The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-08-18
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON "SYSTE
MATIC BENEV0LENCE."

The deliverance of the last General AS
sembly on this perplexing question is a
great improvement on any previous action
1t strikes at the root of the prevailing evil
and recommends the scriptural remedy
1t recognizes the sound maxim that " Truth
is in order to goodness; and therefore that
ignorance of Gods word lies at the root OF
iliberality." 1t asserts the prime cause OF
the delinquency in giving to be, 1.-The tall
ure Of many ministers to expOund with suih
Gent fulness and freedom the scriptural doc
trine of wOrshippiDg God with our sub
stanee;" and afirms, "when the believer
mind and conscience are tenderly, but fully
enlightened, ne viii respond to the Master s
voice. Giving to Christ thank offering
will become part Of his worship, as spon'
taneous and delightful as prayer or praise.
1t "solemnly urges upon pastors and other
ministers their obligation to expound fully to
the people the duty and privilege of giving
to Christ as an essential part Of acceptable
worship, and urges upon all its constituent
Presbyteries to include this branch of min
isterial duty in their stated conferences uP0r
the state of religion in their bounds.
If these recommendations shall be heartily
accepted and faithfully complied with, &C
companied with earnest prayer for the divine
blessing upon the truth, a great reform may
be expected. Christians will be greatly re
vived in their spiritual life, and, as "ProOt
of their love, the Lords treasury will bt
abundantly supplied. Malachi prophesiec
of Christ, " He shall purify the sons of Levi
and purge them as gold and silver, that they
may offer unto the Lord Christ an offering
in righteousness. Then shall the Offering O.
Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto th'
Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former
years" "Azariah, the chief priest said
since the people began to bring the Ofering'
into the house of the Lord, we have haC
enough to eat, and have left plenty; fol
the Lord hath blessed his people and tha
which is left is this great store.
But will the ministry heed the gentle re
buke of the Assembly, and set about correct
ing their delinquency? Here is the ''gor
dian knot" 1t is greatly to be feared thu
most of them will continue to trudge alOnl
in the old rut, presenting the " causes, an(
appealing for money, leaving in the back
ground, if noticed at all, the claim Of God tt
the worship of his people, and the need o
this service to the Christians SOUL vii
even the members of the Assembly who voted
for this paper put its teachings into practice
Even this is very improbable.
The Christian Observer of July 7ih, con
tains an article headed, Systematic BeneV
ol6nce the order taken in regard thereto
by the late General Assembly" from 81
ABS member Of the committee that uuan
imously reported this paper TO tae Assembly
This good brother, among the foremost il
zeal in this cause, filled two columns in dis
cussing and defending the injunctious of the
Assembly upon Presby:eries and Sessions re
specting collections and reports, without al
allusion to the first part Of the paper which
the report itself declares to be Of prime i'm
portance. Now this is Ike man proposing
to remedy the evils of defective agriculture
BY the use of improved machinery for gath
ering the crop, leaving out of view the ne
cessity for improvement in ploughing, sowing
ana cultivating. The gist Of the report Il
in Sle first part from which we have quoted
Batiit is manifest that this brother attaches
but little Importance to that part Of the re
port, for he passes over it and confines hi
discussion to the ecclesiastical machinery fol
securing collections, and seems to think h'
has discussed the gist of the paper. Nov
this is bat specimen of common fact
Ministers do not seem to be conscious tina
thew themselves do not believe what this pa
per of the Assembly asserts to be the prime
evil to be remedied; viz: aefective Bible az
strasetion. They believe and teach just wha
the church has believed and taught for cen
turtles, and they can't get out of the old rut
factions speak louder than words. Tn
habit Of most ministers shows that they d