Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-11-18

1 formerly was. Men are beginning to find
put the important truth that dollar is a
Cd Many refuse to pay their proportion [
Of church expenses.
Not only reason bat revelation teaches,
that, in all our church expenses, there should
be an equality. Read, if you please, 2 Cor.
8: ID: "For / mean not, that other men
should be eased and you burdened. Butby
an equality that now, at this time, your
abundance may be supply for their want,
thattheir abundance also may be supply for
your want that there may be an equality"
No man should join any society unless
willing TO share not only in the blessings
and privileges Of that society, but also 10
the pecuniary expenses.
~ Nor are ministers always strictly
honest.
Pastors OF churches some times employ
young men or elders to supply their pulpi,s,
and neglect to reward their services. A
minister was invited by pastor 10 go some
distance and supply his pulpit. Next time
the pastor saw him, he said, well brother,
am very glad you preached for me, when
was absent, over the mountain; and if /
ever get my pay for preaching will reward
YOU" But the minister, who supplied, I'M
willing 70 say the same TO his creditor, paid
him dollar for the use ofa vehicle of convey
ance, which he hired, for the purpose Of do.
ing his brother a favor. The pastor Of
course, has not yet received his pay fol
preaching: for he has not paid his SUPPLY
This took place some years ago. How re-
miss his people must be Guess they have
not given heed TO the instructions and exam
pie Of their worthy pastor. Of course,
minister who spends Sabbath with anoth
er, does not expect remuneration. But
ne IS requested by pastor to supply in hi.
absence, especially if there is expense 0
Z travelling, he is entitled to a reward. II,
who takes another's time or service unre
Quilted, is equally culpable, as though b,
had taken the same value in real properly.
We shall pass to consider
II. Some ofthe most prominent excuses
rendered for such negligence.
!. One says, am in debt, and mus
pay other debts, before I pay my subscrip
uon, for the support of religion" Is no
this debt, as sacred as any other2 Hav
ing engaged TO pay certain amount. ough
Il not 10 be as punctualy met, as note o
hand2
2 Another says, q 1 have met with
misfortune this year -" lost property ~
cattle have died "-"a horse has BEEF
stolen "--"a debtor has failed -" crop
came in light Dor, have had sickness j,
my family, which has occasioned great ex
penseo Will the merchant, the mechanic
the lawyer or the physician release hi
claim for such reasons2 These all mus
have their pay. No one of these will b
willing to trust TO the mere contingency 0
the debtors health and prosperity. But
you will leave the support of the poor min
lister, who hardly lives, at the best, to sucl
contingencies. Perhaps the very reason
why you have been unfortunate, is, becaus,
you have robbed God Just like the case o
the Jews, who said, 1--WE are SO poor iha
we cannot pay for the support of the insu
tutions of religion But God showed
them, that for this very reason they were
poor and that if they would be prosperec
they must pay their tiihes--that only in Sc
doing they would be blessed.
8. A third says. 4 was not present
when the church voted to contract that debit
II you absent yourself from the meetings o.
the church, You must have sufficient conf
dence in your brethren 10 acquiesce in theil
doiogs
Suppose there is company engaged in
the manufacturing business. That compa
ny. has stated meetings to transact business
lfone absents himself, does he presume Il
say, he is not responsible for debts incurred
when he was NOT present2 Why, meo
could never do business, in an organized
capacity, in this way.
4, Another says, 81 do not approve Of
the doings Of the church, or committee, in
contracting that debt; therefore / am moi
under obligation TO pay anything"
Why do not men say, because they dc
not approve the doiugs Of the legislature in
enacsing certain laws, they will not obey
them7 Every man knows that, while be
Is member Of the body polite, he musi
obey. So a man, who is member of a
church must submit 10 the doings Of thai
church. Il is ssi6shness, in the superlative
degree, that acsuates man, when he re-