The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-01-31
Reply to 20. S."

L
Permit me few reflections upon the
article in your last issue, by 30. S."
who wants to see the church warmed up,
"but not with money" He dislikes ito
see SO much prominence given TO money
in the church, y ***** "money the
love Of it-has done more to rctard the
advances Of Christianity than all else
together" Surely, brother O. S. not
the "money" given to the church, but
the culpable love of it, which has with
held it. from the church. Continue
therefore, to give prominence to it, until
this excessive love for it is abated, and
it is more literally poured into the treas
ury of the Lord, then will our hearts be
warmed with the love of God, and this
di>agrecable necessity will cease.
admit that it is at present necessi-
ty to give this prominence to money in
the chulch, but why so?
1t is not from any good, not the desire
to make the church a monied body or
rich concern, but merely to supply its
pressing wants to pay off its arrearages,
its back-rations, imposed upon it by too
great love for money by its members.
Now az to the Deacon's position in re-
gard to the closing of the church when
the PASTORS salary is not promptly paid.
Is it not the correct principle? Is it not
the correct principle which holds good in
other business matters? Will not 30 S."
be willing to do as he is done by? If he
is a lawyer or physician, does he not
expect to receive his fees as soon as his
work is done? and will he not refuse to
do more work until he is paid? Or if
he is farmer or merchant, does he not
recognize the working Of the same prin-
ciple? Surely he does not expect his
hireling to begin new year until he is
paid for the labors of the one just finish
ed. Don't say that preachers work is
of different character, that it isa labour
of love. He cannot live on love. 1t is
work, work of the hardest kind, work
by which he must live, work requiring
the highest order of talent, and work,
sad to say, upon which the lowest mon
ey-value is placed of all kinds Of work.
If then he has to work for living-as
we'll as for love-should not his work
cease Ito his particular congregation as
soon as his promised living ceases. o. S.
says 1.-THE PASTORS salary should be paid"
The stingiest of the stingy, and the very
best provisor will say SO too. But saying
so does not pay it, and hence it has to be
kept prominently before the church.
Let US look at the effect Of the course
proposed. In the first place it would
make the people more attentive to the
close of the pastoral year. AS it ap-
preached they would make great efforts
to provide the means to prevent their
supply from being cut off. They would
look upon it as public disgrace, and
openly acknowledge to the world that
they had not kept their solemn pledge,
to have the doors of the church closed.
Enquiry would at once be instituted
as to the delinquents who had brought
this great disgrace upon all. And who
would he willing to occupy this unen-
viable position. Don't you know that
miserly old Elder would have to over
come his parsimony, and pay up? And
how would that careless Deacon feel,
when told that it was from his derelic-
ton of duty, that the congregation had
to return home disappointed of service
And that rich, but close-fisted member,
would he not hate to have known the
amount OF his niggardly subscription,
and that not paid when the liberal sub
scriptions of his poorer brethren had
been punctually paid up. think that
church would be closed but once, that
habits of punctually would be engen-
dered, that the preacher could preach
better, feeling sure of obtaining the lit.
tie promised him, and being relieved o1
care and anxiety about his temporal
affairs and that his salary would be
increased from time to time as a more
liberal feeling was encouraged.
The gospel should be preached to the