The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-02
The Church and the Rich sinners.

The Church and the Rich sinners.
What Is the Christian church to do when
rich men offer IL money which 1t needs, but
which II knows to have been amassed in sim
full ways The question is not n new one.
1t is very nearly or quite as old as the church
itself. II it did not come up in the Apostles
day, it puzzled their immediate successors;
and 1t has been constantly coming up ever
since.
1t came up last Monday in the weekly
meeting Of the Baptist preachers Of New
York and Brooklyn. Brother KNAPP of the
latter city, in an essay on The best ilnan-
cia basis for the support OF public worship"
laid down doctrine which some of the other
brethren sound altogether too high-ilown
and quixotic for these practical times. I'VE
must not solicit money from ungodly per-
sons" he said NOR accept ill-gotten gains,
such a. the product Of rum selling"
Not So" said Brother RHODES, "don't
refuse cash from ungodly people, Get all
| the money you CAM Brothers SIMMONS
and SpELMAN echoed Brother RHoDEss sen
tmcnts. The former explained that he felt
it duty to take money from that sort of
persons, because, the more they gave to the
church. the more interest they would feel in
| il. Brother SrELMAN made no bones OF the
matter. With an almost startling frank
ness he avowed that what he was after was
| the cash He would take all he could get
no matter whore 1t came from He didn't
know how mon made their money; and for
what he didn't know OF course he wasn't
responsible.
This Is a blunt way Of putting the ques-
tion certainly; clcrgymcn OF delicate scnsl-
bilites may feel something like shock as
they read IT, But let them ask themselves
whether their quarrel is with the Rev. Mr..
SPELMAN's doctrine or merely with his Ian
guage.
As matter Of historical fact has not the
church in all ages taken the money OF sim
ners-sometimes with decent hesitation.
much oftener eagerly and with ELUSIVE graft
tudeY While " the sum Of all villainics," as
WESLEY called IT, still nourishcd in this
country. did the Bible. tract and mission
airy societies refuse the contributions of
slaveholders9 We recall an instance. in
deed, in which some scrupulous people In
another land were seized with qualm Of
conscience. A good many years ago, dele
cation Of eminent Scotch clergymen visited
the United States to collect money for the
Free Kirk then just setting up in business
for itself American Presbyterans. North
and South, opened their hearts and their
purses. The delegates returned home
elatod by their success. Some one pointed
out that a large part of the money they had
collected was stained with the sweat tears
and blood OF the slave. The cry Of send
the money back was raised; for a while all
Scotland rang with II. But II the money
was sent back, the fact has escaped our re-
membrance.
A great many Protestant pastors. perhaps
a majority Of them, are accustomed TO teach
their people from the pulpit that strong
drink Is n curse, and that he who puts II to
his neighbours lips Is accursed. But when
the eminent brewer, Mr. GUINNESS, restores
st. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin at IA vast
expense; when the eminent distillcr, Mr..
Roe, steps In TO rescue Christ Church Cathc-
dral in the same city from the hands Of the
Roman Catholics it, ancient owners, and
revive its former maguiticcncc--do their
graces. the Archhishops and Bishops Of the
Protestant Church OF Ireland show any
scruples about accepting the offerings Of
these munihcent bcnclactors In our own
country great many preachers when in
the pulpit, are very severe on stock gam
bling" and denouncc Wall street in unmcas-
urcd terms. But when veteran operator,
who has ruined scores Of mon in his day,
yields 20 plous whim and POUNDS theo-
logical seminary; when younger operator
comes forward at the nick Of time to save
an indebted and imperilcd church-is the
money Of these stock gamblers rejected
When a fortune made III the other, non
logalizcd sort Of gambling is bcqucathcd I,
legacies
Such benefactions entail certain incOn-
Venicnces and cmbarrassments. OF course
? the vestryman who passes the plate and the
, minister who receives it cannot discriminat,
between the offerings of saints and sinners
But when sinners are persistrntly urged t.
, give, and give in large amounts, they expect
not unreasonably, n certain consideration IN
return. WESLEY warned his followers thai
whenever rich men became necessary t,
them, they might as well say farewell I,
Methodist discipline, aud to Methodist doc
, trine too.
On the other hand, those who are for TAX
ing the money without inquirng too curl
ously into its anteccdents, or looking to,
, closely at the hands which tender IT, have
= forcible arguments to adducc in support o
n their position. The money, they say ma,
be the fruits of sin, but ii is not in itself sin
. full; 1t is coin on paper as the case may be
d just like all other coin or paper. Here it is
4 a fact, force, potent for good or evil VIII!
should not the church snatch it from TN
4 devil, when the chance is offered and maxi
h it potent for good
I We hope the Baptist preachers will con
p tnue the discussion, and that the preacher
n of other persuasions will take 1t up. 1t i
1 certainly in order, and n comparison q
n views all around could not fail to be interest
y ing while 1t might be edlfying
4 The Perils of Peaceful EmplOymcnts.
/, The past fortnight has been fruitful of nc
l. oidonts in this ncighborhood, in which Tia
g sufferers have been working men. First, tn
It floor of building on Broadway in course G.
~ demolition fell carving with il a dozen la