The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-24
DUTY or CITING.
Rev. Mr.. Illusions Eloquent sermon sun
day at Pine-street baptist Church.

At Pinc-Strect Baptist churcn on sun
day morning the pastor preached from
mart of the thirty-third verse Of the
twelfth chapter of 81. Luke--"seii that
Sc have. and give aims. The subject
was. "The Duty OF Giving.
Mr. Hutson said that the text did
not mean that one must sell all he has,
and give all he has: but IL does mean That
AN must give something 10 Gods work,
even IL he has to sell something 10 DO
IL. There are some people who invest
so closely that they have nothing 20
give. They are so continually pressed
for money 10 meet their notes, and 10
satisfy demands upon them on account
of obligations they have made, mat they
are always hard up" and yet they
are continually increasing their posses
sions.
SELL AND GIVE AIMS.
IL is to an such that Christ says sell
SELL and give aims. The frst instance
we have Of worship TO God was by sacri-
flee. Cain and Abel wOrshipped God,
and we find these two men making an
Offering. Giving is the spirit Of worship.
10 was the beginning Of worship Under
the Mosaic ritual there were laws Of
giving. Daily sacrifice was enJoined,
and kept up besides the many other
sacrifices and offerings unto the Lord.
Giving was a part Of the jewish ritual.
Conversion is the nrst step in giving
When one is converted. he gives himself
TO God The Apostle says: They first
gave their own selves 10 Cod All spiritu-
al worship consists In giving 10 God.
our time while We gather to worship Is
gift 10 God Hosea says: We rem
der the calves of our lips to God" Now,
il is much easier TO give that when Is
temporal than that which is spiritual.
The Pharisees gave One-tenth OF their
income to the Lord. and II we fail TO
do that which is easier how apt are
we TO neglect that which is harder. we
may Worship God with our lips. while
our hearts are far from Him. But If
we do not worship God with our lips.
how hardly are we apt TO do so with
our hearts, II we fail to worship Him
in things material. how can we do so
in things spiritual.
GIVING, OUR FIRST DUTY.
Giving is the first duty in regard 10
temporal things. GIVE the nrst-God
must be first. lie is worthy 10 be first
he ought to Doe first. lie demands that
he be first. lie Will not Doe second. or
other than first. In the Levitical law.
the hrst-born of everything. man ana
Nianif btltIrtN To AlpNs lNfA AlQ lOl
belong 20 Israel. The hrst-bOrn son be-
longed TO Cod and had TO be redeemed
no one could lay claim TO IL until it
had been redeemed by an offering unto
God, and so of the first fruits II one
planted a vineyard, or an orchard, or
field. and saw the fruits mature and ripen,
he could not taste of them until ne
had given the first OF them unto the
Lord.
Jesus said: Seek We first the king
dom OF God. and His righteousness. and
all these things shall be added unto you"
The blessings of God shall. like a river,
flow on in ones life after this. 1t is
certain we brought nothing into the
world Shall one bee more careful Of his
own family than of Gods? God says
60 you. II gave you everything you
have-your life and all things. winch
viii you honor frst-Gods or your fam
fly? We ought 10 honor Gods first.
Under the old law, one-tenth was re-
quired, under the new law, il IS OF your
own free will. 10 is right that we should
AN pay our debts. but we should re-
member what we owe 10 God It Is noble
TO pay what we owe to man. but do we
owe nothing to Gody II is a proof of
love ana every one ought 10 give some
thing.
-N'tN NNnHt /! NN ND tAtfpliOl. lHhtl
the old law, all the males over twenty
years were TO go up to worship God
God said none of them were TO come
empty-handed, the amount was volun-
tcered, outside OF the tenth required. but
none We're 10 he empty. Every
man was 10 give as he was able-not
one 10 come without some sort OF an
Offering. Upon the first day of the
week let every one OF You lay by in
store As God has prospered YOU" TIE
Apostle says: '"ro do good and commu-
nicate, forget not" Some people say
too much preaching is done about money.
too much talking is done about giving.
10 may be that some do make "A mistake
that way, but giving is the larger part
Of the gospel, and unless the preacher
breaches that. he does not follow in the
footsteps Of Paul or Christ. When one
hears a criticism OF that kind. one VIII
find that the person so criucisng is not
very eminent for his piety, has not the
reputation di being very cody. and Is
not noted for his liberahty. Those who
have most Of the spirit of Christ in
them. do not make such criticisms
Giving L. one Of the spiritual graces.
and brings us all TO a test OF faith. ana
every church member ought to be given
this privilege.
At night Rev. Dr. r j. Wilnngham
delivered a very able and eloquent ad-
dress to the Women's Missionary So
ciety. the occasion being their Christmas
Offering TO China.
L.