The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-09-08

s3:s uuluItuS VI AcWo-
- papers, by his
tlRASllk kUSStlLJ books and by his
weekly Bible
Studies, preached today from the text:
@He that hath pity upon the poor
lendeth unto the Lord; and that which
he hath given will He pay him again"
Proverbs 1917
The fact that ! have been preaching
for thirty-eight years and yet have
never taken up a collection nor made
any appeal for money in connection
with my work may have led some to
the erroneous conclusion that ! am
opposed to charities, said the Pastor.
Nothing could be further from the
truth. During those thirty eight years
many thousands of dollars have pass
ed through my hands-voluntary gifts
from grateful souls, for the spread of
the Good Tidings of great joy which
shall yet be unto all people. More
over, it Is my conviction that no one
could be an acceptable Christian I'M
less he possessed the spirit of charity,
benevolence, unless he really loved to
give for good purpOses-for the glory
of God, for the benefit of his fellows.
The Pastor declared that from his
viewpoint missionary enterprises might
properly be considered charities
but not so Church enterprises. The
Church, he claimed, is not a mission
airy society for the worlds benefit. but
an arrangement for the benefit of the
Der of this brotherhood should consider
himself In duty bound to cooperate to
the extent of his ability in providing
the necessary expenses connected with
the meedng-place = light, janitorage.
etc.-the blessings and comforts of
which he enjoys. Yet even in this
there should be nothing akin to coer-
cion or demand. If the sum-total were
found insufficient, more humble quar-
tiers at less expense should be engaged
as soon as possible.
: 1t is wrong, said the Pastor, for a
congregation to aspire to fine. ex-
pensive auditorium and general estab-
ishment beyond their own means. 1t
As wrong for them to go outside and
solicit money from the world, the flesh
and the Devil, in the name of God.
Surely God never authorized such a
proceeding; for just as surely as it
would be offensive to any right-minded
person to have solicitation for money
made In his name so it must be to the
Almighty to have begging done in His
name without His authority.
The Bible distinctly tells that God is
very rich. No rich man would approve
of begging done in his name, especial
ly from the poor. And for us to prom
Use Gods special blessing and favor in
return for filthy lucre is an outrage
!; against Divine Justice, Wisdom, Love
' and Power. The Lords own Word is
!, that all the gold and silver are His.
= But, we are told, if solicitations. col
, lections, pew rents, fairs, festivals.
ETC.. were abandoned, all the churches
would be closed. except such as are
benefcially endowed. If this were the
case. we believe that nevertheless, the
Church would gain respect and infiu-
ence with the world which would more
than compensate. If one-half the
churches disorganized, the other half
rightly supported in accordance with
the Divine precepts and the example
OF Jesus aud His Apostles, would ac-
cOmplish more good than would twice
the number under present conditions
a.. <1y, hox do hi Of
worlds scorn. That scorn directly and
indirectly reflects against the Divine
Character and the Divine Word.
In illustration of this conviction the
Pastor cited the fact that the Divine
blessing has been with his work. He
through his hands is really as nothing
compared with the large sum spent
annually by the various Christian de
nomination He admitted that the
international Bible Students Associa-
ton owns no valuable real estate and
cannot boast of large bank accounts
They have followed the plan of using
actively and economically In Gods
service whatever money has yoluntari
ly come to them-not seeking to build
temples made with hands. but to pre-
pare the living stones for the glorious
Temple of Christ beyond the veil
Under this arrangement. they never
spend more than what is in hand God
has blessed the work, and the unsolic
tied donations increase year by year
The activities incidental to the nse OF
these funds extend now to all parts OF
the earth. preaching the Message OF
Gods Love and helping to open eyes
OF understanding long blinded by
creeds, PHILOSOPHERS $50 called" and
MISUNDERSTANDING of the Word of God.
Generosity Is oodikeness.
In declaring generosity to be Godlike-
ness, the Pastor wished his hearers not
to misunderstood him to mean that
gifts of money could purchase Divine
favor and relationship He trusted
that his views, following closely the
Scripture lines on this subject, are
widely known; namely, that there is
only one way into the Fathers favor
and into His family-the way of re-
nouncement of sin and turning to right
eousness, of acceptance of Christ's re-
demptive work and of full consecra-
ton through Him to do the Fathers
will, even unto death. Only such spirit
begotten ones are acknowledged in the
Bible as children of God All others
are Scripturally described to be "aliens.
strangers and foreigners" from God
and His promises.
But the speaker wished all to dis
Germ that there are undetermined souls
who have not entered this marrow
gate" and who are not, therefore, chill
dren of God, but who. nevertheless, by
nature possess traits of Godlikeness,
Notwithstanding their share in the fall.
Benevolence, generosity. charity In Its
true sense, wherever found Is trace
of the Godlikeness In which our first
parents were created. Noble-minded
people of the world in practising chari-
~ are Initiating one of the highest
qualities of the Divine character. and
forthwith they experience a blessing
whenever tnty cAciSiSc IhSiA
BILE instincts.
AS for Christians, We find. as the
APOSTLE declares, that they are natu-
rally a varied assortment; for they
possess. some more and some less, OF
the Godlike qualities, and some more
and some less. of the depraved traits
But following their begetting OF the
Holy Spirit, these become more and
more generous, benevolent, charitable
Under the instruction and discipline
of the School Of Christ, the Spirit OF
Love, the Spirit of God. the Holy Spir-
IT. is more and more shed abroad in