The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-02-23
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
Weekly Collections.
THE SHADY SIDE.

tying result from this experiment. our object is
to elicit facts whether favorable or unfavorable,
that this practice of our churches and the senti-
ments of our people may be ascertained on this
subject
| minister to two country congregations, two
Sabbaths in month to each. My people are
mostly of the poorer class, some of them comfor-
table livers, none of them wealthy. Two years
ago brought the subject of weekly collections be-
fore meeting of the church officers. Most OF
them were in favor of trying the experiment of
monthly collections at each appointment, which
would be every other Sabbath they had preach
ing. One or two deacons expressed fear that
this would be too frequent fOE some, perhaps the
most of our peopein their present straiened con-
dition.
When | brought the subject before the congre-
CATION, endeavored to present the Scriptural
view of this duty, as means OF grace and act OF
worship. urged them all to do the best they
could to have something to contribute at every col
lection, and told them if some could not contribute
so frequently, this was no reason why others who
could, should not have an opportunity to do so.-
We have tried this plan for two years. We have
no doubt raised more money, though the coec-
tons were generally small, than we would have
done on the old plan of quarterly collections
But some have complained, and some say 1T has
damaging effect on the attendance on preaching.
A few cases have been reported of persons staying
| away from church on collection days, because they
said it was notifying to have the hat presented to
them and have nothing to put in it. Now some
will say, they ought to lay by in store ," But
this is hard to do when they have nothing to lay
by. There are many of my people, and they are
not singular in this respect from a large portion
Of our country churches, who seldom have any
money, and when they get dollar they have three
or five calls for it to pay debts pressing them. 1t
is hard for honest people to lay by money, even for
the Lord, when those they owe dun them for it
before it gets warm in their pockets. 1t is hard
too for those who have not learned the lesson Of
selfdenial for Chrst's sake better than most
Christians of this day have learned it, to lay by in
store, when their necessary wants press them and
they have hard scrabbling to live.
Your correspondent of Rome, Ca, says
There Is no community in which the plan of week
ly collections cannot be made available" and in
answer to the alledged fact that the farming
class of our people are frequently without any
money in their pockets, says, There is nothing
to prevent every man Of them, when their produce
is sold, from breaking twenty, fifty, or hun
dred dollar bill into change bills of 81, so, %, or
10 cent pieces, locking them up in box called
the Lords box, and drawing out from thence
every Sabbath morning something for the Lord S
treasury"
Now that brother like many others in our
stronger churches, where they have money! is ev-
identity very i'm peifIecty acquainted with the con-
dtion and every day life of large portion of our
people, Why, if some Of our people were ever
to get in hand the smallest sum he mentions, $780,
like the woman in the gospel when she found her
lost piece of silver, they would have to call in their
neighbors to rejoice with them over the fortunate
providence. The views of your correspondent
brought forcibly to my mind the old adage, "One-
half of the world do not know how the other half
live" So it may be said Of Christians of this
day, much to the discredit Of their Christian fellow
ship, one half of them do not know how the other
bear the in6rmites of the weak" and to "bear
one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of
Christ Here is "a sore evil under the sun, upon
which l would like to say more, but will forbear
lest my article grow too long.
Now, Mr.. Editor would rejoice to believe with
your correspondent that there is no community
in which this plan of weekly collection cannot be
made available" for | believe with him that it is
divine plan though not "de (only) Divine
plan With considerable acquaintance with
many of our churches and careful observation Of
the reports on this subject for the last year or two,
l am convinced that there are many ''communi-
ties in which the plan OF weekly collections IN
money as not aUailaJIe because with many in those
communities it is impracticdbLe. Many of Gods
chosen poor can say with Peter "Silver and gold
have we none, but such as we have we will give. !"
Now, the partial unavailabeness of this plan
ought to be supplied by the adoption of another
divine plan; Let him that is taught in the word
communicate unto him that teacheth IN all good
things" It's true Solomon says, Money answer
eth all things" but money is not what Paul
means by "aH good hings.' Let the people be
taught, If there be first willing mind, it is &C
cepted according to that man hath, and not ac-
cording to that he hath not and let all of them
be urged to give Somethiag and to give las God
hath prospered them" mot grudgingy, or OF
necessity" of the products of their fields gardens
orchards, diaries, poultry, looms, needless &C.,
and let the church officers have an arrangement
for receiving these offerings and delivering them
to their pastor, or turning them to the benefit of
some church object, and many half starved and
overworked pastor would have his heart made to
rejoice, and his hands greatly strengthened and
the Sustentation Committee would be greatly re-
lieved, and other good causes benefited. Let the
Secretary of Education, in his present embarrass-
ment, adopt and present the plan of the Baptist
Church in Virginia in supporting their candidates
for the ministry by which their churches in the
State pay $500 for the board of these young
men, almost entirely in produce sent to Richmond
With this example before US let it not be said that
this plan cannot be made to work. nor let it be
said that those who have produce to give might
turn it into money. The simple answer to this is
that many cannot, and many others will not take
this trouble.
OF the twenty four churches in my own Presby-
terv, I know OF but three that have adopted the
weekly collections, two of them in towns 1t is
evident that majority of our members in our
whole Church, do not contribute once in three
months to any religious object Many of them
give nothing at ALL This state of things will not
be much improved so long as we depend on money
collections only Many think it a sufficient excuse
not to give when they have no money. The Scrip
lures, believe, sustain the affirmation that the
officers of the church are bound to afford every
member the opportunity and press it upon the
conscience, to worship God by offerings, according
to that man hath" This plan can undoubtedly