The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-12
BATTLES OF THE BAPTISTS.
THE CHURCH URGED TO ADOPT THE
TYTHING SYSTEM.


the Past Half Century an Uphill
one on Account of the smaIIness of
the ContributiOns-Futu Success
declared Dependent on the AdOp-
tion OF the System-HoIy Land
Missions.
washington. May lit was ten min
u-es past o'clock when President Haral-
sons gavel fell and the second days pro-
ceedings of the Southern Baptist conven-
tion began with prayer by DIR. Lotion.
The reading of the minutes by Secre-
-arv Burrows revealed the fact that this
was the fortieth session Of the conven-
tion and not the thirty-ninth. as stated
previously.
Committees were appointed on the fol-
lowing topics with chairmen as named:
Time and place of next meeting-W. L.
Pickard Of Kentucky.
Nomnations-W. w. Landrum of Vir-
ginia. 1,,-.-.,
Reports of Vice President-J. K. Pace
Reports OF Home Mission Board-A. J.
8 Thomas of South Carolina
Treasurers Reports. NJ. Yeatman of
the District Of Columbia.
White Population-R. H. Pitt of Vir-
Papai Fields-H. f. sproules of Missis-
siPg' Pagan Fields-T. b. Thames of vir-
Financial Policy Of the Sunday School
Board-J j. Taylor of Alabama.
Woman's Works. J. Vaunes Of Ten
Young Peoples Work.. L. White Of
Church Building Board-G. A. Nun
Rev. G. A. Nunnelly of Memphis offered
q preamble and resolution providing for
The appointment of a church building
board to aid congregations desiring
houses of worship to secure the same.
II was referred to committee OF one
Tbe report of the committee on tithing
was read by Rev. f. NJ. Ellis of Brook
lyn who was at the time Of the meeting
last year located at Baltimore and made
chairman, and he made the report at the
request of the committee.
The report said: Great as has been
the success of the convention for the past
nifty years, her discouragements ana
struggles have at times been such as to
test the faith and endurance Of her most
faithful friends and staunchest leaders IN
the very crucible of financial embarrass-
ments, so great at times, as to almost
paralyze the work of the convention.
These oft-repeated embarrassments were
not caused for want of numbers nor for
want of wealth. We have the numerical
strength, the intelligence and the wealth.
These oft-recurrng embarrassments are
evidently the natural results OF our de-
fective financial system.
"Your committee believe that full relief
need not be hoped for until our church
members individually and voluntarily
adopt the scriptural systematic plan or
paying to God at least one-tenth OF their
income. Then we believe the means viii
be available for all the purposes of Christs
kingdom We are sons and daughters OF
God not slaves and serfs.. What duty can
he more plain. simple, Just and practical
than Gods law of the tenth? All can give
tenth. no matter how poor. Is not this
law IS important as it ever was? Conse-
Grating wealth is concentrating power II
a tenth of the Jews income and a seventh
of his time. was not too mueh 10 ask OF
him. IS IL too much 10 ask OF Cnrls tlduS
is ours a lower standard than was the
Jews? VIII the Christian excuse nlTnselt
for what was robbery of God in Jew?
The tenth is sacredly Gods before aught IS
SYour committee recommends the
adoption of the tithing system, anu that
our several state conventions, district as
sociatiOns, the pastors churcnes ana mis-
sionary societies increase their EFFORTS 70
educate our people in paying systenldlIC-
ally to God not less than one-tenth of their
Accompanying the report were letters
from many prominent members ana min
isters of the church in support or the
plan,
Before proceeding to consider the report
on motion of Rev. T. T. Eaton OF Ken
lucky, a fraternal greeting was extended
TO Rev. j. e. Gilbert d. D, secretary OF
the American Society of Religious Edu-
cation, who briefly addressed the conven-
ton, calling attention to the Biblical con-
ference to be held at Asheville in July.
The discussion of the report on tlth-
ing was opened by Rev. e. Y. Milens OF
Baltimore He said that hard times did
not cause depleted missionary treasures;
depleted missionary treasures caused
hard times, There was more sense, he
said, in the blunt question asked by old
Malachi, "Will a man rob God?" than
was shown by all the late congress on the
financial question.
Rev. George A. Lotion of Nashville said
that the adoption Of the tithing system
was the one great need of the Southern
Baptist convention at the present Juncture.
without the aid of it, or some other plan
Tor raising money, there was but little
prospect of accomplishing more than had
already been done. He stated that the best
way to make the system effective was for
the preachers in the constituency of the
convention to lead in the matter of tith-
lngs. Of many thousands of cases, he new
eI knew one who made tithing the rule
M SI Christian giving, who was not abun-
Other speeches were made by Prof f.
n herIoot of the theological seminary.
3IeX, }. K. Purser of New Orleans, Rev. J.
w lIlam Jones of Charlottesville, Va, who
put IN word for the preachers, asserting
Ci, oHaI they led the church in the matter of
sElhg. b, f. Roy of Missouri, editor of
me American Baptist Flag, who did not
neneVe In the tithing law-it was not
sLhough. Christs law required that men
F oFFogid give all they had; Rev. S. II. Ford
of e MISSOURI, who doubted the adVisablity
u adopting the tithing principle in the
~" mes lie did not keep books with
wife W N'N WIN ms
o, H. ne resolution was adopted, as was also
~ ~ oHered by Rev. Purser, calling upon
en6 eae preachers to use their best efforts to
b,, eure , me adoption of the tithing system
W members of their churches
me report of the Sunday school board
ds read by Rev. w. B. Crumpton, sec
5Ietary of the Alabama state mission
Doard- The committee commended the
ioncy and work of the Sunday school
o9ard; and recommended the continuance
~ t9e publication of the Young Peoples
gduer, and that the management of the
8uplcatton department be left to the
noard, with the understanding that the
~, ehuon IS not TO be involved in debt
sion. ~ "t'iiOu' uiscus-
Rev. J. L. White. of Georgia. reported
ION the committee on young peoples'
work, recommending that the churches or
Fahlze young people societies, to be under
{he thae control OF the bishop, that pastors hold
Slie societies in closest sympathy with the
mo5k OF the Southern Baptist convention:
eiiu that the Sunday school board be re-
furnish