The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-04-13
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
WEEKLY COLLECTIONS-Th Shady Side

Dear Brother Brown,-I have been muc1
interested in the remarks of yourself AM
your correspondents on the subject of week
ly collections, and in the main agree will
the sentiments advanced. Although mucl
light has been reflected from "the Sunny
Side of this subject, think there are still
some ''shady" spots that need farther illumi
nation. You say, "Let all aspects of th'
subject be looked at" Feeling anxious tha
our people should be led to Scripture
view of this important duty, will take the
liberty to notice few points in the remarks
of yourself and some Of your correspondents
that regard as defective
My article in your pc sr of February
23d, seems to have been garded by your.
self and some of your co pondents as an
argument against the pie weekly collec.
tions. A fair construc' that article
does not admit Of that con ,iCl. My posi-.
tion was, that, although aadiyine plan and
very useful, it is not the sny divine plan,
and therefore not appoiI.Sa nor expected to
suit every individual undt Fall circumstances,
and to accomplish this whole work called for
in this department. D.
You ask, els it really kspSacticabze to
carry out the plan foi-weekly contributions,
or at least laying by in store. in some parts
of our church," I did ns say it was i'm
practicable in any part Of our Church, nor
in any congregation. | said, "with many
in certain communities it is impracticable. y
There are some doubtless in every congrega-
ton that can adopt the plan, and the prac-
tice of it tends to increase the number Of
contributors and the amount of each contri-
button. Experience seems to warrant this
conclusion. l would gladly see the plan
adopted in every one of our congregations,
SO far as they have regular preaching.
You say "the plan of the Apostle does not
necessarily call for an actual collection,
taken up every Sabbath" IT directs them
to clay by IN store, on the ''frst day of
the week" Here you disagree, and think
rightly, with the plan of IS. b. A." of
Rome, Ca, and others, of locking up in a
box the contributions for rramber of Sab
baths. If a person has setit apart for the
Lord, why not send it at once NJ its mission
of benefcence and not keep any part of it
locked up for weeks. The reason why the
apostle directed to clay by in store," evi-
dently was because they would have no op-
portanity to give to the object specified till
he should visit them; and he wished them
to have their contributions ready, "that there
be no gathering when l come"
You say, eff man can say that he has
conscientiously considered the whole matter,
and has given 'as the Lord has prospered
him, he has no cause to feel ashamed, if it
be but five cents or even one cent" Here
is point upon which many minds and con-
sciences need light. You seem to assume
that mans prosperity is measured by the
amount of money he can command. May
not A. be more prospered and have more to
give than B., and yet B. handle five times as
much money as A? The income in money
depends upon the character of the business
followed, the location in respect to market,
and many other circumstances.
But you say, "all provision has market
value" and therefore you would say, let A..
turn what God has enabled him to give into
money. With great respect for your opin
ions, 1 must take issue with you on this
point / think it is very far from being the
fact that "all provisions have market value
in money available to all our people. Many
of our people live twenty, thirty or fifty
miles from money market for large por-
ton of what they produce. Some of your
correspondents and l think yourself, some
times recommend Christians to give tithe
of their income to the Lord. How can they
give the tithes of many of their products in
money? AS | said in my former article,
"many cannot and many others will not take
the trouble" Now I hope it will not be
assumed that this declaration is mistake,
or passed over as of little Importance.
think 1 can sustain the declaration by abun
dant facts.
You ask, "Is it not worthy of serious in
quiry how it (the plans of weekly collections
has been and is so efficiently carried out in
other places, when Ae communities are in
precisely the same dition as the churches
in Southwest Virgi some of them great
ly more straitened Your correspondent
"B.," of Rockbridge, says: 81 am very
glad to be able to give your readers the
sunny side view Of the weekly collection
system from a church in precisely the cir
cumstances of that from which 'Zaccheus'
gave them recently the view from the shady
side ," Are you, Mr.. Editor, sufficiently
acquainted with the churches of Southwest
Virginia to justify this unqualified assertion
Your remark that ''all provision has mar
ket value" and other similar views convince
me that you have very imperfect idea OF
the scarcity of money with many in this
country. "B." says his church is in pre-
cisely the same circumstances as mine. Now
I happen to have the advantage of that
brother in this matter. Having labored
-.ar1r 4hona nnonln civ ronrs 1rhiln he has