Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-11-25
FINANCING OF
OUR CHURCHES
Svnopsis OF Sermon Delivered
Last Sunday by Rev. Stevens OF
the Church OF Christ

The scriptural method of financing a
church, was Rev Stevens theme at the
Church of Christ Sunday morning.
After reading brief passages from Nal.
3:7-12; GAL 6:1-10; Prov. 1910; 2 Cor
9:7-9, the speaker chose. for his text
Cor. 1862, and said in substance, that
this text, with the further lights thrown
upon the subject by reading the fore
going scriptures, presented the scrip
tural plan in regard to method and
spirit, as well as results.
This text prescribes the time Of CIV
ing or setting apart our offerings to
the Lords work upon the first day
of the week." a weekly offering for
this purpose, whenever practicable or
possible, is undoubtedly the best and
most scriptural plan.
1t also names the participant, Let
each one" that is, everyone. Every
member a contributing or supporting
member, or else contributed to or sup
ported by the church, should be the
aim of all our churches.
Rather than have the father or moth
er contribute check each week or oc-
casionally as the family apportionment,
| would have each member of the fam
ily contributing member, for the edu-
cational value if for no other reason.
A wealthy man said to the speaker,
not long since, ooh WE'LL it's easier to
Just contribute by check occasionally
when it is needed, and the church gets
the money just the same. Why object
to this method, so the price is pald?''
''Just this. While you are deeply IN
terested in the Lords work and willing
to support it, your children are recelv-
ing no training whatever along this line,
and do not even experience the JOY of
giving, concerning which the Master
has said, TT is more blessed to give
than to receive You have developed
this grace of giving, your children have
not. Suppose that before this year
closes you shall be called to your re-
ward and they inherit your possessions.
Can they be expected to take your
place in relation to the Lords work if
they have never learned how?"
We read of the apostolic church,
''They continued steadfastly in the
Apostles teaching, in the fellowship,
i. e., their offering to the Lords work,
in the breaking of bread and in prayer,
and great grace was upon them all. "
Their weekly offering was undoubt-
edly part of their worship and is even
named as one of the objects of their
meeting together.
Next, our text calls for systematic
offerings, each as he may prosper, ,"
or "as he hath purposed in his heart. )"
If the Word is to be our guide, there
must be method and purpose in our
giving to the Lords work.
F. M. Rains says, II can prove that
men love the church more than any
other institution among men, because 1t
is the only institution in the world that
can live and prosper on collection.
Try this same method in our schools,
fraternal orders or any other institu-
ton in the world, and see how quickly
Ichabod would be written above their
doors.
The speaker here called attention to
the tithing system, which is rapidly
growing in popular favor, as having
been in successful operation in days OF
Abraham and Jacob, of its being made
a binding statute of the Mosaic law, by
which each one was required to pay his
tithes unto the Lord, and, if in addition
he chose to make free will Offering, ii
was accepted as such, but not until the
tithe had been paid.
While we are not under the law, but
under Grace, and binding statute nC
longer says, Thou shalt bring thy
tithes into the storehouse," " yet il
view of our fuller revelation and o1
"the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, ,
[Continued on page II