The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-10-02

sand dollars, (sl50,OOO,) We bequcatI
IL TO our children and our children ) child
rem, as the greatest boon We can confer OIL
them (subject to the mortgage aforesaid,
and we trust that they will have the gracl
and the money to pay the interest and lif
the mortgage. Preserve il from fire ant
foreclosure, we pray Thee, and make !
abundantly useful To self,--subject, O
course, to the aforesaid mortgage"
The Offering Of a structure 70 the AL
mighty, as the gift Of on organization O
devotees who have not paid for ii, and a,
not own it, strikes the ordinary mind a
a very strange thing, yet it is safe to say
that not one church in twenty is built il
America without incurring debt, large
or smaller. A more commodious and {
more elegant building is wanted. A sub
scription Is made that will not more thar
half cover its cost, and money enough Il
borrowed to completei il, The whole prop
erty is mortgaged for all that it will carry
the financial authorities are saddled with
a floating debt which they can only handle
on their personal responsibility, and ther
comes taxation for interest, sufficient L
keep the church always in distress. This
sort Of church enteyprise Il 81 commor
that il has become commonplace IN,
children Of this world do not build railroads
with capital stock paid in, but they build
them with bonds. The children Of light
really do mot seem 10 be less wise Il mai,
generation. in the way IN which thew bu;ld
their churches Ipdeed we tb;nk m
latter can give the former several mint,
and beat them: for the pavip0 sparess y
a church denends unon more cont;nosns;s'
than the success of a railroad and h,
bonds really oueht not 70 sell far morr
than ffty cents of the dollar sfIat y
five seem 70 make LIGHT on this subject
Il is only for the purpose Of SHOWING bou
absurd a position the churches have as,
sumed in relation 10 IL II i mot a liob,
subject. Il Is a verv grave one .pd an
which demands the immediate and pers;s.
tent attention Of ali tbe churches nntil !,
shall bo properly disposed or Tn the srst
place, it Is not exactly a Christian act e.,
a body Of men u contract a deht wbicb
they arc not able 10 nav II Is bardly
more Christian 10 refuse to nav a Az,
which they know thew are able 10 discbarce
Il can hardly be REGARDED a. n geperer.
deed TO beaueath a debt 10 sueceedino
generations. The yery foundations az M
ordinary churcb-debt are rotten Tbev aro
rotten with door morality moor financial
policy. and personal and seetarian vanity
Does any one suppose that these expensive
and debt-ladep e,burcbes were erected
simplv for the honor Of the Master and
given 10 Him subject 10 ruortgaga
The result OF building CHURCHES unon
such an unsound basis are bad enongh
The first result. nerbaps isthe oxt;nvu;sb.
ment Of ali church benef;oence The
church. debt il the apoloov for d,.nvinv an
anneals far Aid from an tha oreater ana
smaller charities. A church sitt;ng IN tbs
shadow Of a great debt i ssnot AZ homo"
n callers They do pot nav tha dsbt IN.
thew owe the money and thew are afraid
they shall be OBLIGED 70 nav Il The bea-
then must take z care az themselves tbs
starving must 90 without bread the widow
and the fatherless must lool h tbe God
of The widow and e,tberless tbe s;cL ,n,s,
nine and The moor cbildren crow nm Il
ragahondaee because ~ tb;s aIf,I ebrrob
de5t AIltbe meannsss IN ! cburcb sl,,lLs
behind the debt of which n ;nteuds a.
nav very l;ttls vb;la an sba noblsn.ss
feels resllv moor beconse Il i consc;ons
tbat the dcbt & to ba Maid n na;d q .Il
bv itself
Aca;n a cburcb.debt i. /. seara.cro,v -
al newcamers a str.ncsr t.L;n, ~ ~
residence n anv town looks natursllr Co.
tho church without = dsbt Ha 5.s !
horror of daht az .nv sort ra,b.rs and
a. he had no resnonsib;l;tv ear tba ebure5
debts he 6nds he DOES not nronose ,,, yoInn
tar;lv 10 .ssume .nv a. K s,sys 80 49,,
from the debt-riddeo church and IL vsr.
means tb.t were adontsd 20 mska ~
ed;6ce attract;ve hacame na,ur.llv and
;nev;tablv tba aoen,s of rsnDl.;on M,
ridden eburcbes viii eood nrescb.rs - A.
NOT mead IN look havond fhasr dahfe f,r
,ho reason which nrsven,s ,,ora fsar,,,',. y,
and remrrorat;vs sccess;ons - H..
nnmber
sin .,sin cburcb. .dsbts ara ;n,ol.r.hla
burdens q ,bo;r m;n;stsrs Thsv n,','s
draw" n order tbat the debt NAV ~, ~
Maid If ,bev do No, ssdr.w . ,be. yns. =
Leave 10 male nl.oe Ca ! mar ~ III m;Il
The yearly de6ei. i sn .wf;,l ,h;n~ g. - .
sensitive minister 10 con,emnlate and nn,s
him undor n constant and crrel snnr wb;oh
somet;mss sw;f,lv and sonst;,pes slaw,,,
wears ont b;s liz The sever;sb s,s;y' dss;.yo'
on the mart of churches far brilliant !,
sensational preaching i more f,ao,,an,ls
ceneratad bT tbe dsba Than bv o,ho1 aa,,s.
n manv instances ,bs m;n;s.sr [ 4 Saraad sa-ssl
into being 4 pol;t;eiap a MANAGER a. IN
triOper / societv.bunter rat5er ,han
sonI-seeter This latter no;nt e . na;asni L
il: but tbe dsferenee % the the man ~ ~ n money! S,'
shown ii some ehurcbes. i Ger certsinlv sy ysyy
n;t;f,l wba, n, aa,sa 4. en- .,lr...asy