Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-11-17

@c C0PCSioCo ARK co 6lCNt IiAt
1t cannot give anything to missions.
IL has SO many meetings of it's own that
1t cannot end any of its members off
into new fields. One of the great de-
nominations is just now wrestling with
the problem OF to do with a mis-
sionaly board which requires half it's
income TO maintain itself.
Let 1t be said frankly, that, as Joash
scolded the priests who employed all
the gifts OF the people upon themselves
n the routine OF temple worship, the
church which does not give to the
world does not merit gifts from the
world. NO congregation Is strong
enough to be alive. which is too weak
to give to missions. There is a mes
sage in this ancient story, too. for the
minister who cries. Give! Give!" but
does not himself give. Only a self
sacrificing shepherd has a right to ask
sacrifice of his sheep.
1t may as we'll be plainly declared.
II. this connection, that the greatest OBJ
to the union Of certain denomina-
lions IS the influence of the men who
have jobs to lose. Were it not for the
idenominattonal vested interests ii
would be far easier to effect amalgama-
ton. All Of which Is but another In
stanc of priests caring first for them
selves when their first concern should
be for the glory of the temple and it's
Lord.
A CHEST WITH A HOLE IN IT.
scription papers; abandon this AK
levytng system: give up you church
suppers II fairs as means of rev.
enue;-such was the spirit OF the
kings second command to the priests.
summon the people to give free-will
offerings, and let them know that
their gifts are going, in business-like
fashion. to the objects for which they
are intended"
ThiS was getting down to business.
The high priest took a chest and bored
a hole in the top Of 1t. and placed it
where 1t would be accessible TO the peo-
pie who came for worship. OF course
there was no little wagging of heads
In dtreful prediction on the part of the
devotees OF the old order. Things would
surely go to smash, they said, with no
more certain source of revenue h a
chest with a hole in the lid.
But 1t was not long before even they
saw that there was much money in
the chest" AS soon as the opportunity
and obligation to give were properly
presented to the people they responded
with enthusiasm. 1t was a demonstra-
ton CT the fact that men will give to
the Lord when they will not give to a
priest or a committee or to an institu-
ton. Once let the sacredness of the
gift be made plain and the appeal to
mems nobler side will quickly find re-
Spouse.
The temple was repaired, not by a
lcloudburst OF generosity from some mil
ionaire who wanted his name carved
over 1t. that 1t might be a perpetual
memorial to him. but by the steady
flowing OF countless small streams of
generosity. All the people gave, in
honorable emulation. It is the gifts of
| tho me- thu u1<~lP, -
his work. Better be a church with a
hundred poor but liberal members than
one with a few wealthy givers whose
money Is its mainstay.
BONDING THE TREAsURER.
Wherever money is, there all possible
safeguards should be, for the sake of
the man who handles 1t, even more than
for the sake of the money itself. Every
lchurch n benevolent institution
should sends Its committee of manage
ment to the national treasury depart
ment. or to one OF the government
niints, to learn the systematic precau-
tions which there hedge about the
handling Of money. Failing such a
journey. let them read carefully this
record of how the money for the repair
Of the temple was cared for.
First. there was the chest open to the
eyes Of everybody--n primitive cash
register system. The. recent scandals
OF d~efaulting church treasurers, whose
accounts went uninspected from year
to year. could not have been possible
In this case. however weak or covetous
one of the priests might be. Then.
when the chest was enptied. 1t was
audited by both the high priest and
the kings representative. This was the
business-like way to do the Lords
business. The responsibility for every
treasurer who goes wrong must be
shared by the Institution which NOT
only falls to surround him with safe
guards. but perhaps also tempts him
by an inadequate salary.
IMITATION PILLARS.
After the shaking up given the
priests by the king, they devoted them
selves ana the gifts Of the people rigid
" to the one purpose. the building of
the temple. This left them less than
they would have desired at first for the
Inner furnlshings OF the temple. But
atreItSth come before beauty: let
the temple be safe. and then splendid.
The old architectural rule holds good
for churches and characters, 'aOrna-
ornament" A certain American cathe-
Idral has massive pillars running down
Its full length, In double columns, and
apparently they are OF Italian marble.
A close investigation shows that they
are Of only plaster! Good. honest
pine II better any day than plaster-of
Paris marble. !
The temple could do without t$s ves-
sells Of silver and gold Tor a time. better
than the workmen could do without
their wages: 10 the money was thus
|epenE There n a hint here for the
people who pay for o~stentation. that
which properly belongs to the erocer.
the butcher. the landlord and the cook.