The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-05-05

encouraging facts, it said: "ln many
churches they who serve the altar do not
live by it, but exc out slender salary by
other work; only one Presbytery (out Of
forty eight reporting "salaries promptly
paid" And the apprehension is expressed
that some church members make poverty
plea, suffering their pastors to lack and
faint for want of bread, thus forcing some of
them from their charges, while they them
selves are living without stint, beginning and
ending their retrenchments at tn, house of
God" DR.. J. L. Wilson, in his report to the
same Assembly, on SustentatiOn, expresses
the belief, "that more than one-half our
1900 churches have contributed nothing at
all to this or any of the general schemes Of
benevolence," and expressed "the strong and
decided conviction, that this fault lies main
Ia, at the door of ministers and church ses--
sions."
The Synod of Virginia at its last meet
ing, Sin paper adopted in regard to the
Sustentation, and other schemes of the
General Assembly, said, "The Synod, re-
GREETING that there are still from year to
year so many delinquents in this matter,
hereby re1terates, solemnly and earnestly,
its past. injunctions upon all the ministers
and church sessions of this body, not to
neglect their duties in this respect; and this
Synod will be compelled to regard any such
neglect hereafter as serious dereliction of
duty, and grave fault on the part of those
to whom, as the leaders and standard bearers
Of Gods people, there is to SO great de-
gree committed the furtherance of the cause
of our Lord Jesus Christ
In an article in the Central of March
Oath, headed, "Saving and Losing" taken
from the Reformed Church Messenger, we
find the following: "Our ministers, in some
charges, are so cowed down by this selfish
feeling among the membership, SO hostile to
giving, that they are absolutely afraid to
say "money" to their people for any cause.
There are members who give their ministers
cause enough for this fear. At the bare
mention of the cause that calls for giving,
they pucker up, like cat, when you rub the
fur the wrong way. No sense of duty to
God, or moral obligation for the means of
grace, no thankfulness for this hope of sal
vation moves their hearts to make an offer
ing unto the Lord. Money given to the
operations of the Church, is so much thrown
away, they think, and what is selfshly with
held from the benevolence of the Church,
they suppose is Just that mach saved. This
is virtually the practice of many members of
the church"
In DR.. S. j. Baird's first article on "Life
Assurance" March 10th, there are some
exceedingly truthful and touching remarks
on the question, "What are the ordinary ex-
penses of the ministry?" They are too
long to quote here. If the reader has not
noticed them, it is hoped that he will refer
to the article and read them. (By the way,
is it not burning shame that ambassadors
of Christ are driven, in order to make pro-
vision for their households, to resort to
schemes and organizations of human inven-
ton and policy? Is not this fact disgrace.
full blot, guilty stain, on the Church of
Christ Has not God constituted his
Church divinely organized "Life Assur-
ance Company" for all his people, and es-
pecially his ministers "Bear ye one an
others burdens, and so fulfill the law of
Christ"
The above references, which are not a
tithe of what might be produced, prove that
there is lamentable defect some where, in
the financial department of the Church
But let us look little farther at stubborn
facts. There are some $50 ministers in our
Southern Presbyterian Church. To qualify |
these men for their work, what has it cost
themselves, their friends, and the Church
They have spent, on an average, at least
seven years of the prime of life, ard 81, 500 |
in money, in their education. To estimate
the time and expense of their education at
$4,000 each, would be below the mark
Deducting 100 ministers as unfit for active
services from infrmity and other causes,
$50 at $4,000 each, amount to 1,5O0, 900.
1t may be said, therefore, that our Church
has this large sum invested in ministerial
talent, which has been solemnly set apart
for the Lords work. Now, if we had room
for an array of facts, it would not be diff
fcult to prove that one,third of this conse-
Grated talent, this devoted capital, is habitu-
ally perverted to mere secular business-that
one-third of the aggregate energies of our
ministers is spent in procuring food and raj
ment fer themselves and families, work
which the Church is bound to do, both be-
cause of Gods appointment, and her own
solemn engagements. Here then is half a
million of the hard earned, sacredly devoted
means of Gods best people, made up, to
large extent, of the holiest offerings of "the
poor in this world, rich in faith," and the
selfdenying, patient toll and sacrifices of
candidates for the ministry; dragged from
the altar of God by the cupidity of his pro-
fessed worshippers, and used to supply their
own lack of service, and cover the disaster