The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-04-06

other week it is for missions, city,
national or foreign. The alternate
week it goes for some other bench
cence. "
The only objections I have heard to
this plan are:
First-"Its additional expense"
In reality 1000 sets of ffty-two du-
plex envelopes in each, cost but SIG
more than the other kind.
Second-"Its complexity." One
use of it will make clear its meaning
to the eight-year-old child. The du-
plex system has no duplicity. 1t Is
simplex in all but the name.
Third-"Its arbitrary allotments,"
The church officers have carefully
considered all the charities In which
our congregation or any considerable
part of it are interested, and adj
justed their proportionate needs. 1t
is a simple matter for anyone who
wishes to give one a larger percentage
than thus allotted and a smaller to
another cause to write over the one
the name of, the other, The treas
urer will invariably note the change.
Only be sure to substitute rather than
omit! The most common criticism Is
that at robs Peter to pay'Paul." The
contributor will simply divide into
two what formerly he gave to one =
FOURTH have heard from many
churches who have tested the theories
here expounded. Not one OF them
but reports substantial increase IN
the amount given for the local.
church. One of the largest congre-
cations Of our own denomination,
which for ten years found itself with
a deficiency each May 1, last year, at
the close of its first s Of the two
offering envelope, had a balance In
the treasury, despite unusual x
penses. This Is but a sample testt-
mony, the unexceptional rule. 1t c
cords with the law of the kingdomp
there is that which withholdeth
more than it meet and it tendeth to
poverty" ~.
The fifth objection is possible in;
ability to carry out the promise
Don't dress your charity In widows
weeds unless you are poor as the
widow Of the two "~peelings." II sos
give less. Don't stop giving, unless
all income stops. With God, the,
value is not in the quantity, but the
quality.
Against these five objections, .
would array five Of the many bene-
fits: ~ :
/. Conservation. At the treasury
Christ beheld how" (not how much)l
the multitude cast. He wants you to
give, not. because He needs 1t, but pc
cause you need it. Weekly giving IS
an antidote VS.. covetousness, q weekly
reminder of whose we are and whom
we serve. The nickel piece for which
the poorest of us has a dozen uses
means more to Christ than the super
fluffy of the rich, although written in
four figures. With the method now
adopted, the minister Is relieved from;
that hateful announcement: The Of
fering this morning Is for our own
church support" and from q prayer
which is largely over his own salary.
With the new giving Is the new recog1
milton that our field is the world. !
q. Committal. It Is committal to
a principle. Having once gone
through the agony of giving up for
q year to 1.-THE other man" a certain
part of our income, while the conVai-
essence may be slow, the acute pain
Is over. From that time we are Gus
todians of the Lords money, our duty
being simply to hand it out. With
other causes, apparently Of equal
worth, we have nothing to DO, unless
our income is suddenly increased.
Otherwise we are immune" Some
other person must take caro- OF them.
If we have given all we a in the
"deacon's fund" compartment, when
a hard luck story comes to our door.
without a twinge Of remorse We can
send the applicant to a deacon's cares
3. COMPREHENSION. Every one gtvt
ing means every n interested!
Great causes being more frequently
and regularly beforeyou, you will want
to know more about your frequentsin-
vestment. A ono a year, adVert1se-
ment Is good. "A once a Week advert
tfsement that your responslolll1ies
and privileges are unbounded MAKES
meaningful your prayer. THY King
dom come on EARTH"
4. Consecutiveness. Annual col
lections are variable as the weather
and the state Of the general health.
They can be and are annually lodged
by otherwise regular wershipers.
The double envelope is a faithful re-
minder to those III, out Of town. or
otherwise absent one Sunday mat
their gifts will be expected by the
Great Head Of the Church just the
same. The sinews for the war against
sin should not depend upon the
clouds, nor the emotional result from
either a poor presentation OF a gooo
cause or a fine presentation OF a poor
cause.
S. Convenience. Most people are
Maid monthly. or weekly. The woman
who could rot give s25 in a lump
sum could easily give fifty cents nfty-
two times a year. One dollar comes
harder than ten cents a week. In q
year, it Is only one-fifth as much 10
the cause. If :he home church de-
pended upon annual collections for
it's support it would be dead.
Only the inherent energy OF MIS-
sions keeps missions alive during
these weary annual offering years,
While the board knows that a church
will give. because It's foreign mis-
sion Sunday comes at the end OF the
wear, while foreign mission expenses
GO on all through the year, good
money goes for interest on borrower
capital to supply this deficiency.
Christ confronts every Christian
with "send OF go! Your money or
your life!" Your money Is your
life's expression. Our rendering per