The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-01-11
VOL. 17---NO. "a.
For the Central Presbyterian.
Appeals for Help.
GoRDoNsvILLE, VA, Jan. 3rd. i

GoRDoNsvILLE, VA, Jan. 3rd, 1882.
Messrs. Ed'tors,-I read with pleasure
an article in your last issue, by j. :" on
" Appeals for Hell p" subject now claim
ing unusual attention from our Church,
and deserving all it claims. a." is ON
the right track, for while his emphatic
words might seem to intimate that it is
never right for congregation to ask the
aid of the Church at large, [ know that
such are not his sentiments, nor did he
mean to suggest the thought. The great
object aimed at by him, and to be re-
garded by us all, is to impress the
thought on every mind that they only de-
serve help ,0ho try to help themSezves.
The habit of depending upon the help
OF others is illustrated forcibly by other
facts than those mentioned by your cor
respondent, facts which have come under
my observation. l refer to the practice
OF organizing feeble churches which can
not tlve without the aid of the Sustenta-
ton Committee. l would not say that
no such organizations ought to be fos-
tered, but l urge this thoug ght. The ease
with which the aid is secured has ten
dency to make the applicants estimate
their own obligations and abilities at too
low a figure. And the readiness with
which the aid is sought shows that the
tendency is real and strong. MANY of
these feeble churches, if they have any
roaSon d etre at all, would be much bet
ter off if, like the Frenchman in the
fight, they did not know how to cry
help and like him would overcome
their difficulties by their own exertions.
But this opens another subject nearly
akin to that have mentioned. The ease
of obtaining aid causes many to urge new
organizations which have no valid ground
of existence. For instance A pastor
becomes unpopular, Justly or uniustly,
or some other disturbing cause creates a
division in a church. The malcontents
at once set up for themselves in new
church. Too weak to walk alone, they
call for help and get it. But, weak as
they are, they take away something from
the parent church, and that must be
helped. Leaving out of view the preg-
nant question, whether strife can ever
originate a healthy church, here is the
patent, ev!l-two hungry mouths are
opened to be filled from the scanty store
e Bro. McIlwaine, who has no option in
the matter and must supply their need(?),
perhaps at the cost of lessening the help
given to more deserving claimants.
Would they not better bear and for
bear little longer, and should they
not be told so?
Again: A few Presbyterians in some
lonely corner get hungry for spiritual
food. They organize new church, and
the first question asked is, how much will
DR.. McIlwaine give us? I don't say the
church should not be organized. But
what shall they do? Let them write to
some neighboring minister and propose
to pay him what they can raise them
selves for pastoral work among them, and
for 10eek-day preaching if all his Sunday
time is occupied. If there is vitality in
the enterprise it will grow. If there is
not, no money will be wasted in the fn-
tile effort to galvanize it into a poor sem
blance of life. The money wasted here
might do real good elsewhere, and no one
will argue that we have any money to
spend In planting rootless and fruitless
vines of this sort
1t would be harsh remedy for the
Executive Committee peremptorily to re-
fuse its help in such cases. And it
would be, as the doctors say, rather more
heroic practice" | am afraid, than
most OF our Presbyteries would be willing
to undertake for the Presbyterial Com
mlttee to refuse its recommendation. It
may be well said that such remedies
would arouse so much bitterness, if rigid
iiy Practiced, that the good done would
be too dearly purchased. But let the
remedy be gradually applied, consisting
obviously in a closer scrutiny of the calls
for help, both on the part of the Presby-
terlal Committees and the Executive
Committee. And, meantime, let some
one else speak his mind on the subject
and inject into the mind of the Church
the leayen of reaction against this mendi-
cant spirit. L. B. j.