Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-27
TITHING COVENANT Is
GROWING. IN POPULARITY
LAKE AVENUE CHURCH ADOPTS
PLAN
Rev. v. Hunter Brink, Pastor, Is En-
husiastic-Presents History
of System in Series
of Sermons

Special. to The Herald.
PASADENA, Aug. 26.-Rev. v. Hunter
Brink. pastor of the Lake Avenue Metho-
dist Episcopal church, preached yester-
day morning the first of series of SER
mons upon the subject of the covenant.
This movement for the adoption of the
1.-THE covenant is gaining much headway
in Southern California churches. DR.. s. j.
Carroll, president of the Conference Meth
odist society, and F.. r. Sigler. missionary
secretary of the San Diego district, are
the officers actively promoting the move
ment. Mr.. Sigler spoke at Lake Avenue
church last Sunday on the subject, and as
a result twenty-eight members signed the
roll as covenant tithers
Wesley chapel, Cincinnati, was the pio-
neer in this movement, starting it twelve
years ago when the church, after 100 years
of successful activity, had lapsed and was
plunged so deep in debt that the members
were seriously considering selling their
building. The tithing system was adopt
ed. Debts were speedily liquidated, the
membership was more than doubled, and
from the lowest position In the conferences
in 1895 it has risen to first place in mis-
sionary offering.
Within the last eighteen months the
tithing covenant has been signed by
number of the membership of the churches
at Helmet, Huntington Beach, Highgrove,
Riverside San Jacinto. Corona. San Ber-
nardino, Alamitos Park and Whittier. In
all 552 have paid since April $460.SS; sew
enty two have paid in for all purposes
since April $384.57. The 552 have averaged
each S31e cents. The others averaged each
$549 Similar reports are made by the
other congregations
Foundation of Prosperity
DR.. Brink said: "The entire universe is
governed by law. There is such a law, as
is proved by both biblical and profane his
tory.
Man always acknowledges a debt to
the object of his worship Whether it be
the spiritual God or whether 1t be an idol
worshiped by pagan peoples, man always
recognizes responsibility to the object of
worship.
You have probably wondered, as I
have, at the great financial prosperity of
the Buddhist church. Do you know what
is the ground of the great thrift and ma
terial success of the Mohammedan church
and of Buddhism and of Mormonism? 1t
is the tithe. II you were to visit Salt
Lake City and study the system of financ-
ing the church you would see how strict
Is the collection of every farthing of the
one-tenth of all incomes for the Mormon
church.
'"rhe tithe of one-tenth to God is the
recognized law in all religions, even OF
those farthest removed from the orthodox
faith. 1t has been so from the earliest
time Adam handed it down to Methuse-
lah. He gave it to the sons of Noah, ana
thus through generations it came to MO
ses on Sinai and was by him recordeo
upon tables of stone"
DIR. Brink expects to see the new Lake
Avenue Methodist church grow to be one
of the largest and most influential In the
conference. The newly elected board of
trustees will hold the first meeting on
Tuesday night. None of the other otficers
elected at the recent quarterly conference
will assume their new duties TIL after
confirmation by the annual conference.
The subject of tithing was one that
nearly rent the national conference of the
bunker church, recently held in Los An
geles.