Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-21

source Of anxiety to any church? What
blessing it is that in a church like this
the rich and the poor can come alike
without feeling the burden of any debt
to which they will, in the future, be ex-
pected to contribute. We bring to God
this service Of Thanksgiving as a me-
mortal of his great goodness.
What are some of the suggestions
that come out Of the experiences of the
past few weeks? The story of the can
ceiling Of our church debt is simply the
story of peoples movement, or a story
of cooperative action. 1t has been any,
thing but a class movement. The peo-
pie at large have all been interested.
The whole movement has been blessed
because it has been placed upon the
heads of the people. Through the en-
tire parish there has been a spirit mani
tested on the part of eacn one to do
what he or she could toward the remov-
ing of the debt. Some of the figures
given in the printed statements show
this clearly. Forty thousand dollars
have been contributed in sums of $1,000
or over; $21, 900 have been given in sums
between $500 and 25 cents; while from
$500 down the subscriptions have
amounted to $4,000.
This has been given by the people at
large. The fact that such a sum OF
money has been raised, means that the
great body of our people has hold Of the
work. The poor have not looked to the
rich to do it, neither have the rich ex-
pected the poor to contribute 1t all.
There has been a mass of responsibility
upon the people as a whole, to carry on
this work to its glorious consummation.
It is matter for great rejoicing that
those who, because of their means, are
ready to contribute largely, cannot say
that they have been obliged to carry the
burden of the debt. The people have
been combined in a splendid movement
that has not looked to any one section
or class for the liquidating of the debt.
Have we not then fundamental prin-
ciple here which should pervade all our
church work. 1t is very often the fact
that in the larger churches the policy of
the church centers about few people
who have the means and the inclina-
tion to pay nearly all the expenses No
church In that way can be successful to
the largest degree in Its work. The
church of Christ too often forgets that
every great movement has always been
and must always be cooperative
movement in which the responsibility is
laid, not ON few, but on all the peo-
pie. 1t we make it our solemn duty to see
to it that the responsibility rests upon
all the people, If we have this policy
steadfastly fixed in our minds, then we
have secured the future of our church.
We have certainly started out on such
policy. We beast in these days of the
breadth of our policies, but the church
of Christ has yet to learn that it has but
touched the hem of Christ's policy.
We have learned, too, the secret Of
raising funds for carrying forward the
work of the church. never could under
stand why a church If carried on upon
business principles, need be burdened
with the question of money. We have
learned that in less than three weeks
this church can provide over 100000, the
whole movement going on as quietly as
have our lives during that time. Let us
remember the principle upon which the
debt has been raised. First let US re-
member that the service of Christian
giving is as much part of the Christ
ian life as the reading of the Bible. 1t
was urged upon you that it should be
a religious movement
There has been no general subscription
paper. 1t is in the former basis that the
whole movement has proceeded. The
amount of money that seemed so appall-
ing at the start has been raised. Every
encouragement has been swept aside
simply because all Of the people Of the
church took the matter to heart
Shall we not take this as the principle
of our financial management in after
years? If the church is wise enough to
adjust it's appropriations to its running
expenses, who should it be disturbed
and harassed over money matters? Why
should 1t depend upon fairs or the lot
teries and the thousand and one things
that have disgraced the church for the
filling of it's treasury? The trouble with
churches too often is that in financial
matters it tries to carry on its business
on the principles of the world rather
than upon Christ's principles. II we are
wise to see anything, let us have the
secret of financial management in the
church of Christ Place the burden upon
all the people, but be sure that you are
reasonable in your demands.
Again we have learned the lesson OF
great confidence One of the great prin-
ciples the church should seek to culti-
yate is self-confldence. If the pastor and
the church treat a parish as though 1t
were loyal and worthy, it will be. what
a splendid exhibition of loyalty we have
seen to the church and the pastor here.
l am very glad to say that I believe 1t
has been loyalty to the church rather
than to the pastor that has made the
raising Of the debt an accomplished fact.
might recite many experiences of your
LOYALTY to the pastor. 1t is misfortune,
however, when a people is welded to the
pastor rather than to the church
We have learned also of the ability of
the people to give. Many would have
said that it could not be done. One Of
the most sagacious business men Of the
city said to me shortly after the work
was undertaken: You will achieve a
great triumph, if you raise half of the
sum- When the money was all pledged
I went to him, and he said: ''Dr. Tuttle,
it is simply wonderful. I have never
seen anything like it before in the
church." l think we cannot over-esti-
mate the ability of mass of people to
carry on the Lords work. Let us have
great confidence in our people to the
loyalty of the church and in their ability
to carry on the work. Union Church has
people that will make any sacrifice for
the good of the church. We have a
body of people that is willing to do all
it can do. There is great strength of
unity manifested among the people.
But make a class in church and you
have put knife to the heart of your
church.
If only we can take forward the spirit
of the last three weeks. The spirit has
been a spirit of loyalfulness Of personal
nacpop sibility nf sincaritv Of 6nsiro