The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-11-05
For the Central Presbyterian.
Some Thoughts on Tithing,


The writer of this has made trial of
6thing his receipts for nearly thirty-two
years past, and desires to give from ex-
perience some of what he esteems the
benefits OF the system. In his business
transactions, it has enabled him to keep
an accurate cash account. His receipts
from all sources have been accurately
BET down, and one-tenth of all placed to
the credit of Sabbath account, so that,
at the end of each year he has been able
to tell accurately, as farmer, what were
the net proceeds OF his corn, wheat, oats
and tobacco as a physician, he was, at
glance, enabled to see what amount, by
whom, and with what p emptiness, his pa
irons paid him their accounts; as a sala
ried officer, he saw at one view, what his
Office yielded him in money and when it
was paid. These are advantages, which
he thinks are very great, and such as
every business man desires. They are
fully equal to the merchants cash account
and, if correctly kept, furnish to him, at
one concise view, his entire transactions
for the year. He was enabled, by this
system, to see the proof before him at any
time Of the accuracy of the other credits
as they appeared upon his books, and
thus they were the means, perhaps, OF
preventing mistakes and contentious
The yield of his farm products was put
before him at glance. These are advan-
tages, he thinks, which ought not and
will not be lightly esteemed. The main
advantage Of such a system, however,
in a Christian point of view, are that he
is brought to think upon and calculate
for the separate needs of the objects OF
Christian benefcence. If he saves money
for an object, he considers the object for
which it is saved If he has sufficient
regard for the responsibilities which he
IS under to his God, to put aside with
care certain portion of his income for
Gods treasury, he would surely be led to
calculate where tits most needed and with
out the study of the various objects he
could not conclude. In arriving at this
conclusion, he must of necessity know
the wants of the Church. By this sys-
TEN, too, he is led to regard himself as
living factor in the operations of the
Church. If he has been instrumental IN
starting a young man in his theological
education, in whole or in part, he feels
sn interest in that young mans progress
beyond what is ordinary, nor is this in
terest casual or transient. If he has care
fully put aside some of his accumulations
for the aid of Foreign Missions, he will
naturally be careful to study what those
missionaries are doing. If for Eyangehs-
tic work he has thought best to bestow
some of this tenth, he sees with heartfelt
pleasure, that our Zion is lengthening her
cords and strengthening her stakes
And thus all the workings of the Church
are carefully studied by him. He will
not lightly or inconsiderately bestow this
money, which is the Lords, upon objects
which he has not carefully and prayer
fully considered. Thus he knows more of
his Church, considers more her welfare,
and prays more for the prosperity of Zion.
We are not prepared to say, as does
your correspondent, Mr. Houston, that
this tithing is surely the Bible plan, but
We do say, from experience, that it natu-
rally and almost unavoidably works the
above results, and more. And to our
mind, this series of articles, which so re-
Gently appeared in the Central Presdy-
terrain from the pen Of Rev. NJ. H. Hous-
ton, more clearly meets our views than
any we have seen, and we are decidedly
of the opinion. that every Christian man