Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-04-20
Lord, What Wilt Thou Have Me to do
with My Property.

Lord, What Wilt Thou Have Me to do
with My Property.
BY REV. ROBERT PATTERSON, D. D.
Better ask first, Is it mine? How
did | get it? | came into the world
naked infant, with nothing in my
hand. | found all the materials from
which have gathered my property,
made by some one before | was born.
In few days will lay down all l
have gathered, and go away as poor
as came. My son came as naked
into the world as his father, and after
few days he will depart without tax
ing dollar of all [ leave behind me.
But the world had an owner before |
was born, and will have an owner
when [ am gone. He says, "The
world is mine, and the fullness there
OF" "The silver is mine and the
gold is mine" | have only the loan
of some of Gods property. May do
what | please with it?
God never gave any person right
to do as he pleased with his property.
He always demanded an acknowl-
edgement of his ownership. He laid
an interdict On one tree in the gar
den of Eden that man might remem-
Der God was sovereign. When men
invaded Gods property, and thus pro-
claimed their desire to be as gods, he
drove them out of Eden. When they
repented of their sin, he commanded
them to show their repentance in &C
tions, as well as to profess it in words.
In the very first act of religious wor-
ship in our fallen world, they must
not only seek pardon for the guilt of
past sin, but mortify its power in their
covetous hearts, by bringing an offer
ing unto the Lord. The first worship
of sinners upon earth, was the wor,
ship of God with property. The first
of earth-born men brought of the first
fruits of their garden, and their flock
an offering unto the Lord. When
God allowed the world a new tenant
ry after the flood, he demanded the &C.
acknowledgement of his ownership. And
Noah did not plead that he had a wild
farm and large family, and only sew
en- pairs of cattle, sheep and pigeons
but willingly and cheerlully built al
altar, and offered an Offering to the
Lord of every clean beast, and of every
clean fowl. No act of public worship
could be accepted without an offering
of property. Come into his courts
and bring an offering with you" "Non(
shall appear before me empty" If
had lived in Adams days. i'll Noah:
days, in Abrah ANS days, in Solomon's
days, in Malachi's days, | could no
have worshiped God acceptably
without an offering of property.
But may not the spirituality of The
gospel render that offering of proper
ty unnecessary now? Did not al
that belong to the types and shadow
of the Old Testament dispensation
Let me see. Almighty God is not ;
type nor a shadow. The coming of
Christ did not deprive him of his RICH
, to his own property. If | worship
him in spirit, and call him Lord, Own
er, Sovereign, in truth, my actions
must correspond TO my words. Tn,
spirituality of the gospel has by Ii,
j. means rendered the use of fit mean.
to mortity my covetou8ness unneces
sary, else | would never have aske,
this question. Did Christ and III
, apostles regard the gospel as too spir
itual to require the continuance OF thi
Divine Institution? When they ioI
bade the burning of sacrifices OH al
tars, did they also prohibit the offer
ing Of property in the worship of God
Or did they confirm what the proph
cts had declared of the will of God
Let me look at this matter carefully
I The prophets evidently thought tina
the offerings of property for God
+ service would increase greatly in tn
days of Messiah. The kings of Shelb
e should bring presents, the Arabs O.
Ephah burdened their dromedaries i
his service, and the merchants an
sailors of Tarshish, freight their ship
F.! with silver and gold for his treasury
n the glory of Lebanon float to his hal
e bors, and the buoyant RATS of the f
?, tree and the pine for the roofs an
It floors OF his temples bear additions
It offerings of the denser box to orn;
E. ment his footstool. From the risin
If of the sun to the going down of til
g same, the gospel worship in prophet
d vision was fifty symbolized by til
'e costly incense and valuable Offering
f offered on the affairs of brass and gol
f at Jerusalem.
y When He came, he certainly di
}; not forbid this worship. Ere He Wa
able personally to sacrifice, his offe
at ing to the Lord was offered for hin
n by his parents. A pair of turtle dove
}; or two young pigeons, accompainie
" the first public worship of Him wi
lie set US an example that we should fo
or low his steps. He never wrought
or miracle for himself, but once, and th'
r. to provide for collection for the su
is port Of the temple worship. Fro
pc the bag which contained his little sto
a; and that of his family, he frequent
re directed his purse bearer to gi,
ID something to the poor; and his dai
n proverb was, at is more blessed
ly give than to receive" Yet he cou
he receive too, when he would teach
disciples thus to make him offering
The hospitalities Of the villagers {
n Bethany, and the offerings of the
dies of Herod's court, the rich man