Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-02-21
APASTORAL LETTER.


DEAR BRETHREN: - The undersigned
were appointed by Presbytery at its late
meeting to address you a fraternal letter
on the subject of Christian lberality, hav-
ing special reference TO that liberallty that
should characterize you in the support of
the benevolent enterprises OF our own
church The appointment of the commit
tee implies that in the Judgment OF Pres-
bytery there is a lack in her congregations
in this particular, and the deficiency gen
orally among the congregations to make up
the full Quota to the several boards, as
levied by the General Assembly, proves
most conclusively that this Judgment IS
we'll founded. and, brethren, such should
not be the case.
Congregations should be liberal in the
support of ordinances at home. They
should mind their own things, and unless
they do so they will not prosper, nor need
they expect much of the divine blessing.
But the minding OF their own things is not
enough; as the apostle directs, They
should look also on the things Of others
Our church is doing a good work in
foreign lands In Egypt and in India the
labors of our devoted missionaries, both IN
teaching and in preaching the gospel, have
been crowned with remarkable success and
still great door, and effectual, Is opened
up to us in these far-of and benlghted
countries, and the cry of their perlshlng
millions to us is Come over and help US
Some of the young men in our Theolog-
ical Seminaries have already responded to
this call and others have expressed will
ingness to respond. The only obstacle to
their so doing is lack OF funds. In con
sequence of this, many of these young
soldiers of the cross who are ambitious to
carry the glad tidings of the gospel to the
heather are compelled to remain at home.
We have also inviting fields, fields that
are white and ready to harvest IN the
Western States and territories in our own
land, and we have some such fields IN por-
tions of the East, and our work in the
interest of the freedmen of the south is ii
a most fourishing condition, and We trust
our efforts on the Pacific Slope in behalf OF
the Indians and Chinese are not in vain IN
the Lord.
Had we ample funds at command, home
as well as foreign work could and would be
prosecuted with much greater vigor and et-
| ficiency than what it is.
With view to improvement in the mat
| ter of Christian hberality within our
bounds, we would suggest that giving be
regular and not at long intervals Upon
| the first day of the week let every one oi
| you lay by him in store" and farther we
| suggest that it be proportionate, every one
| giving as the Lord hath prospered MN.
| Contributions to benevolent objects should
not be confined simply to the heads OF
| families. Children should be trained to dc
| this also, and if so trained, when they at
tain maturity they will esteem 1t pleasure
| and not con slider it burden to give, and
this giving devolves upon the poor as well
as the rich. No one is exempt theretrom.
| Hence, as quoted. Upon the first day OF
| the week let erery one of you" DC.
| Our liberality towards the Lords cause
| should not fall short of the one-ten.h OF ou1
| income. The Jews were required to give
| this Abraham gave it, and Jacob promls-
| ed to give it centuries before Moses was
| born and hence like the Sabbath it Is not q
| mere Mosaic institution. 1t rests on a
more staple basis. And in New Testament
| times Christ sanctioned the 1.-THE system,
| when he approved the conduct OF the
| Pharisees for paying tthes Mat. 29:23'
| And if the tenth was exacted OF the Jews
| who were not required to carry the Gospel
| beyond their own borders, nor the other
| save their own people, surely it is not
! reasonable to suppose that the less would
1 be required of the Christians now, who are
1 commanded to go into all the world and
| preach the Gospel to every creature.
.As motives to Christian liberality permit
us to submit to your prayerful considera-
| ton the following:
| QD Such liberality will eminently re-
| dound to the interest of those by whom II
| is exercised. That it is a commanded duty
no one will deny, and since in the keeping
| of Gods commands there Is a great reward,
obedience in this particular will certainly
| be promotive of the result indicated.
Again, by the exercise of this grace,
Ist. l. a,,1 han hot I'm
| He has promised to honor-honor them in
| this life and in that which is to come, and
| thereby, also, q wholesome restraint il
placed upon a selfish and worldly spirit,
which is both needed and beneficial.
As far as the giver is concerned he will
| always realize, THAT it is more blessed to
give than to receive"
(2) The claims of the needy and perish
| ing should prompt US to this. The human
| family form one great brotherhood. wv e
have all one father, and one God has Great
| ed us. This is true in regard to jew and
Gentle BARBARA and Scythian, bond and
free, and hence when we see any portion OF
this brotherhood (of which we ourselves
form part) in need or perishing for lack
of knowledge, we should lend a helping
hand with view to relieve them. A fail
ure to do so, or to shut up the bowels OF
our compassion under such circumstances,
would be both criminal and cruel.
(3) Christ's claims upon us should con-
strain us to the performance of this duty.
These are many and potent. For the sake
of brevity, we will simply say to you on
this point, Us Paul said to the brethren at
Corinth when he wished to stimulate them
to increased liberality, ''For ye know the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though
he was rich, he became poor, that ye
81 II 10, ntarht hn r1n a
has done great things for US, whereof we
are glad, and when he asks us to honor
him with our substance, and send portions
to them for whom nothing is prepared, we
should noe decline to do it. BY our con-
tributions as well as by our personal efforts
and prayers we may be instrumental In
adding fresh jewels to ImmanuePs crown,
and surely his claims should prompt us to
this, and that in a measure that will COM
mensurate with our means. Otherwise
we will be guilty of the crime OF robbng
the Master, a crime that does not escape
His notice Hence, He said to the Jews,
"Ye have robbed me in tithes and offer
ings."
15) We have the pecuniary ability to
abound in this grace of Christian liberality.
1t is true, the congregations within the
bounds of this Presbytery are perhaps not
among the wealthiest in the church. Pro
badly there is not one millionaire among
them. Still they possess fair portion OF
this worlds goods, and in this respect are
on all average with their brethren in other
localities.
Our soil is reasonably productive. Our
mineral resources are very abundant, and
portion of our territory, at least, Is un-
surpassed in its yield OF gas and oil. God
in the ordering of his all-wise proYlden ce
has given US largely of these natural prod
ucts, land to whom much is given, of
them also shall much be required" Breth-
ren, the church at large is untrammeled at
the present time, as regards evangehsuc
work At home and abroad she finds an
open door, and of no branch of the church
can this be affirmed with more truth than
of our own, and on none rests greater re-
spOnsibility for helping forward the Lords
cause in the world, and hence We, as
Presbytery, should do our part towards
me ,ting this responsibility, I'D also, III
the way of aiding our institutions, both
literary and theological. Brethren, we
fondly hope and pray that our congrega-
tions will evince such u measure of liberal
ity towards these laudable objects, that
it can, in truth, be said of each of them,
'She hath done what she could" and
when this attainment shall DO made the
treasury of the Lord will be filled to over
flowing, and as a consequence the good
seed OF the W orld will be more generally
difiused in those places which now const-
late the sphere of our labors, and we can
open up new fields in destitute regions, both
at home and abroad and thereby be instru-
mental at least in a measure, IN hasten
ing the fultillment of that cheering prophesy