Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-11-25
LEARNING or THE SAINTS.

some of our frlends--or cnemios-
hrv, boon greatly exercised over 1n4
obedience rendered by Latter-o'y
saints to the divine law of uthins'
Though 90 o. absolutely no concern OF
theirs. ,hcy have folt worried about
tho alleged "oxtortion' practlced by me
"hlararchy" --thlt apparIuon ih't
v,u NOT Weld Co ordinary treatment
Cor halmciuauons. also by The use 20
which the money contributed Is put
II may be OF some help 20 them To
rnow that the Lauer-day Saints are
not the only ones who believe tn ihe
law of uthine Some time ago an ar
ticle appeared in a California paper
critlcisinr the uthIng system intro
d. ced in ocean Park Methodist
church. The pastor OF that churcn'
Rev. Edgar w. Pasko promptly fe-.
piled In an article 10 the Journal eN-
planning that the new system is
purely voluntary and that 20 has been
adopted by "a number of churches He
SAYS IN part
"Thc plan is what is called the tith-
tnr covenant system. ln this those
who believe the Bible requires one
ZENITH OF ones income. Co Dee Drought
h. the Lords house. pat aside tnei'
ttho and placing % in sneci1l chNei-
1cs. deposit IL 10 the church FUNDS.
Then q special com nittcc % me uth-
crs themselves, makes out plan OF
distribution deciding how much OF
tris fund is to go TO the various sec-
f1qr ana benevolent enterprises OF
Gods work The distribution rs made
hv percentage. and every existing uecd
al the church az home and abroad ls
provided for. Those who go into this
system. sign "A covenant with God IN
"a special book. and are thereafter cN-
empt from an other demands by the
church. unless they assume them OF
their own free win.
'rhc article first referred 10 was
correct In saying chat this was me
twenty-eighth Methodist church In
Southern California 90 adopt the sys-
tenn. about One-hfth Of our member
shir going into 70. Those who do not
voluntarily enter the covenant viii
cay. as heretofore. by pledges Aud
7 wish to cmphaucany state that
while 7 believe this gtorehouse tithing
system o. Gods plan for financing
His kingdom on earth yet no COM
rulsion is placed upon our member
ship for doing anything in financial
way that they DO not themselves
church stands for complete cousecra-
ton 20 God Of heart. mind body and
purse. but also stands for free viii
aud common sense.
il Is the same principle that obtains
IN the Church OF Jesus Christ Of Lat
ter-day Saints. Though we believe
that the "tithing system is Gods plan
for financing Ills kingdom on earth"
yet there IS no compulslon. We are
pleased 70 know that other churches
are slowly learning the truth from the
Latfer-day Saints. both in spiritual
and temporal matters. Some time
they will De able 70 look upon the
'Mormous" with feelings OF kindness
acknowledging that they have done ex-
cellent pioneer work both as empire
Builders and as standard bearers OF
truth.
And this reminds us that the year
Is drawing TO a close. aud that the
time is soon at ha1d for the meme
beers OF the Church 20 settle their uth-
lug accounts for the year. We beg
&c remind Thorn of the goodness of the
Lord toward thCm. and OF their iuty
90 aclsnowledEc th's ~ Is univer-
sal law that che which sqwcth sna.-
iuply shall reap also snluugly. and
bc which s1woth boluufuuy shalt
reap also bouutifully" o. Cor. 9.6.J
And this is aa true iu the Gc.d of benz
evidence. as anyNnefa elise. So 80 am