The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-12-04
PAY fOR YOUR RELIGION.

from last Sundays Commercial APP
peal is reproduced in The Com
mnnuealth in order that We may
give the sentiments expressed there
in our unqualified Endorsement. IL
applies 10 every community and
should be- read carefully by every
church member especially
Let us get away from politics this
Sunday morning and talk a little
religion.
Religion has exeried a tremendous
force over our civilization. Viewed
from the human standpoint alone,
religion Is the strongest buiwark law
and justice have,
An ethical system divorced from
religion has a foundation in quick
sand, and soon falls to pieces.
Every moral precept we have has
been terminated and nurtured
through and by religion. Without
religion every mar would be a law
unto himself, and in the end there
would be confusion, followed by
chaos.
Anything that is worth having is
worth working for. Things that
are useful can only be secured thro'
labor. II religion is a useful thing,
it is worth paying for,
Religion is free and without price,
and yet the man who breaches it or
who teaches it must live, and the la
borer in the Lords vineyard, wheth-
er he be minister, preacher, priest or
rabbi, is worthy Of his hire.
There are thousands of people in
this state and in other states who
enjoy the benefits of religion, but
make no contributions whatever to-
ward its support,
The religious teachers profession
should be made such that when his
old age comes he may not be turned
out to become an object of desultory
charity,
The minister's salary should be
paid, not as a donation, but as some
thing which he has earned and TO
which be has a right because Ct ser
vices rendered.
II a man goes to church he should
pay for the privilege. II a mar is a
member Of a church he ought TO pay
his pro rata just as he pays his taxes
TO his estate.
If you 60 to church and systemat-
ically make no contribution to the
church, you are sponglng on your
If you 60 to church, hear a fine
sermon, sit on a comfortable bench
in a well heated room, and close your
eyes in silent prayer when the con-
tribntion box passes, you are just a
dead beat, and if you are able to
drop a dollar into the till and you
drop in five cents, you are just one
twentieth OF the man you ought to
be. Do not be a five-cent member
of a church. OF course, if five cents
represents a goodly portion Of your
income, then you have done your
duty.
There are people who go to church
Sunday after Sunday and give moth
ing but good advice toward the sup.
port of the church.
The burden of religion is heavy
on some men because they are pay
ing their own way and their neigh
boris way. There are churches in
Memphis today that are almost bank
rupt, but what is true OF Memphis is
true of nearly every other American
city.
The minister, instead of giving all
his time to the care of souls, gives
much of his time to worry as TO his
support and the support Of the
church, Light bills, gas bills, coal
bills and paint bills command more
than do sick calls. Instead of deal
ing in things spiritual, half Of his
time is taken up with the struggle
for his own existence and his
existence.
These things should not be, and
they would not be if every man,
whether he is a church member or
not, would realize that all the liber-
ties and all the privileges he now