The Tulsa star. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1913-1921, 1920-05-29
By RICHARD J. HILL
continued from Last Week.

The Doctrine of Eternal Torment
was introduced by papacy to scare
the Pagans and make them join her
system and support The PrieSihoou'
II f,ourished at time when Dull
FIGHTS and gladiatorial contests were
the public amuSementS most ENJOY
ed This doctrine fiouriShed when
The Crusades were called Holy
Wars and when men and women
were called heretieS ana oiten
slaughtered for speaking contrary
10 the teachings of Papacy. IN"
majority Of the Clergy have SpeEl
aud are yet spending most of their
time in trying to scare the people
into the Churches, telling them To
join and escape Eternal Torment;
ard when the people get into the
churches and put their names on The
roll they are made to understand
that the Lord wants them to Keep
IN their various church dues. III
cluding fat salary to the parson,
building fine church houses, etc.
They are further made to under
stand that if they fail in these duties
they will be turned out of the church
where the Devil will get them and
roast and torment them throughout
Eternity. The poor people have
been taught and made TO believe that
the Lord needs their money in or
del to carry out his plans but dear
friends, ] want to brand this money
collecting in the churches and for
the churches in the name of the
Lord as Blashpemy to His righteous
name. The Lord is rich and does
not need our puny dimes and dol
lars to carry out his great plan.
This money collecting business is
man-made institution. | am fully
aware that there are Scriptures
which are being misintrepeted by
many Of the preachers in such way
as to make it appear that the col
leCting of money in the churches is
authorized by the Bible; some of
the Scriptures used are those refer
rin,' to the Jewish custom of Civ
ing one-tenth but which. as a mat
ter of fact, has no application in
tnis Gospel Age except as pointing
to the Lord Also the Scripture
statement, "Muzzle not the OK tina
tread out the corn" which onl,
means that preacher should hav,
the same opportunity to make
living as anybody else and that Will,
he is giving all his time to advanc
ing Gods truth (not lics) he is en-
titled to the absolute necessities o
life-place to sleep and food to ca
be . burden to the people in an,
way, shape, form or fashion. In
stead of being, q burden true Serv
ants of God should go and work will
their own hands to support them
selves and at the same time be abb,
to give to those less fortunate. Tn,
Apostle Paul through the Scripture,
lays down the rule for himself anC
others that those who would no
work should not eat. 2nd Thes. 3
5-l!. Paul worked with his owr
hands, tent making, that he might
not be burden to the people. The
case where Christ had his Diciplcs
to catch a fish and get money out
Of its mouth to put into the collec-
tion is sometime held up 10 the peo
pie as ChriSt's approval Of collec-
tonS in churches but nothing is
further from the truth than using
this Scripture in such a way; Christ
only intended to teach the DiciplcS
that II was the best policy for them
to pay taxes to whatever Govern
they may live under.
| again remind YOU that the pay
Ing OF fat salaries to preachers and
the building of expensive church
houses is not recognized by the Lord
as work done unto him. He wants
no such work as that. He wants
the contrite heart OF the poor peo-
pie towards him and he wants them
relieved Of their burdens. The OH
" condition under which the Civ
ing of money is acceptable to the
Lord is when il is given voluntarily
and for the purpose of relieving the
suderings of the widows and or
phanS and others of broken heart,
and also money given 10 aid others
In getting into the light OF Gods plan
OF Salvation. You will agree with
me when ! remind you that there
are many millions of poor people
In this land and country who are
suffering greatly for the absolute
necessities Of life and many OF
these are living in the very shadows
OF Church houses that cost hundreds
OF thousands OF dollars. God is no.
pleased with such an arrangement
and in the near future he will dash
to pieces this order Of things and
arrange matters so that the humble
hearted and oppressed will come in
TO their own.
Reverting to another phase of our
subject, | wish to say that the Old
Testament ScrintureS vvere x,,rit,an