The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-24
Goods Financial PAN
Sermon by DIR. billiard

Sermon by DIR. billiard
Before a congregation that filled the
Southside Baptist church to its fullest
capacity, DR.. James f. billiard preached
a powerful sermon on Goods Financial
Plan" and stressed the necessity of
church people signing the tithing
pledge AS the result of DR.. billiards.
logical and biblical appeal, 3S4 pledges
were made. In discussing the PROPOSE
ton. DR. billiard said in part:
1--WE are not living in topsy-turvy
world God is God of order. beau
tiful system characterizes all of His
works. Harmony is the master prin-
ciple of the universe. God has a plan
for everything he does. He has plan
God just spoke a word and creation
was the result. But, the study of
chemistry shows the laws of creation
or Gods way of doing things. The laws
of physics show us His way of con-
trolling things.
Every farmer KNOWS that God has
a way of raising crops, and the man
who would forget Gods plan or who
violates 1t, will pay the penalty He
has plan of salvation Whether it
appeals to you or not, the fact re-
mains that there is no other way to
be saved except his way. The man
who takes issue with Gods plan
thereby shuts himself out of the bless
ing. Whenever we can find Gods plan
and follow it, all is well. If we vio
late this plan we are certain to suf-
fer.
ut would seem strange that God
should have a plan for everything else
in the world and not have a plan for
financing his kingdom, The fact that
most churches experience difficulty in
their financial affairs and the further
fact that the larger interests of the
kingdom are suffering for money
would seem to indicate. either that God
has no plan at all. or that His people
have failed to find and observe this
plan.
However. if one is willing to look
into the Bible, he will find both in the
Old and the New Testament that God
has very definite plan. We find this
plan stated in Malachi. $40: Bring
We the whole 1.-THE into the storehouse.
and prove me now herewith saith Je-
hovah of hosts, if will not open you
the windows of heaven, and pour you
out a blessing that there shall not be
room enough to receive it." In First
CORN, 1872, Paul says, Upon the first
day of the week let every one of you
lay by him in store as God hath pros
pered him. When Paul says, "As God
hath prospered him." he is evidently
referring to tithing. Gods plan in
wolves contributions from every man
These contributions are to be made
regularly and they are to be made pro-
portionately. What is this proportion :?
Would it be right conclusion that
God is going to let every man decide
for himself? Let us turn to the OLD
Testament and the New and see what
they say.
I'VE find in Genesis, 1920 that
Abraham gave a 1.-THE to Melchizedek
over in Hebrews, the seventh chapter
we find this referred to-. Melchizedel
is a type of Christ and Abraham is
called the Father OF the Faithful The
conclusion is that if Abraham gave
1.-THE to Melclfizedek, so Christians
should give 1.-THE to Christ In Gene
sis 2S:22, we find Jacob vowing to give
one-tenth to the Lord and in Levi 1880
and Numbers 1926 and in various other
parts of the Old Testament we find
the law of tithing given
TN Matthew 1929. our Lord com
mends the tither by speaking of those
who 1.-THE even to garden vegetables
in saying, This they ought to have
done" In Malachi 1910, we find God
condemns the withholders of his 1.-THE
and challenges his people to try him
and see if tithing does not bring to
them a blessing.
'Tithing will provide all the money
that is necessary for financing the
kingdom of God. 1t will distribute the
burden equitably among the people. l,
is practical plan that every man can
figure out. 1t is reasonable and right
Our gratitude to God for his mani
fold mercies to US should lead us to
do at least this much for Him and the
testimony of those who have been
tithers for years is substantially unan-
1mous that 1t brings blessing
Can one be tither and succeed in.
business? You might as well ask, Can
one observe one day in seven and sue
coed" The fact is that the man who
fails to observe one day in seven pays
for it in the long run, aud the man
who fails to give God one-tenth of his
income is loser The richest man on
earth today was tither when he was
eight years old. Charles A. Cook
mailed out circular letters to million
people calling for their experiences as
tithers He says substantially every
answer was that tithing had proven
blessing.
The explicit command of Almighty
God, the need of suffering, sorrow
ing world. the expectation of a reign
ing Christ, the sense of fairness and
our gratitude to God should lead US
to give at least one-tenth of our income
to the cause of the kingdom and the
welfare OF our fellow. men, Goodness
is profitable unto all things, having
the promise of the life that now is and