnessed to by the "Apos- tolical" Constitutions and by Jerome, 214. Tithing exceeded by certain of the Roman patricians, 215. Tithe-paying in Cyprus, on the Danube, in Bulgaria, and Palestine, 218. Tithe-paying in Egypt and Ethiopia, 219. Liberality of Christians in North Africa, 221. Tithes enjoined by fourth Council of Rome, 221. Examples of princely giving among laity, 222. Tithes enjoined by Synod of Friuli, 223. Tithes decreed in Charlemagne's capitularies by Leo IV. and Gregory VII., 223. Ordained in kingdom of Naples and Sicily, 224.- Tithe-paying at the fourth Council of Lateran and the Council of Trent, 224. Tithes in Spanish Councils of Seville and Toledo, 225 ..... 209 226 CHAPTER XXI TITHE LEGISLATION IN FRANCE, GERMANY, AND SC AND IN A VIA Practice and legislation as to tithes in France, 227. Tithe-paying enjoined by Council of Orleans, 228. Made compulsory by second Council of Macon and the Council of Rouen, 228. French churches early endowed with tithes, 230. Pepin's first imperial law enforcing payment of tithe, 230. Mitigated by Archbishop Herard, but confirmed by Charlemagne, 231. Tithe-paying ordered by fourth Council of Aries and the Council of Cavaillon, 232. Louis the Simple made tithes recoverable at law, 232. Arnold of Brescia and Bernard of ClairvaUx approving tithes, 233. Tithe-paying adopted by Bavarians, 234. Charlemagne's zeal for tithes, 234. Councils of Maintz and Metz claim tithes, 236. Tithe-paying in penitentials, 238. Tithes in Hungary and Poland, 238 ; in Northern Europe and Iceland, 240. Summary of pre- ceding four chapters, 241. Authority as to tithe-paying of the State and of the Church, 242 . . . . 227245 CONTENTS Uitbing in CHAPTER XXII BRITISH AND EARLY SAXON TITHING PAGES Tithe-paying in British, Saxon, Danish, Norman, and early English Church periods, 246. Traces of British Pagan tithing, 246. Testimony pf Giraldus to British Christian tithing, 247. Germanus, Lupus, and Cadoc, 248. Bede on tithe-paying, 249. Practised by Eadbert at Lindisfarne, or Holy Island, 249 Augustin of Canterbury familiar with tithe-paying, 250. His correspondence with Gregory, 251. Tithes mentioned in Theodore's Penitential, 253. Early Saxon laws probably included tithes, 253. Tithes enjoined at Pincanhale and Cealchyth, 254. Oflfa's gift of a tenth, 255. EthelwulPs tithe law for Wessex, 255. Extension of charter to the whole of England, 256. Selborne's comment on Ethel wulf's grant, 258. Alfred the Great more than a tithe-payer, 259 246260 CHAPTER XXIII TITHING UNDER SAXON, DANISH, AND NORMAN KINGS Tithe laws of Athelstan and Edmund, 261. Edgar's coercive tithe laws, 262. Confirmed by Ethelred II., 264. Tithing under Canute, 265. Edward the Confessor's laws and per- sonal example, 265. Canons of ^lfric concerning tithes, 266. William the Conqueror's confirmation of preceding tithe laws, 267. Tithing under Henry I., Stephen, and Henry II., 268. Thomas a Becket a tithe-payer, 270. Richard I. and King John concerning tithes, 270 . 261 270 CHAPTER XXIV ENGLISH TITHING FROM MAGNA CHARTA TO EDWARD VI The Great Charter, 271. Bishop Niger's arrangement with London citizens for tithe-paying, 272. Attempts by arch- bishops at uniformity in tithe-paying, 274. Coercive laws under Edward III., 275. Tithing in days of Chaucer and Wycliffe, 170. Penitents questioned as to tithes in reign of Henry VI., 277. Russell's preaching about tithes condemned, 278. Early tithe laws of Henry VIII., 278. Tithe legisla- tion under Edward VI., 279. Review of tithe-paying in England, 280 ........ 271 282 CONTENTS Uitbe Bbuses CHAPTER XXV MISAPPROPRIATION OF PRsEDIAL TITHES PAGES Misappropriation of praedial tithes, 283. Spelman and Grove on alienation of tithes, 284. Definition and early examples of sacrilege, 285. Monasteries entrusted to Henry VIII., 286. His betrayal of the trust, 288. Grove's researches com- plementary to those of Spelman, 289. Grove's lists of Crown grantees of tithes, 290. Tithes granted mostly for purchase, 291. Grants for political service, 291. Tithes given to favourers of Henry's divorce, 292 .... 283294 CHAPTER XXVI FARIAMENTARY SACRILEGE AND REGAL DISHONESTY Grants to accomplices in dissolving monasteries, 296. Parlia- mentary dishonesty, 297. Tithes perverted to certain of the nobility, 298. Abuse of tithes by Henry VIII. for his con- sorts and his gambling, 299. Misuse of tithes by Edward VI. and his sisters, 299. Mary's personal misappropriation of Church plate, 300. Rapacity of courtiers under Edward VI. and Mary, 300. Partial restoration of plunder by Mary, 301. Receivers of stolen Church property, 302. Unwillingness of Church plunderers to give up their spoils, 303. Refusal of Pope Paul to recognise sacrilege, 304 . . . 295 304 CHAPTER XXVII ROYAL ABUSES AND LA Y POSSESSION OF TITHES Grants of tithes to estate agents for sale, 305. Tithes granted in exchange for bishop's lands, 307. Elizabeth's abuse of tithes to Hatton, 308. Letter of James I. proposing restoration of tithes, 309. Vow of Charles I. to restore impropriations, 310. Typical abuse by royalty of tithes in Greenwich, 311. Modern owners of alienated tithes revealed by Tithe Com- mutation Acts, 312. Abolition of tithe-paying in kind, 313. Grove's difficulties in procuring names of lay owners of tithes, 314. Grove's schedules of alienated tithes, 315. Three millions sterling of tithes in lay hands, 317. Tithes extin- guished by merging, 317 . ; ,' "^ V ? 30531$ CONTENTS CHAPTER XXVIII CALAMITIES BEFALLING THE SACRILEGIOUS PAGES Spelman. a recorder of calamities following sacrilege, 319. Whitgift decrying sacrilege to Elizabeth, 320. Misfortunes befalling Henry VIII. and his principal accomplices, 320. Adversities overtaking spiritual peers, 321. Sufferings of temporal peers who suppressed monasteries, 322. What befell Henry's family and helpers, with Spelman's comment thereon, 326 . . ..> . ;v .1,4.11) j*f) VKfevi.' 3 1 9~J 2 7 CHAPTER XXIX DECADENCE OF ENGLISH TITHING Effects of dishonest legislation on tithe-paying, 328. Lay posses- sion of tithes a crime, 329. Sin of the nation in abusing tithes, 330. Fraudulent withholding of praedial tithes, 332. Decadence of personal tithe-paying, 332. Personal tithe- paying continuous from Saxon times, 332. Payment of tithes attested on oath in time of Chaucer, 333. Chicheley's in- junction about payment of personal tithes, 334. Modification of personal tithing under Edward VI., 334. Personal tithes under Charles I., and their decline, 335 . ', ~ . 328 336 CHAPTER XXX CONSEQUENCES OF TITHE ROBBERY Evils following alienation of tithes, 337. Simony, and lay patrons, 338. Prevalence of small benefices, 338. Failure of Henry's Government to improve impoverished parishes, 338. Injustice of three millions of tithes in lay hands, 339. Impoverished benefices held by clergymen of private means, 339. Pauperisation of present-day Church people, 341. Their lack of scriptural service in supporting the ministry, 341. Examples of injustice of laity towards clergy, 342. Neglect of clergy sometimes cruel, 343. Low standard of principle indicated thereby, 344. Inadequate ideas of re- sponsibility as to spreading Christianity, 345. Small propor- tion of population, or of titled people, who support missions, 345. Ignoring of stewardship by owners of property, 347. Low standard of giving indicated by Hospital Sunday Fund, 348. Indifference to suffering connected with Indian famines, 349. Small average gifts even for subscriptions that are popular, 350. English givers put to blush by Pagans, rebuked by Jews, condemned by Christian Fathers and councils, and debased to "robbers of God," 351 .... 337 352 CONTENTS OF VOLUME II MODERN TITHING CHAPTER XXXi PRESENT-DAY GIVING: FROM STATISTICS AND OBSERVATION Estimated income of people of Great Britain, 353. Statistics from tax returns and census, 354. Proportion given for religious and charitable purposes, 356. Less than I per cent, in England and America, 356. Comparison with other items of expenditure, 357. -This estimate is not to be pressed unduly, 358. Difficulty of ascertaining the amount bestowed in charity, 359. Clergymen as collectors and administrators of charity, 360. Testimony from author's Address Book, 361. Two hundred givers roughly classified, 362. Rich clergymen, 362. Liberal women, bankers, and merchants, 363. Large givers from small incomes, 366 . . ... 353 366 CHAPTER XXXII PRESENT-DAY GIVING AND HONORARY WORKING Givers and honorary workers, 367. Honorary incumbents, 367. Clerical builders and supporters of schools, 370. Clerical supporters of religious societies, 371. Honorary missionaries, 371. Ladies supporting private institutions, 375. Unre- munerated lay workers and large givers, 375. Clerical literary givers, 377. Helpers of students and poor relations, 379. Extremes indicated by present-day giving, 380. Fewness of givers, lack of system and proportion, and need of " a more excellent way," 380 .... 367 382 CONTENTS CHAPTER XXXIII MODERN TITHING BY INDIVIDUALS Evil influence on tithe-paying of Henry VIII., 383. Survival of tithing, nevertheless, 384. Results of Spelman's writings, 384. Impropriations restored, 385. Good stewardship of Bishop Wilson, 386. Grove's intended list of restored tithes, 387. Author's researches at British Museum, 387. Dean Nowell, Leslie, and Bishop Wilson as tithe-payers, 389. Tithe-payers from author's address book, 391. Bishops and clergy, 391. Four ladies, 394. A Russian colonel, 395. Foregoing examples not a result of set inquiry, 396. The late W. E. Gladstone, 398 . . ,>,.". . . . 383398 CHAPTER XXXIV MODERN TITHING BY COMMUNITIES AND CONOR EG A TIONS Religious communities practising tithe-paying, 399. Samaritans at Nablus, 399. Modern Jews, 400. Moravians and Wesleyans, 401. The Irvingites, 403. Mormons, 404. St. Stephen's Church, Manayunk, 406. Santa Barbara Baptist congregation, 409. The Christian Israelite Church, 411. Church of England Diocesan Conference resolutions, 413 .v.'-'KAf >"".< '-V .'. :i '.'."'. : '.' :: . 3994H CHAPTER XXXV TH^HE-PAYING SOCIETIES Formation by the Pharisees of the first tithe-paying society, 415. Establishment by tithe-payers of Canadian Society of the Treasury of God, 416. English Society of the Treasury of God, 416. Its origin, procedure, and constitution, 416. Lenten boxes for children, 419. Salvation Army tithing, and form of pledge, 420. The Churchman's tithe club of Omaha. Its constitution, pledge, and prayer, 421. The Tenth Legion, and its origin, 424. Transference to the United Society of Christian Endeavour, 425. Its alleged enrolment of twenty thousand tithe-givers, 427. Assistance of Mr. Kane of Chicago, 427. Formation at Winona of Twentieth Century Tithers' Association of America, 427. Its characteristics and tithe covenant, 427. The Associa- tion of Christian Stewards of Canada, 429. Its objects, methods, and form of application for membership, 429 415 432 CONTENTS CHAPTER XXXVI PROPORTIONATE GIVING ASSOCIATION The British Systematic Beneficence Society, 433. Its objects and supporters, 433. Results and operations, 435. American Systematic Beneficence Society, 436. Canadian Society of the Treasury of God, 437. Its constitution, objects, methods, membership, and results, 437. The Proportionate Giving Union in England, 439. Its rules, objects, and publications, 439. Extension to Australia, 440. Presbyterian Christian Giving Union, 441. Sundry Proportionate Giving Unions in America, 442. Indications of preparedness for tithe- paying reformation and revival, 442 t ,- Mli ,._,, _ . 433 442 CHAPTER XXXVII THE NEED OF TITHE REFORMATION Declensions and revivals in tithe-paying, 443. England saturated with sacrilege, 444. Its Parliamentary origin unjustifiable, 444. Parliament zealous in view of plunder, 446. Its indiffer- ence to abuse of tithes by its own members, 446. Parliamen- tary commission of national sin, 446. God's object-lesson to English people, 447. Six hundred families punished, 447. Grove's revelations as to extent of English sacrilege, 447. The moral status of lay tithe-holders, 447. "Once the Church's, always the Church's," 448. Not to give, is sin, 449. Palestine and England in relation to denunciation of Malachi, 450. Teaching of Scripture on covetousness, 451. Mammonism the deadly sin of English Christianity, 452. Malachi's words to the priests, 452. Their bearing on English clergy, 453. Laws compelling clergy to collect tithes, 454. Lack of clerical teaching on proportionate giving, 454. Witness of Rooke, 455. An individual's testi- mony concerning two hundred and fifty preachers, 455. Need of reform, 456 '.' 1'" .'.' '' . ' ..* . . 443 456 CHAPTER XXXVIII THE RESUMPTION OF TITHE-PA YING Some think a tenth too little, 457. Sir Matthew Hale, Baxter, and Wesley, 457. Charles Spurgeon and Alfred Peache, 458. Should the poor give a tenth ? 460. Similar claims of the Sabbath ; and the teaching of Paul, 460. What of persons in debt? 461. Why a tenth, 462. What is God's CONTENTS will? 462. Tithing as practised in Bible times, and in pre- Reformation centuries, 463. Sufficiently indicative of the will of God, 463. Re-promulgation of tithing laws not necessary, 464 .. .... '.rjr.ru-H -, 457464 CHAPTER XXXIX A TENTH AT LEAST: SOME REASONS WHY Not less than a tenth" reasonable. I. For God's glory, as Owner, Landlord, and King, 465. II. For the advancement of God's Kingdom, 467. III. For the giver's temporal good, 469. Testimonies of Bishop Wilson, Thomas Kane, Martin H. Sutton, and others, 469. Author's experience, and how accounted for, 473. IV. For the giver's spiritual good, 474. Conducive to right money relations with God, 474. To development of spiritual life, 475. Helpful to spirituality in business, 475. Opinions of George Miiller and Canon Christopher, 476. Tithing, a check to covetousness, 476. Christian liberality, a grace, 477. " It is more blessed to give than to receive " : loftiness of this standard, 478. The reason why, 478. Paying tithe is honouring to God, and convenient to man, 479. It imparts pleasantness and mental satisfaction, 480. Mr. Gladstone's three benefits from proportionate giving, 480. Is helpful to heart religion, 487. Prayer of Bishop Wilson, when setting money aside for God, 481 . .,; .n/T~ .>]> '.^{i,iu,i/> :\1 .-vi.wlr. ,.' 45 482 CHAPTER XL TO WHOM SHOULD TITHE BE PAID ? The tenth not necessarily payable to clergy ; and why, 483. Offices of Levitical priesthood more extensive than those of Christian ministers, 484. " God's ministers," sometimes laymen, 485. Tithe should be paid to God, 486.- Distinction between paying and administering the tithe, 486. Distribu- tion should be according to the will of God, 487. Not all giving is Christian giving, 488. Heathen liberality different from Christian love, 487. Giving that pleases self, 488. Giving from low motives, 488. Involuntary giving, and giving as a way of gain, 488. Right giving centres in pleasing God, 489. The Lord's House and the Lord's tithe, 489. American views, 490. Individual and corporate giving, 491. Danger of retrogression, 492. Personal experience, 493 483494 CONTENTS CHAPTER XLI HOW SHOULD TITHE BE ADMINISTERED? Scriptural objects whereon to expend the tithe, 495. Duty of supporting public worship, and home and foreign missions, 496. Scriptural claims of the poor, 497. State aid to the poor, 497. Payment of taxes in relation to tithing, 498. Landowners and rates, 499. Poor relatives, under the Law and under the Gospel, 499. The steward to give account of himself to God, 502 . >. . ; i! . ' '. ' '. . 495 502 CHAPTER XLII TITHING ADAPTABLE TO MODERN MACHINERY Tithe-paying impracticable only to the unwilling, 504. A tithe exceeded by lovers of alcohol and of pleasure, 504. Tithing practised by twenty thousand of the Tenth Legion, 505. Imaginary difficulties ; as ignorance of exact income, 505. " Cannot afford it," 505. " Not under law, but grace," 506. " We should give all," 507. Objections focussed, 507. How may tithe-paying be resuscitated? 508. Conversion not enough, 509. Pulpit must teach, 509. Bible should be studied, 510. Topics for Bible study, 511. Results from Bible Classes, 512. Bands of Hope, Confirmees, and young servants, 512. Importance of private charity accounts, 513 " \.,l .,.'!: v. :'.-.,.:'.'-.. '.. 503 5H CHAPTER XLIII TITHING IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERTORY Practical tithing as an act of worship, 515. The giving of the masses often neglected, 516. Whitaker's plan for working the offertory, 516. Suggestions from America, 517. Thoughts suggested by offertory coins, 518.- Comparison of coins with number of worshippers, 519. Lenten boxes of the S.T.G., 521. Value of offerings in kind, 521. Illustrated by Mr. Spurgeon ; and the S.P.G. Mission at Nazareth, 521. The "Lord's Corner" Guild, 522. How the offertory may be aided by literature and correspondence, 524. Dr. Pente- cost's plan ; and his experience, 524 . . . 515 526 CONTENTS CHAPTER XLIV FINANCE MEETINGS AND ORGANISATIONS Meetings for censidering finances, 527. How to be conducted, 528. Testing by ballot, 529. Responsive readings on tithe- paying, 531. How reforms are effected, 531.- Need of vehemence in pioneers, 532. Opinion of Mr. Gladstone, 532. His desire for a new association, 533. The power of com- bination, illustrated by Wesley, 533. The Tenth Legion, 535- Specimens of tithe-paying pledges, 535. More than enrolment needed, 536. American Baptist Commission on systematic beneficence, 537. Its origin and area of operations, 537. Its organisation, 538. Its plans, 538. Tithe-paying among American Baptists, 540. Need of organisation in the Church of England, 540 . . 527 540 CHAPTER XLV AN APPEAL TO THE CLERGY The clergy looked to as reformers, 541. Difficulties from want of thought, 541. Mr. Kane's Pew to the Pulpit, 543. Sensi- tiveness and the personal element, 544. Unwillingness to bear reproach, 545. Temptation to seek large and overlook small donations, 546. A wider outlook necessary, 547. Financial examination of parishes, 548. Unique opportunities of the clergy, 549 Their office recognised, respected, and themselves often loved, 549. Willingness of the laity to be led, 551. Cannot clergy restore what their predecessors established? 551. Successes of clergy on behalf of Foreign Missions and Temperance, 552. This, a day of surprises, 553. Are the clergy to blame ? 554. Author's shortcomings, 554. Opportunities of deputation preachers and missioners, 555. Teaching from experience, 556. Mr. Gladstone and Dean Colet, 556. Jacob's vow urged upon clergy, 557. Clerical experiences of God's faithfulness in financial afiairs, 558. Incitement to retrieve the past and improve the future, 562 .' . . 541-562 CHAPTER XLVI TO CHURCH OFFICERS, WARDENS, AND SIDESMEN Tithe-paying essentially a layman : s question, 563. Reform to be helped forward by Church officers, 564. Tithing recommended CONTENTS at Church Congresses, 564. Tithing more fruitful than volun- taryism, 565. Evidenced by Free Church of Scotland, 565. Canadian testimony, 567.- Modern tithing and Church finance in the United States, 567. Methods and results at Wesley Chapel, Cincinnati, 567. Fruitful tithing among Christian Koreans, 570. Mr. Stewart's church at Chicago and its Tithe Covenant, 570. Other Methodist and Presby- terian congregations, 572. Systematic giving by weekly free- will offerings in Paddington, London, 574. Their methods and working, 575. Opportunities of churchwardens, 577. Clergy to be stimulated, 577. Suggested formation of ruridecanal and diocesan tithing organisations, 578. Desiderata for the Lambeth Conference Thankoffering of 1908, 579 . 563 580 CHAPTER XLVII TO COLLECTORS OF CHARITABLE FUNDS Collectors defined, 581. The good they do, 582. Their relation to the Tithe, 582. Let collectors be tithers, 583. With a blessing to give as well as receive, 584. Tithing unpopular with the obdurate, 585. The miserly, 585. The inconsider- ate and apathetic, 586. Unappreciated by many religious people, 587. Tokens of improvement and encouragement, 588. Growth of proportionate giving, 589. Instance at Croydon, 589. Allowance to be made for want of thought, 590. Tithing better than spasmodic effort, 592. Particular good should be subordinated to general good, 593. Will the tenth again be accorded its right position? 593. The foundations of right giving "out of course," 593. Prayer for funds not enough, 594. How to propagate right principles of giving, 594. Secretaries of societies and their opportun- ities, 594. Distribution of tithing literature, 595. Oppor- tunities of scholastics, 596. A card and envelope plan for increased subscriptions, 597. Testimony from St. Peter's, Ipswich, 599. Opinion of Archbishop Temple, 600 . 581 600 CHAPTER XLVIII A WORD TO TITHE-GIVERS Twenty-thousand tithe-givers, and the seven thousand in Israel, 601.- Congratulated on historic, scriptural, and ecclesiastical CONTENTS grounds, 602. Author's message to tithe-payers, 604. How himself taught, 605. Reserve in witnessing to tithe-paying experience, 605 The left hand and the right, 606. American courage about tithing, 606. Spurgeon's autobiography, 607. Power of personal testimony, 607. God's cause hindered by over-sensitiveness, 608. Coming of God's Kingdom delayed, 608. Administration of the tithe, 609. Tithe-paying states- manship, 610. Resemblance to trusteeship, 610. Harvest implies sowing, 611. Origin of Systematic Beneficence Society, 612. Need of propagating tithing principles, 613. Comparison with other objects of charity, 613. Correspon- dence with Canon Christopher, 614. Its effect on the author, 614. Commander Pocock and plans for publication of this book, 615. Privacy of giving to be respected, 617. Appeal to tithe-payers, to resolve, and examine themselves, 619. To apportion the Lord's money to spread of tithing principles, 619. To put forth individual effort, 619. To combine and persevere, 619 601620 CHAPTER XLIX AN APPEAL TO THE LAITY Tithe-paying from national and social points of view, 621. Mr. Gladstone's opinion thereon, 622. Mr. Rigby's Tithe Terumoth, 623. Tithe-paying conducive to honesty and restitution, 623. Illustrated by experience of author, 624. Tithing as a layman's question, 625. Present effects of past abuse of tithes, 625. Spelman, Selden, and Grove as dis- interested reformers, 626. Value of lay testimony, 627. Clement Spelman and" Mr. de Winton, 627. Need of lay help, 628. Abounding thirst for wealth, 628. Insufficiency of parliamentary legislation, 628. Scope for authors in general, 628. An editor needed for Grove, 629. As Grove himself foresaw, 629. Memorial notice of Grove, ,630. Topics needing further elucidation, 630. Merged tithes and abbey lands, 630. Need of Christian statesmen, 631. Parliamentary returns wanted, 631. Grove not necessarily infallible, 633. A Wilberforce needed for tithe restitution, 634. Revision of clerical incomes not enough, 634. Re- vision needed of lay rectors' possessions, 635. Lay rectors' evasion of responsibility, 636. Should another Tithing Society be inaugurated ? 636 . . . . 621637 CONTENTS CHAPTER L THOUGHTS FOR LAY IMPROPRIATORS This chapter an after-thought, 638. Author's attention called to Grove's Alienated Tithes, 639. Light thereby thrown on Spelman, 639. Names of 2,000 grantees from Grove arranged alphabetically for Appendix B, 639. Compared with Spelman, 640. Appendix C of modern lay-owners of tithes, 640. Facts concerning lay impropriators, 641. Original gifts of tithes, 641. Administration entrusted to clergy, 641. Base character of some of the Reformers, 641. Betrayal of trust, 642. Abuse of Church money, 642. Amounting to millions sterling, 643. Holding Church property not neces- sarily sacrilege, 644. Difficulty of literal restoration, 644. Author's fourfold experience, 645. Purchase of land, 645. Exchange of tithes, 646. Land of unknown title, 647. Lord Scudamore as a restorer of tithes, 649. Example of Mahomet, 649. A late Duke of Northumberland, 650. Instances of Mr. H., 650. And the late Earl Beauchamp, 652. Are facts concerning impropriators truly stated? 653. Ought things so to be ? 653. What Archbishop Whitgift and others taught concerning sacrilege, 653. Must things so remain ? 655. Bishop Westcott's ideas on permanent reformation, 655. Honest people need not wait for Acts of Parliament, 655. Author's farewell to reader, 656 . . ; ". , ' . 638 656 APPENDICES B. LIST OF CROWN LAY-GRANTEES OF TITHES FROM HENRY VIII. TO WILLIAM III. '^ : . . - 657 C. ROUGH LIST OF MODERN LAY-OWNERS OF ALIENATED TITHES. . . . . . .671 CHRONOLOGY . 7*9 GENERAL INDEX 7 2 7 INDEX OF TEXTS ILLUSTRATED OR REFERRED TO. ( Vol. I. is to be understood unless othe>~wise mentioned. ) GENESIS. CHAP. PAGE CHAP. I 'AGE CHAP. PAGE xix. 9 . . 70 xvni. 3 . . 170 iv. 37 . 40 9, 10 . 69 16, 17 . 71 21 .1, . .,& ii. 497 xxi. 5 . . ii. 484 vii. 2 . . -42 23,24. |( 71 xxiii. 21 3. 74 xii. 7, 8 . 43 xxii. 21 .. 73 xxiv. 19 21 70 xiii. 1 8 . . 43 xxv. 20 2 . 63 xxvi. i ii . 4i xiv. i . . 53 23 . . ii. 466 2 II . 78 21 . . .;. 48 xxvii. 30 3 . 56, 8b 3 '' 77 xv. 9 . . 43 30 ii. 409, 466 5 77 xvi. . . 1 88 5 8o 13 . 128, '3 1 xxiv. . . 195 13 15 78 xxvi. 5 . . 52 NUMBERS. 14 . . 128 25 . . 'M">43> xxxiii. 25 . . ii. 474 xxviii. 20 2 . 49 viii. 236. 344 22 . . 82, 347 xviii. . . 80 JOSHUA. ii. 511, 557 214..; .,57 xxxiii. 1 8 . . 43 26-8. 58- V. 85 20 .. 43 viii. 302 . 85 xxxv. i, 6, 14 43 DEUTERONOMY. 35 85 xxxviii. 24 .. 52 xiii. 714 . 86 iv. 28 .. 66 xxi. i, 2 '. 85 EXODUS. xii. 6, 7 . 60 xiii. 2 . . 71 xxii. 29 . . 70, 232 29,30. 71 xxiii. 10, ii . ii. 497 15 . . ii. 579 xxv. I . . 73 17,18. 60 xiv. . . 80, 1 88 227 58 27 . 63 28 .. 63 289 . 62, 63 JUDGES. ii. 2-5 . VI. 10, 28 . xi. 31 . . xiii. 16 . . xvi. 23 . . 86 87 87 87 87 xxx. 13 .. 99 ii. 497 xvii. 6 . . 86 1114 71 xv. 1,2 . ii. 497 8 . . 86 xxxiv. 20 . . ii. 579 1,2,9. 72 XX. 1,2 87 xxxvi. 7 . . 73 7, 8, 10 74 1215 . 497 26, 27 . 87 LEVITICUS. xvi. 3, 13, 16 59 i SAMUEL. 10, ii . 72 V. 2 10. 6l 16 . . ii. 579 i. 21 88 vii. 6 10. 61 16,17- 73 ii- 13, 14. 88 8 . . 61 xvii. 8,9. . ii. 485 12 22 328 Etc., etc., etc. [SPECIMEN PAGE.] THE SACRED TENTH 170 There were other churches where, for good reasons, Paul chose to forego personal remunera- tion, 1 but he did not thereby give up his right 1 1 cor. ix. thereto ; for, with the Corinthian Christians, he argues thus : " Have we no right to eat and to drink ? . . . What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? ... If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things ? . . . Know ye not that they which minister about sacred things eat of the things of the temple, and they which wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar ? Even so did the Lord ordain that they which proclaim the Gospel should live of the Gospel." ^ * i Cor ix Here the apostle seems to have in mind two sources of maintenance for the Jewish priesthood. The one probably included tithes brought to the storehouse of the temple, 5 and the other consisted sNeh. x . 3 of those portions of the sacrifices which were brought to the altar and retained by the priest/ as signified u Deut. xvii by the words : " They which wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar." Some may contend, however, that the law was abrogated under the Gospel. If so, how much of the law, and in what sense ? Is the law so abrogated as that we may now, at our pleasure, murder, lie, and steal ? * * The Rev. Watts Ditchfield, a vicar whom I know in Bethnal Green, was calling on a shoemaker, who declared he would not come to church to hear the Commandments read, for, said he, " The Ten Com- mandments were long ago abolished." To argue, the vicar judged to be just then undesirable ; but, acting on a sudden thought, he said, " Oh ! I am very glad the eighth commandment is abolished, for I am just now in want of a pair of boots, and I think these are my size." Whereupon he picked up a pair as he spoke, and hurried out. nn flirrHOLOGY, OR Culled from Unasked Opinions and Expressions of Appreciation from BISHOPS, CLERGY, EDITORS, etc. The Archbishop of Canterbury writes: "I look forward to an opportunity of mastering its contents ; but you know how over-busy I am, and this year is likely to be busier than ever." The Bishop of Manchester {Dr. Knox) says : " I see that the scheme is large and bold, and worthy of your energy and learning. I hope to have, or make, time to be edified by your work " ; whilst Bishop Hundley Moule (of Durham) adds: "Alas! I sometimes feel as if my reading days were over, but it is not quite so, and I shall hope to make some real acquaintance with your massive collection of facts and thoughts on a really great subject." Professor Sayce (of Oxford) writes : " ' The Sacred Tenth ' is a model of scholarly completeness, and is bound to produce an effect," and The Archdeacon of London presages : " I shall never need to look at any other book on the matter again." Bishop Ingham, Secretary of the C.M.S., expresses the opinion: "I feel sure that the reading of these books will prove both interesting and instructive, and if they help, as I truly hope they will, to make people more fully realize the sacred duty of giving, you will have incurred a debt of gratitude from all those who, like ourselves, are engaged in trying to raise funds for the extension of the Master's Kingdom." Canon Christopher (of Oxford) exclaims inquiringly : " God be praised for the great and useful work which He has guided and enabled you to produce. . . . Is there any recently published book which is more likely to be used by God to draw out prompt help for the ever multiplying branches of His work of love and mercy among the ignorant and the sorrowful ? " Other Correspondents of various denominations have expressed themselves thus: The Chief Rabbi {Dr. Adler) remarks : " ' The Sacred Tenth ' is a very valuable, learned and luminous compilation. ... I believe that the Jewish aspect therein has been correctly treated." The Editor of the American {Episcopal) "Church Sunday School Magazine" writes: "I have looked over in a cursory way some of the chapters, and am pleased immensely. . . . Hoping that your work will go into every Church library in the world, as well as every parish library, I remain," etc. The Editor of the "National Church " speaks of the information supplied as "fascinating," and Mr. A If red R. Conk/ing, a New York solicitor, remarks : " My law partner picked up one of your volumes and read it for half a day ! " Dr. Pierson (Congregational), Editor-in-Chief of the "Missionary Review of the World," has stated, editorially : " Meanwhile we can safely wish that every pastor and prominent Church member might have a copy of this monumental work on giving." The Rev. Richard Duke {Methodist Church of Canada) writes : " You have done a great service to the cause of God in general, and to the cause of rigHt giving in particular, by the publication of your great work. Your book is the good friend of every good cause. . . . Henceforth I must be much in your debt. " . The Rev. P. K. Auchterlonie {Presbyterian Free Church) observes : " I daresay that rjs a strenuous Nonconformist I shall find some things in it which will make a difference of opinion between us, which however will only accentuate the sub- stantial agreement between us in all the great essentials which lie at the root of this transcendently important matter. . . . ' The Sacred Tenth ' is exactly the book which the whole British people needs at the present emergency." n CflTEn/1 OF BREVITIES From upwards of 120 NOTICES OF THE PRESS. "It is an extraordinary duty which Dr. Lansdell has undertaken, namely, to discuss the subject from every point of view, and thereby appeal to the conscience of every individual." Blackheath Local Guide. " Dr. Lansdell has written a scholarly work, and the fact that he does not force his opinions upon the reader, but discusses fairly the pros and cons of every question, adds to its value." The Record. "... his book is not one lightly to be put aside, while it teems with interesting sidelights on history, sacred and profane." The Lady. " We are sure that the accomplished author has every reason to feel satisfied that he has rendered to the whole Church of Christ a singularly valuable and important service in the preparation of his new work." The Guide. " We question whether there is a work which traverses so well and so wisely the whole question of systematic religious giving." Wesiern Mercury. "The whole case for tithe-giving giving one-tenth or more of income to the service of God is exhaustively treated as never before." -Jewish Missionary Intelligencer. "The most inspiring part of the book is the anecdotal section giving examples of self-sacrificing benefactions." Church of Ireland Gazette. " The portion which interests us most is the one dedicated to the description of the various forms of tithing as prescribed by the Law, and afterwards expounded in greater detail by the Rabbis." -Jewish World. " And it may safely be said that throughout the two volumes there is not a dull page." Sunday School Chronicle. " But the work is much more than historical. It is intensely practical, and on this side in particular deserves to be studied by workers in all our churches, and by all who are interested in philanthropy." Sunday at Home. " A very complete exposition is given of tithing in England, from British times to the present. Dr. Lansdell fearlessly exposes the abuses which crept in at the time of the Reformation, when the Church was robbed by unscrupulous courtiers, and the lay impropriator sprang into being." Berks, Bucks, and Oxon Archaeo- logical Journal. " . . . it will be both sad and strange if they do not effect something in the direction of a higher standard of giving than obtains among Christians generally, and English churchmen in particular." National Church. " The value of these books, therefore, lies not so much in the mass of information on an interesting and imperative question of religion as in the cogent reasoning and successful endeavour to bring home to all readers a sense of obligation." Herald of Peace. "Our fear is that no one but an enthusiast will be prepared to spend i6s. in purchasing the volumes, handsome and attractive though they are. And it is the people who are not enthusiasts who ought to read Dr. Lansdell's book. . . We badly need a new crusade on the whole subject of systematic and propor- tionate giving." London Missionary Society Chronicle. " It cannot be expected that these two bulky volumes will reach the mass of thi people, and yet it is eminently desirable that they should do so, and that e*yt nation should learn again the old and long-forgotten duty of systematic giving A/ the cause of religion and charity. . . There are in America- several societies lor the encouragement of proportionate giving, and a beginning has been made here ; but the movement is still in its infancy, and it is sincerely to be hoped that Dr. Lansdell will be able to give it the needed impetus, either by means of this invaluable book, or by some less exhaustive and more handy treatise." The Hospital. BY THE SAME AUTHOR. RUSSIAN CENTRAL ASIA, INCLUDING KULDJA, BOKHARA, KHIVA, AND MERV. In Two Volumes, 42^. German Translation : HIRT & SON, LEIPZIG. " Altogether Dr. Lansdell has reason to be proud of a work which is really monumental." The Times. "Since the father of history [Herodotus] . . ..we doubt whether a more complete book after its kind has been written." Church Quarterly Review. " Upon Russian Central Asia there is no book in the English language, and probably not in any language, to be compared with it." Church Missionary Intelligencer. THROUGH CENTRAL ASIA. With a Map and Appendix on the Russo-Afghan Frontier. In One Volume, J2s. CHINESE CENTRAL ASIA. A RIDE TO LITTLE TIBET. In Two Volumes, 365. " Chinese Turkistan, Nepal, and other countries owe a deep debt of grati- tude to the English Churchman who has done so much for them ; and those who stay at home ought to be proud of such a fellow-countryman." Church Bells. "Dr. Lansdell . . . has succeeded in placing before the reading public a work which is monumental in character, for it is the record of a number of achievements worthy of the name and fame of an English gentleman." City Press. THROUGH SIBERIA. (Out of print in English.) German Translation : H. COSTENOBI.E, JENA. Swedish Translation : ALBERT BONNIER, STOCKHOLM. Danish Translation : O. H. DELBANCO, COPENHAGEN. " His testimony ... is simply the best that exists." O.K. (a Russian writer). Eraser's Magazine. English editions as above published by SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO., LONDON. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 'QCT061997 lire A 000 007 596 University of Southern R Library F;