Henderson daily dispatch., 1938-12-28
A Story for the
Rural Churchman
BY S. l.. Morgan


Taptist church near Townsville will
begin having preaching services twice
a month. It is an interesting story
which 1 pass on for the possible in
spiraton of other rural churches. In
cidentally it brings to light the fine
act of deacon, and puts the finger
on the secret of success or failure in
many : church. 1 withhold the dea-
cons name out of regard for his
modesty
For thirty years this deacon has
been treasurer of his church. and a
recognized pillar Highest praise is
due him for his faithful and unremit-
ting efforts to collect from the mem
bers the money necessary to keep the
church expenses paid up. For years
he has handed the pastor each Sun
day when he went to preach full pay
ment for the current months salary
His way was to meet the members
IS they came on the church ground
and collect the monthly dues. And
it worked. His quiet, genial approach
was welcomed by most of the mem
bers through many years, and was
accepted as a matter of course. And
its success put in the shade the new
tangled financial systems of many
church. 1t acquired a recognized
status. To change it and put onoth
er method in it's place was bound to
be delicate and difficult.
But through the years the idea had
grown in the minds of a few that
to offer ones gift as an act of wor-
ship is much finer thing than to be
asked for it as dun. And under
careful teaching wise mother here
and there grew to feel that, if their
children ever grew into systematic
liberal givers, they must be trained
into a habit of giving regularly and
worshipfully. What was better train
ing than to teach them to save their
pennies and nickels, and out of their
savings to put a worthy offering in
an envelope and drop it in the plate
as part of the act of public wor
ship? One mother with II children,
a great, sensible woman, said, II
want envelopes as q help in training
my children to give regularly and
worshipfully. No, It won't be easy
to have the change on Sunday morn
ing for a dozen or So but I think it
well worth all the thought and eff
fort it requires as a means of train
ing my children" No wonder the
fourteen children of such a mother
are among the finest to he found
The pastor assumed that such re-
quests for envelopes could not, be
denied, and a vote was taken to pro-
vide envelopes for all wishing them.
But this deacOn-treasurer was frank
ly skeptical. Clearly it would bring
confusion. 1t would break into the
system of collecting he followed. And
ne said frankly, II am sorry you agi-
lated it. Better let well-enough
alone Hasn't my way succeeded"
1t had-as far as it went. The pastor
got his salary infallible, but all the
benevolent objects had only a scant
and occasional special offering. Some
agreed this was wrong. But they
were reluctant to go against the
wishes of beloved and honored
brother who had done nobly and sue
ceeded for 30 years. And there was
,ncipient confusion and divided coun-
Gland cold feet.
Just there is the rock on which
many a noble church plan breaks
deacon or leader honestly welded to
IN outgrown method. Such an Off
cial or leader-even one-often holds
back a church year after year, and
blocks the way of progress. If he is
egotistic and self-willed, however sin
cere, he freezes out every sugges-
ton of change and chains the church
to the past.
And then this deacor-treasurer
showed what manner of man he is
His word would decide. And he was
against the new way proposed. But
he asked for a full conference of the 4
church. and himself made the motion
that the church adopt the new way
hat he personally disliked, and that
all agree to use the envelopes. OF
course it carried unanimously. Mag
nanimity carries by storm, it is so
rare and so compelling
Duplex envelopes were secured. The
first Sundey an even lOO were put
in the plates in this average country
church. All the deacons stood in
front, leading with the pastor in
making the offering an act OF pub
ic worship. ~, An even through the
ean summer months 1t continued,
raining momentum in the lall. The
financial secretary says Never a
month without good cheek to remit
or the benevolent objects. And CIV
ag for the church expenses was so
uccessful that at the end OF the year |
he church asked the pastor to give |
mother Sunday morning at an in
rease of go. per cent in the salary.
lie will preach hereafter first and
bird Sunday mornings, confident
lat in year or so this good church
nd another near, by will jointly call
pastor for all his time ana consti-
ute a field, like Enon ana Hester
90 nxfnrd WIFI a pastor living in !