Arizona republican., 1916-12-04
r FINANCING KINGDOM
 DR. SIMS SUBJECT

At the central Methodist CnUrch yesterday, spendid congregation greeted the pastor as he appeared in his pulpit. The singing by the choir was a special feature of the morning sercice. Many strangers worship with this congregation. located as it is near the hotels and business district of the city
 After the preliminary service. the pastor Rev. W d. Sims. read his text, which vas a clause from the fifth verse Of the sixteenth chapter of St. Luke and is as follows: How much oWest thou unto my Lord" and spoke in part as follows.
 The gospel of money was one on which Jesus spoke at different times and in different ways He never sNmpathized with that emotional surface theory that if men live right. pray and have faith that the money will take care of itself But in more ways than one placed emphasis on the value of the money side of tho kingdom and gave if it's proper place in the working out of The purposes Of God.
 As a part of the American church. we would do well to consider our ma tioral wealth as compared with church poverty.
 The American as seen by others has splendid spending ability. as millions are spent annually Of which we take but little account
 These are da,s Of growing income. of rapidly increasing wealth and ma teri3l prosperity The story of our nation. it's growth and marvellous igurra is n tale that read like that -' -hc -Arat tan Nights" for in a little over century our national wealth increased from two hundred Co more than sixteen hundreds dollars per capita. which brings it to any where from ore hundred and sixty to two hundred billion as compared W.th one billion in 1900.
 Our national wealth has increased more than eight times as fast as our popplation and the phenomenon is due i1 a large measure to improved machinery and discovery, SO }hat from lSo0 to 1850 our national wealth ioi5led. and again from 1850 70 1870. 7ni at much more rapid rate frou ! hat date to thls. and the signs all noinf now t1 sun more rapid in- . ereasc.
 Men who have made these imDrove- i1rrta and discoveries we call w lzards. ni among them Nr Burbank and Nr. Edison stand al the head Added 70 thes" and men of Ike ahilifr we
 
 ! cachirg us how t0 select seeds for pinrtng how to raise the bcst stock nrl how flo develop our natural re- ! ourCc5 SO that ail may contribute our enlarged wealth The openink : go of large tracts Of arid lands bring rE them under Irrigation. a work i1 ! which tho govcrament is active. is < hc forc"est'Iy of st..l larger wealth ! n-'ion. pnr national wealth iof1v .s eas.ly Qna-fourth the wealth "f the world. America is living ir ; 'rNurr. is clothed in fine linen. and mot at au conscious Of her .m- mense wealth
 The iIblc IS most explicit in saving i that God made the world and all that is therein" ard so establishes i tho ownership of all the wealth O. i which We hare been speaking. snnd a. inc same time establishes the further ] fact that we are on, stewards 1 The text is taken from a parabla ! on stewardship. md reminds us that I foI haS no where indicated that he 1 hag gwen over the world which ho 1 made to his creature man. with no ] lain on it whatever
 As early as the days of Abraham we find that the tenth law was rec | ognized and practiccd for as Abra nam returned from the battlefield. th. . priest or the most high God came ott 10 meet. and there and then offering Co tho amount of the tcnth was made.
 Following this. Jacob. when he ! dedicated the stone he had used for 4 ] 'u'ow ne also made VOW and 1 pledged the tenth of hH that God would give him. The books of Exodus. ieFiticus. Numbers and Deuteronomy ] are occupied with a detailed staierneut ! 1s Co Gods ownership nf wealth and | his share iE it
 leayine the old books of Moses vvo lind ihe prophets reminding the pa ton of it's ohligations 10 render ia F"d one-tenth of their income for
 peeiiic religious work and worship one was bold enough to charge tho l%'loa or robbery and when asked .ntIth they had robbed God. the .--..r.v, - -a- n iI.hos and offering,