The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-12-28
For the Central Presbyterian.
Appeals for Help.

MeSsrS. Editors, 1t is with very great
reluctance that l undertake to give ex-
preston to some views held by myself,
and others within my knowledge, and
possibly by many without my knowledge,
touching the continual and crying de-
mands coming from every portion Of the
land for money for church purposes.
| say it is with reluctance that I under
take to speak on the subject, not that 1
am unwilling to state my views, but
fear [ shall be unable to put them forth
in words which shall carry with them the
full meaning of what is intended. One
naturally expects calls for money with
which to support disabled ministers, to
supply religious literature, to support the
Tuscaloosa Institute, to assist in carry
ing the gospel to the heather, and to
further the same cause in the destitute
portions of our own land, but many of
the recent calls published in the religious
weeklies would go to show that all the
land is destitute. Doubtless great Dor
ton of the land is destitute of genuine
religion, but there is not in this land now
that restitution of money which these
calls would lead one to believe. Indeed
the Church seems fast becoming one grand
charitable institution, built up by yolun-
tary contributions, and whose ministers
are about to be turned into solicitors for
additional contributions; failing in which
the whole structure must fall to the
ground. We know that the child must
crawl before it can walk, and must even
have assistance in learning to crawl, but
is it the first thing to be done by new
church organization to appoint com
mittee to write an appeal to the outside
world for money? This certainly seems
the natural result of the present system
of education on that subjec We are
heartily glad to come to the assistance Of
struggling congregations and churches,
but do wish to put veto upon educa-
ting new formed congregations to become
nae'adsca'atS from their very infancy, and
taught to rely upon others than them
selves for what they should consider as
necessary as daily bread, and for the pro-
curing Of which they should be taught
that nc. sacrifice was too great. And it
is very doubtful whether they will ever
attain such high order of education 30
lOh3 90 Vic hloI lSoSOu gwen ny GuOS6 III
authority has no other tendency than to
make mendicants Of them.
God forbid that this should be looked
upon as a complaint from one who is un-
willing to give Of his means to the spread.
ing abroad Of the gospel of Christ; for it
is only a protest against the indiscrimi-
nate appeals for money. Money, which
is said to be the root of all evil, but with
out an abundant supply of which it would
now appear that Christ's cause must Ian
guish, if not die, in our southern country.
This may be all wrong in me to speak
so, and may provoke abundant criticism,
but the community that needlessly ap-
peals to others to build it's churches does
a wrong to its own religious interests,
and the appeal when so made is an indi-
cation that there is not proper appre-
citation Of the value of church. One
great fault of our religion now is that it
is dressed up in too fine clothes, and is
preached in too fine churches. We need
more religion in homes, and when people
learn to practice, and see the benefit Of it