, 1885-01-21
PASSING THE PLATE.
THE CHURCH TRUSTEES STUDIES or
HUMAN NATURE
bringing Out the characteristics OF I'M
d~isiduals - Everything In Knowing
How to Paz- the Piats-A Curious
Case : Bnd Money.


that TACT seemed TO impress q sexton who
was asked about collections in general.
@SothIng you'll ever see," he said, "wil
bring out more human nature than passing
around the plate just once. II the promi-
nent church members who do that would
speak, they could tell you interesting things
But, OF course, their position Is a confidential
one. something like that OF a confessor, or n
lawyer, and It wouldn't do for them to tell.
But, as l was saying. it brings out the most
curious human nature that "A man has got
in him. Before l became connected with
this church l was a simple mem
Der of a smaller downtown con-
gregation; and, although l don't take any
pride In 1t now, / may say that l was a
trustee, and did take up collections When l
tell you there were 200 persons in the con-
gregation, and that SEQ was an unusually large
sum to take up at one time. you viii under
stand how little enthusiasm there is about
contributing unless on some special occasion.
The only way that l can explain it is this:
You see, a regular church-member looks
upon the collection as a lifelong fact thnt
has got to be met every Sunday, and, II he
is at all inclined TO be economical, he Is apt
to trim down there, because he feels that he
does his duty in paying for his pow. Then
when outsiders come in they may give a lit
Ito. but, as a rule. they will finger the 5 cents
or 10 cents in their pockets, and then drop it.
rejecting that, after all, it isn't worth while
to help build up a church with which they
will have no further connection
Does anything depend on the man who
carries the PLATED"
well, a great deal. He needs to have a
sharp eye, Of course, not to miss anybody,
because there is not one chance in a thousand
OF his being called back What he needs
49, sLa- .-.4It-- II. It'll r. .-f--.
tact There's everything in knowing how to
pass a plate to different people. Some are
cranky. II you put the plate at them too
persistently they feel offended, and take
pride in not contributing a cent for six
weeks. Then other people nave their little
weaknesses and want their light to ave
a good chance to shine. 1 knew a man
who, if a plate came to him empty. would
put on n quarter or a half, and be satisfied
with starting it that way; but il there were
n lot Of quarters and things on already, he'd
just as like as not slap down a dollar bill
And he'd get at least a dollars worth of
satisfaction in watching the hesitation of the
men next to him, who knew they were as good
as he, and yet didn't like to give so much.
Why, rve had a plate come sailing by me
just loaded with bills, and you'd think the
congregation was extravagantly liberal,
when the fact was that two or thres men
started in that way, and the rest wouldn't
take a bluff.
"More diplomacy may be exercised by a
collector than any one would think. But he
can't do nearly as much to help the church
as the members themselves can az they sit in
their seats. Let a gentleman put silver IN
the plate, and then follow it with his eye.
The chances are hat no one within sight
will nave the courage to put in copper.
More than once I've seen a man drop a
penny from the palm of his hand in the
middle of the plate thinking it would pass
unperceived. But some deacon or some one
interested in the church would light right
onto the cent with a well-directed glance.
Then the man would look down, discover
with surprise that no had put in a cent, say
What a ridiculous mistake and put in
more There are lots of old church MEM
bers who understand this, and no matter
what church you ma go TO, unless
you sit up in the gallery, you will be pretty
sure to see some old gentleman or old lady
with an eye on you as the plate goes by.
More hesitating nickels have been turned in
the right direction by this means than any
one has any idea of. And 1t is only right,
for no one can supply a hureh with heat,
Light, and a good minister unless he has
money to do it with And every one who
0nIOl1 oAAA ~ QukuL " uElU DLN IQE
them
There Is a curious case in this church. It
Is that Of an old white-haired member, worth
a million. who always puts just 10 cents in
the box Rain or shine, he Is always in his
seat at the same hour, and always has a dime
in change. I've heard our minister make
the most touching sermon on the heather
that you ever heard. The tears would wet
tho old millionaireia cheeks, but Just as sure
as that box came around he would wipe his
eyes, reach with his right hand in his left
waistcoat pocket and draw out that dime;
just enough to take a missionary to Harlem.
He probably contracted that habit when he
was a poor man, and grew to like it.
"Other men are just the other way, and
give hberally-more, perhaps, than they can
afford Men who get their money most cas-
lily are most liberal; brokers and spectators
who don't know whether they own a cent or
in not will throw a SEQ bill, when a solid real
estats owner will give a quarter. And I've
seen a regular gambler come into church in
all kinds OF fancy clothes, and contribute
something handsome, just for luck
about punched quarters and dimes we
don't have so much trouble nowadays, be-
cause they are getting scarce since they have
become hard 10 pass. But, Of course, IL a
man has got a nickle with a hole in it plug
ged up with tin foil, he is tempted to CON
tribute it in church 1t seems as natural to
most men as to put 1t in the box of a bobtail
car. Foreign missions and bobtail car
companies l think, divide up the
punched coin Of this country. OF course we
wouldn't appear to notice a punched coin,
even if there was nothing but the rim left.
We might offend some one who would do
the right thing when his punched money ran
out
Buttons we get, too, but rarely from
grown up people. They Gems nearly always
from boys who nave been provided with
money by their parents, and tear from their
trousers a button with which to 20 through
the motions Of contributing
Foreign coinf'
Eyes. certainly. 1t would delight the
heart OF a coin dealer to go through some Of
the collections that used to be taken up down
in my old church That was near the river,
and lots of sailors and foreigners would drop
in and give whatever they happened TO