The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-06-16
Rev. Thompson Says ''Tithing
Is A Great New RediscOvery
OF This Christian Generation >
''Tiithing
BY GEORGES W. coRNsLL

NEW TURN A-IDo DtH o4oAN3
denominations Ars taking e. oeon-
omic lesson IRON :hs iitaa onoa.
1T involves the an of passing -
collection pste---at which some q
the smalles; denominations have
proved themselves far superior.
A movement has mushrocmod
recently among many major
church bodies 10 try 70 follow the
example. az least partially, OF their
busting little brothers.
The key to the new programs
is an old idea-the 1.-THE.
"Tithing is great new reds.
cOvery of this generation of Christ.
ians." said Rev. 7. X. Thompson.
head of the stewardship benevo-
hnce department of the National
Council of Churches.
Virtually all the major demon.
nations have started vigorous tith.
ing programs.
He said federal income tax laws
are partially responsible.
The Old Testament injunction
that a tenth of what each man
earns should be set aside as '.holy
unto the Lord" has received little
attention in most big religious bod
ies-Catholic. Jewish or Protestant
since the turn of the century.
But many smaller bodies have
continued to stress il. The result
is the annual per capita contribu-
tons by their members far .ex-
ceeds that of the bigger churches.
Pace.setters are the Free Meth
odists. averaging Sls4.79 per men,
Der q year; Seventh Day Adven-
fists. $l5s per member; Wesleyan
Methodist. sl42.2l; Brethren in
Christ. sl24sl; Church Of the Naz-
arene, Siil.76.
Compare those figures with per
capita giving in churches where
the 1.-THE has been out of fashion:
Protestant bodies - SSi.s2 per
member a year.
Roman Catholic = officially Is.
timated at SIS q year.
Jewish - about SIS per person
Counting four persons per family.
only the heads of families being
actual members Of congregational.
Eyeing this situation. II major
Protestant denominations within
the last few years have launched
campaigns 10 revive the habit Of
tithing. Another one. the Method
lists, largest Protestant church,
plans 10 do so next year.
Among early boosters of the re-
turn to tithing among big churches
were the Southern Raptists and the
Presbyterians Of the u. s. gSouih-
ernl. The Mormon church has 4
long standing tithing program. but
per capita giving records are un-
available.
Neither Catholic nor Jewish bod
les have initiated any special tith-
ing programs By that name. but
spokesmen for both said the tithing
idea was basic to programs 70 In
crease giving.
Catholic publications now and
then have been carrying editorials
TO strengthen the ideal Of tithing,
said Munxignor Thomas ]. Mccar.
thy, Of the National Catholic Vel
fare Conference.
In Judaism, the word sstilhes
isn't generally used in modern con.
gregationaI parlanee. since Il spe-
officially applies only 70 The law
governing the Jewish temple Of
ancient times.
''But the whole spirit Of giving
more has pcrvaded the Jewish
community In the present day. /"
said Rabbi Joel S. Geffen, director
Of field activities and community
services Of the Rabbinieal Assem-
bly, Of America.
The modern income tax. which
brings . man faee.t0.faee with his
annual church contributions -usu-
ally embarraSlngiy snal1-doubt.
less had something 70 do with the
trend. Thompson said. adding:
"A person cannot make out his
income tax form every year with
oaf facing the question ot proper
tomato giving. The siths i , good
practical program for meeting .
perennial problem.