The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-06
"A Religion That Costs
 You Nothing '-Dr. billiard

"A Religion That Costs You Noth- ing" was pr. ]. $. Dillards sublece at the Southside Baptist church yes terday morning. His text. taken rom II Sam. 24:2f. was; Neither Will or fer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me hotn~ ing.'
 'David didn't want a religion that cost him nothing," said pr. Dillard. "He was different from multitude or folk who were always looking tor something for nothing, There are many people who want to live in live, p-to-date cityf and are swift to fina fault with the administration, to com- plain of every inconvenience and ta point out every faiDire and defect, yer these same people will dodge thetr taxes or lie about their property. l have known church members who crit- ieized the preacher. the choir. the Jan- itor and everything in general and yet they never subscribed a dollar to the support of the church or if they dad they failed to pay it. These same people will get as mad as a hornet IF the church insists on making sub scription or the treasurer sends them n statement of their account. There is many a man who says he doesn't be- lieve in foreign missions, home mis- sions church schools orphans homes and many other philanthropies. when the truth of the matter is he does nos want to part with even small por- ton of the Lords money which he has
 in his own pocket or has invested in his own concerns. There are thousands of people who give frivilous excuses for not joining tho churches when the truth of the matter is that they do not want to help support the churches. They are willing to let George do i-'
 TRAINING OF CHILDREN
 "Perhaps there is something wrong in the way we train our children. We give them everything they need and nearly everything they want and then require almost nothing in return iYow few homes there are where the woriI is divided up into tasks for all-chores for the boys and household duties for the girls l have known a home , where the girls gave their afternoons to teas and their evenings to partiea. then slept half the next day. Mama was their willing slave; she was doubtless prompted by love and mis- taken sense of duty, but she was trains ing parasites instead of useful mem bers of society. Of course. there is trouble ahead. Indiscriminate charity makes more paupers that it helpea worthy persons I recently had a most pathetic case, apparently. man who seemed to be a worthy object of char- ity presenting a pathetic appeal was upon investigation found to be sup- porting a number of persons in crimi- nal idleness by professional begging. :, Tn our churches we have let dad give 1 for the whole family or else he has given the children pennies for church and Sunday school while giving them dimes and dollars for ice cream sodas and worldly pleasures. No wonder tho children lack proper appreciation or the churches and with them often re- | ipi e l gum, picture shows and worldly friv- lolities.
 l As result of this way of living we rob God of His just dues our children of a proper example, and our- i selves of q worthy self respect In so doing we make the church of th. liv- 1 ing God don the garb of a mendicant and our preachers become knov'n as heggars. These things ought not so to { be.
 GIVING THAT COSTS
 When we think Of the goodness ot | Cod. of His manifold blessings upon us as individuals and as people, of i the value of the churches as social. { educational and religious institutions.
 and most especially when we think Of l the Cross of Calvary. our hearts ought | to swell with gratitude to God and wo
 ought to count it privilege to give l to His work an offering that really
 costs us something. Common decency
 would forbid our accepting forgiveness and salvation for the nail-percsd l hand and then rendering to Him th9
 scraps of our time and the surplus
 coins that remain after we have sat- isfied our every selfish desire and fool- l ish whim. What shall I render unto.
 the Lord for all His benefits unto | me?
 Religion is very practical matter. 1 You can work at it. You can join His people in community service and world wide evangelism. The work IS | so. great and so varied that everyone
 can find something to do that is con- | genial to His spirit. Then too, our money will work for us. To earn a
 dollar for Christ is as sacred as . prayer and to use your money to ad-s
 tcontinued on Page Eight)