The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-04-22
WAYS and Means.

without interfering with the established
financial policy of the Church.
There is no man a member of Church so
destitute, who could not contribute ten
cent week, and no member of his family
who may be a Church member, that could
not pay one to five cents aweek. a major
ity could pay twenty-five cents and not be
perceptibly affected in their finances. So
also others could afford from fifty cents to
a dollar. Every members or familys por-
ton should be well defined, and the pay
ment of that sum be required rs condi-
ton of membership. The member who
shirks the payment of his or her equitable
portion of the necessary expenses OF the
society is hypocrite, and there is no reli-
zion in him. The business world watches
such people narrowly.
There is nothing so disgusting connected
with Church matters as the periodical dun
ming which necessity forces upon the lead
| ers.
When they arc compelled to traverse the
aisles with basket or paper and pencil,
hailing John Doe and Richard Roe for do
nations Or subscriptions, to put bread i'll
the mouths of the Minister and his family,
| or furnish light and fuel for the Church -
The Sanctuary assumes all the appearance
of an auction room, when brother Deacon
calls out from one part of the house,
"Brother Smith $10;" and Brother Stew
ard echoes from the opposite side "Brother
Jones So" while the Minister descending
from the pulpit with pencil and paper in
hand prepares to clerk the sale, reporting
to the congregation from time to time, the
amount tailed; and the congregation with
mouths agape looks on the ludcrous scene,
with apparently more interest than it took
in the sermon, which by this time is entirely
forgotten by the majority present.
But it may be urged in opposition to
systimatized mode of defraying the current
expenses of the congregation, that some
members, and not few, neglect to pay
their weekly "dues," and there is no way
to compel payment. We say turn them out
The man who will cheat his congregation
out Of the beggarly pittance of ten cents
week is no advantage to the society to
which he belongs. He only wears the
church as a cloak to cover similar transac-
lions among his neighbors. But he does
not deceive the world, for it watches all
such narrowly, and the skeptic finds in
such processing Christians one of the
strongest grounds of assault upon religion.
All such membership is a decided injury to
the Church, and causes a very large class
of upright, honest and useful men to stand
aloof, who would become power for good
in the church. Its sympathy for simpering
rascals is the greatest weakness Of the
Church at the present day.
/ These areak brethren and sisters are
known of all men. They lean on the
church, and add to the weight it has to
carry, and never once think of becoming
/ its pillars to bear it up. Such state of
affairs is born of the trafficing, trading
milk-and-water piety of the times and
should not be. 1t worm eats and moth
eats not the Church alone, but the whole web
and wool of society. And at the Church
door this great sin must be laid.
The following is the article on "Ways
and Means referred to:
The writer having been recently engaged
in collecting money in aid of the bereavcd
family of Syrian missionary, left desti-
tute in consequence of the death of the
head of that family, has had the idea forci-
bly, impressed on his mind that there is a
great lack of method in securing means
for the support and spread of the Gospel
generally. The church ought to anticipate
/ her necessities, and by a well organized
| sbriptural plan lay up in her treasury, in
store, for all contingencies, SO that when
calls are made thereon no hasty and urgent
appeals to her congregations or individual
members may be required; or, in other
words, "that there be no gatherings when
| | come"
Do we lay by us the first day of the week
as God hath prospered us? Consider, if you
please, the contributions of any of our con-
| gregations: examine the accounts for the
last two or three years, and contrast the
amount of contributions with the ability of
the members and the claims for Christian
izing purposes. Let those acquainted
with the circumstances Of the members of
different Christian congregations form
moderate estimate of their earnings, and
see whether they have done their duty in
"tithes and offerings" for according to
the Christian rule, and in harmony with
the practice of Old Testament saints, at
least tenth of our income should be given
to Gods service. If not then, "upon the
first day of the week, let every one Of you
| lay by him in store as God hath pros
pered him." and it will surprise those who
have not thought of it how much money
may be raised during the year without
being oppressive to the givers) for various
church expenses. For example: if some of
the members of Congregation, numbering
say four hundred, would give each Sabbath
even not more than ten cents n piece, and
others would give according to their means)
sums varying from ten cents to five dollars,
though perhaps the latter amount could be
afforded by comparatively few-it being
understood, however, that whatever sum
might be dedicated would be paid regularly
every Sabbath, and should the contributor
be occasionally absent then the succeeding
Sabbath, the arrears to be made up and
paid into the treasury-the amount collect
ed at the end of the year would be very
considerable. For instance:
If 10 members give 10 cents each, the
amount would be 81 a Sabbath, or $50
year.
If 20 members give 90 cents each the
| "Oull DC PIT tt cdUUdJiI, VI 9SOC q
year.
If 100 members give % cents each, the
amount would be $25 Sabbath, or $1,000
year.
If $50 members give 50 cents each, the
amount would be $75 Sabbath, or $4,000
a year.
If 60 members give Is cents each, the
amount would be SIS Sabbath, or $2340
a year.
If % members give $1each, the amount
would be $50 Sabbath, OF $1,000 yea.
If 20 members give Sc each, the amount
would be $40 Sabbath, or S20S0 year.
If 10 member give So each, the amount
would be $50 Sabbath, Or $3.50 year.
If members give So each, the amount
would be $25 Sabbath or $1,000 year.
400 members give each Sabbath $270, or
$14, 040 year.
The above may not be the correct pro
portion as to the numder of members who,
in any congregation, would pay the differ
ent amounts mentioned, but the principle