Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1914-09-04


today from the text. He that hath
pity upon the poor lendeth unto the
Lord; and that which be hath given
viii He repay him again. PROV. 1917.
The Pastor surmised that because he
has preached for thirty-eight years
without having ever taken up a coIlec-
ton or appealed for money in connec-
ton with his work. some may have
reached the erroneous conclusion that
he is opposed to charities Nothing
could be further from the truth Dur
ing his ministry many thousand dol
lars have passed through his hands
voluntary gifts from grateful souls. for
the spread Of the Glad TIdings Of great
joy Moreover. It is his conviction that
no one could be an acceptable Chris
tan unless he possessed the spirit Of
charity, benevolence-
From the speakers viewpoint, mis-
sionary enterprises might properly be
considered charities-but not SO Church
enterprises. The Church. he claimed.
is not n missionary society for the
worlds benefit. but an arrangement
for the benefit Of its members Hence
each member Of this brotherhood
should consider himself in duty bound
to cooperate TO the extent of his abili-
ty in providing for the necessary ex-
penses connected with the meeting
place-light janitoraee. etc.-the bless
ings and comforts Of which he enjoys.
The Pastor considers it wrong for a
congregation to aspire TO an expensive
auditorium and general establishment
beyond their means. and then to go
outside to solicit money from the
world, the fesh and the Devil He
declared that God never authorized
such proceedings for as surely as it
would be offensive to any right-mind-
ed person 10 have money solicited in
his name, so must it be displeasiug to
the Almighty to have begging done in
His name without HIS authority.
Apparent Less a Real Gain.
Should any protest that If sollcita-
items. collections, pew rents. fairs.
festivals. etc. were abandoned. all
churches would be closed, except those .
teneiciaIly endowed. the speaker re- {
piled that if this were the case. never (
theless the Church would gain respect /
and influence with the world which
would more than compensate. II one .
half of the churches were to dis0rgan- .
ize. doubtless the other half. rightly
supported in accordance with the Di-
vine precepts and the example Of Jesus
and His Apostles. would accomplish
more good than would twice the num-
Der under present conditions. As it is.
they have considerable Of the worlds
scorn-
To illustrate this conviction, the
Pastor cited the fact that the Divine
blessing has attended his own work.
BE admitted that the money passing
through his hands is really as nothing
compared with the large sum spent an
nually by the various denominations;
and that the International Bible Stu
dents Association owns no valuable
real estate and boasts Of no large bank
account They use actively and eco
nomically in Gods service whatever
money comes voluntarily to them.
God blesses the work; unsolicited
donations increase annually; and the
activities incidental TO the use Of these
funds now extend TO all parts Of the
earth. preaching the Message of Gods
Love and opening eyes Of understand
ng long blinded by creeds, PHILOSOPHERS
Ind misunderstanding OF Gods Word.
Generosity Is Godlikeness.
In declaring generosity TO be Godlike-