The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1860-09-11

person whose entire rlgnt Slde Is P@Iai-
wed. The cause Of Missions suffers par
alysis The cause Of Education moves
only by the large sacrifices of the few;
while the labor of securing a sum suffi-
cient to build church has come to be so
great, that the most Jealous become worn
out and disheartened by a few successful
efforts.
The support of the Ministry is lneagre,
and the annual deficiencies so great, that
it is questionable if they, as class, DO
not mainly support the gospel. The fam
lilies of deceased Ministers are so poorly
cared for, that the conviction must often
be forced upon them that the Mcthodists
are incapable of common gratitude.
In raising the current expenses of a
Church, the membership have again and
again to be approached. urged and coaxed
into the most ordinary contribution to-
ward the support of the gospel Where
Ministers have worn out their strength
with thirty or forty years Labor they are
left to shift as best they may, and are
presently forgotten. No shadow of moral
right to support is allowed the Minister
of the gospel by his brethren, nor is the
amount paid hirn regarded, either by faith
or right, as a claim that attaches, in any
sense, to the yearly income of any man
who processes himself to be u member OF
the household Of faith. All that is given
that way. is given-as charity outright.
This state of things, to say the least of it,
absolutely ignores any obligation to pay
anu part of our substance to the Lord
And the Methodist Church is fast coming
to the attitude of Church which ack-
nowledges no duty to return, annually,
anything for the blessing of substance
and yearly increase. God charged back
sliding Israel with robbery. But our
Church takes higher ground, and denies
all right upon the part Of the Lord to any
portion of its income.
ST. Paul has placed the claim of Cos
pei Ministry upon the same footing with
that Of the Ministry of the Temple. They
who waited at the altar had provision
made for then. in the law, and yet for
support were left dependent upon the vol
untary obedience of the people. Tithes
were not legally enforced. Gospel Min
listers being the Ministers of Christ, are
not Of Levi, yet the Apostle places their
support upon the same basis: "Do ye
not know that they which minister about
holy things live of the things Of the tenn
pie? Even SO hath the Lord ordained
that they which preach the gospel should
live of the gospel" Co., ix-l3, IA
AS on the one hand, Minister Of the
gospel has no right to entangle himself
| with the cares Of this life, that he may
please Him who hath chosen him to be q
soldiers" So on the other, he has right
in gospel equity to a support out of the
tribute which the people are enjoined to
pay into the treasury Of the Lord.
But the support Of Ministers is but one
item. When a Church has done that ii
has at least paid the mint and cummin-
the present allowance for their support
could scarcely be set down as the weight
ier matters Of mercy. The Christian
Church holds vast amount of life, and
power, and blessing in her hands, in the
shape of the goods Of her Lord values
upon the expenditure Of which are sus
pended, the angelic announcement of the
gospel to many plains of earth where
shepherds are sleeping shrouded in dark
ness the reclaiming Of wastes that have
never bloomed as yet, and the introduc
ton of many inquiring strangers to Him
who bought them with his own blood
What has stayed her? Why does she not
sow gadness over the earth? Upon what
passions is she expending the sums which
she keeps back from her Lord? Where
is the money which has been placed by
Him, along with the word, in her hands
with the commandments, $50 preach the
gospel to every creature!' She must pour
forth both substance and soul for the
World, Eternity will hold her to it.
Seventy barrels of blood pass through the
heart of man in twenty-four hours, SC
must life be thrown out in volume, by the
Church, to every extreme part Of the hu
man race. If there be any basis of duty
if any motive of love, if any strong pur
pose of zeal, let them be announced from
the nulnit. in the classroom, and at the