The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-05-18
FOR rHE CENTRAL PRzgsTrERIAS.
AN EMPTY TREAsURY.-HOw to Fill It


It is ascertaiued that the aggregate of con,
tributions 20 the various objects of Christian
benevolence in the Presbyterian Church,
shows that about two cents per week, per
member, is the average amount annually
given. In other wOrds-Our Church has a
membership Of, say, in round numbers, So
900, and her contributions amount to about
$4,000, which shows about one dollar per
year or two cents per week per member !
Now it is well known that many members
give 6ves and tens, and twenties and ffGes,
and even hundreds of dollars annually
Hence it follows that many, Il am sorry to
believe thousands of Christ's children, do
not gre one cent per gear to the promotion
Of His cause and kingdom upon earth! not
one single cent!l
Our people are poor, very poor in this
worlds goods. Is it strange that they are,
since God loveth a cheerful givsr, and pros
pers them in proportion to their hberalty!
Poverty and impecuniOsity is great mistor-
tune; but niggardly meanness is greater
evil than poverty. Say what we may, white
wash aud cover over with fattering resolu-
tions our selfish meanness, the bold naked
fact stands out, that the Presbyterian Church
does not contribute on an average one dollar
per year per member. And worse than that,
thousands Of her members do not give one
cent a year to the Church of Christ Let
the pulpit and the press sound this in the
ears Of the Church. Watchman make some
peoples ears tingle, and their cheeks blush,
under faithful recitals Of this shameful truth.
Now here is the evil, and what is its cure?
I, for one, 30 not believe that our people are
so destitute of hberahty as these facts indi-
cate. I believe that many people would
give, and give cheerfully, if they only knew
when, how, and where to give. The fault
is not in the peoples hearts, or their purses
The fault is in the proper arrangement and
methodical conduct of Systematic BeneyO-
lence, and in the want of proper instruction
Of the people in its workings.
One Of the means Of cure l venture to
suggest is, the full instruction of the people
by the pastors and sessions in the use of the
SUNDAY package system" Let this be
done, and let each member of the church,
and each pupil of the Sabbath School, have
placed in their hands one of these "Sunday
packages, and let the pastors and superin-
tendents and teachers of the Sabbath Schools
fully instruct and exhOrt the people and chill
dren TO the habit Of presenting every Sab
bath their contributions, and the "power of
the Titles" viii be wonderfully illustrated in
the enlarged aggregate of collections. Any
one familiar with the immense suns accumu-
lated under this "pOwer of the Titles, un-
der the "Peter's pence" system of the Rom
ish Church, needs no further argument on
this point. Besides this, the habit and
"grace Of giving" viii be established.
Again, I have been long satisfied that this
admirable system of every Sunday collec-
ton is shorn of more than half its value by
the omission Of the "pastor's salary from
the objects for contribution. 1t is obvious
to my miud-drawing experience from secu-
lar business-that it is easier to collect ten
or twenty or fifty dollars, by dividing these
sums into twenty, and forty, and one hun
dred cents, every Sunday, than to collect it
all at once Let each subscriber say how
much be viii give TO the pastors salary an
nually, and pay every Sunday, and we shall
have less complaint from pastors. 1t will be
more trouble TO the treasurer of the church,
but vastly moro comfortable to the pastor.
Permit me respectfully to suggest to the
General Assembly, soon to meet, to essay a
little worldly wisdom and tact, in the conduct
of their secular matters-esp specially in an
effort to reach every member of the Presby-
terian Church, individually, in such man
ner that each member shall consider himself
and herself personally appealed to. 1t may
be accomplished in this wise: Let the Gene
raj Assembly draw up and print, say one
hundred thousand circular letters, setting
forth the necessities of the pastors and of the
various Boards of the Church, and appeal
strongly to the conscience of every member
as to duty and privilege in the premises.
Let this be done early in the sessions of the
Assembly. Then distribute among the vari-
Gus commissioners these letters, as near as
can be done in proportion to the membership
Of each Presbytery. Let these commission
ers distribute their portion among the pas
tors Of their Presbyteries, and let each pastor
distribute these letters individaaly to each
member of his church, and let him see thai
each member is supplied with the "Sunday
package Of envelopes, (and be sure and put
"pastor's salary among the objects,) and
in the course of a few weeks every member