Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-02
discuss Mr.. Sewall's candidacy, but this petit
ton is such ''interested" document that it
deserves exposure.
BEGGARS IN THE PULPIT.

BEGGARS IN THE PULPIT.
But what do, that will do, that may cut
off occasion from them which desire occasion;
that wherein they glory, they may be found
even as we.-lI. CORINTHIANS XI.: II.
A paragraph is going the rounds of the re-
ligious press in praise of certain eminent
minister of the gospel who, in the course of
ministry of five years has succeeded in
raising money enough from his congregation
to pay for the erection of hundred thou
sand dollar church aside from the regular
contributions for church maintenance, home
and foreign missions and other purposes.
The congregation is not largenor wealthy
one, though it was evidently filled with that
growth in the future. The paragraph referred
to, however, does not load the givers with
credit for the sacrifices they have made. be-
slowing all the praise upon the minister who
succeeded in wheedling them out of sum of
money that must have proved a severe tax
upon them.
The passion for costly church edifices that
seems to be constantly on the increase has
already had the effect of perverting the min
isterial Office. The man distinguished for
his piety, sincerity and zeal in the cause of
religion is not the one who receives the most
praise or the largest salary, but the most
successful beggar is lauded to the skies, be-
comes popular at once, and is enabled to live
in ease and luxury. His mission is not to
preach the gospel, but to filch money from
the pockets of his hearers and expend it in
the erection of mammoth houses of worship
that are seldom ever filled, and tall spires
that are almost the only things in the vicin-
ity that point heavenward.
There are certain expenses in connection
with church work that are unavoidable.
These have to be met, and nearly every
member of the congregation contributes
willingly towards meeting them. But an
expensive church building is not
necessity in all cases. 1t may crafty
the pride of those who seek to
be fashionable and aristocratic, but
that is the only purpose it can serve. The
religion preached there is no better than that
preached in e less pretentious ediice, bat
seems rather to deteriorate in proportion to
the cost of the building and the elegance of
have hard struggle with the world, and it
is next door to criminality to impose tax
upon them for the purpose of gratifying the
pride of d few.
Begging sermons have become one of the
settled institutions of the pulpit. Frequent
" there is debt, the interest on which has
to be met, and the minister breaches beg
ging sermon while the deacons pass the
plate. A fund is wanted for the home mis-
sionary society. Again begging sermon
is called for. The foreign missionary
society, the church extension fund, and q
score of other similar funds each call out
begging sermon. The people get sick of
having it dinged into their ears Sabbath
after Sabbath that sit is more
blessed to give than to receive
and that "the Lord loveth cheerful giver."
They need some of their money to clothe
and feed their families, and regard the fire.
quency of these begging appeals and the i'm
portunities Of the beggar as little short of
highway robbery.
This matter is an occasion of great Of
Tense to the church. It keeps thousands of
poor yet worthy people from the sanctuary.
They can afford to contribute but little to
the manifold organizations which are main
tanned by the churches, and yet they dis
like to be thought stingy; consequently they
absent themselves wholly, and spend their
Sabbaths in reading or recreation. Let
more modest cathedrals be built. They need
not lack in comfort even if they cost less
than quarter million of dollars. Then
there are other oulays too numerous to men
ton that might be reduced by system of
wise economy. By doing SO the cost of
church attendance would be so small that all
could afford it, and the poor would have
more chance of having the gospel preached
to them.