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About Christian herald. (Portland ;) 1882-18?? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 1883)
1 CHRISTIAN >1K R A L D over to pay. I Juive made a care- ture. 1 could suggest the names erf fui» estimate since receivipt . g your e Co^gregf ■ ---- -, alai L——> grega- letter, -and 1 consider my prospects Bros. MJ? y - of S- The RichiMan in th r i good for at least fifteen thousand a <>f F—wlm, it Seems to me Çould tion. Originai Contributions. î BY MATH AT AS. 4« Your idea of banding brethren of eacli church together in aid socie (Continued.) ties, to spread the Gospel 1 like. Dear pastor : yours decent date You can count on my giving liber received and contents duly noted. ally to forward such a movement. I must express myself as somewhat But you certainly cannot be ig- surprised at your novel way of yearly ¿o.iH'BlUtlUllM LU lll^ imTftTTl tli'tlTl!' TìT^t 11 mt ?*>l ki'Hi Id V fill asking me to “ preach the Gospel.” tllAt openly call upon the brethren for I have read your letter, ami con church in every way, amounts to a such donations that you will be un- clude that you must certainly mean trifle over one hundred dollars. Your plan was, that I should sus mercifully criticized ' Why our this as a joke ! tain a good young num at my own State abounds in well to-do men, —-F r hiiy appreciate yoi w» ■ deacons and eldbrs in the churches, in showing what you consider the expense, in some destitute field, at who will demand of you ScHpture peculiar advantages of this plan. say, a yearly outlay of one thous autl»ority for such a scheme as this One would conclude from your and dollars, and pay what he sent you are proposing. reasoning, that rich men, all over me from the field into the treasury While 1 do not seriously object the country, would not only become of the Missionary Board. This you to the plan in general, yet 1 can see richer by this project, but that it argued would not make my whole, many drawbacks to such a move would consecrate their money to yearly outluy more than twelve ment. You would in the first place such a holy use that G«xl would hundred dollars and less than “ one- < encourage young men to educate give them everlasting peace as their tenth ” my . income. 1 see you have ’ themselves for the purpose of mak- reward. You will permit me to reckoned shrewdly, but it must be- j ing their living by preaching a’one 1 say,-howcvcr;™“thxtH"‘“rrmx^’^ is I10 not ^ Apostolic. Apostolic? Too” so much ____________ of an expenditure at tin* s Surely cl3 this tl,ls ,s es, in s______ ._______ fruifi you, wiuclv tvs, flic -many young men would crowd our present time. this matter, as to my sending out a You 1< qow that it takes money , schools in the hope of gain. The Gosjiel Agent' to live in the town of K----—. My ’ ministry _ avou 1<1 be 1... .i... degraded to a You are aware that I am greatly family which is moderately large, i money making scheme, and the counted on to sustain our preacher make many demands upon me I power of the Gospel would be lust. in the village. As you say we which I must supply. My boy No, sir! it was never intended that have been without regular preach must be educated and my daughter preachers should have property ing a long time. Of course Bro. must be allowed some few privileg- and make fine incomes from their ~y.^==TVpca^ e$ granted to other yduhg ladies. preaching ' But I have run over of regular preaching, but his farm Then you know, I came before your pointed question to me, viz: cares keep his mind thoroughly ta the primaries for nomination in ;tuy “ What are you doing to carry out ken, and the public-idea seems to district, and was elected some time the Savior’s great commission, * Go have outgrown the talks he gives since, to the State Legislati ire. preach the Gospel ?’ ” 1 am giving us from Sunday to Sunday. You may not know it, but I a rill one hundred dollar# a year here at Since Mr. M----- came, noW inform you, the time has come in home, but really I feel sometimes about three months, 1 have been State elections, when more or less that that is too much ; not but that called upon to donate largely to the money is demanded of the candi I will gladly give that much, and work at home. 1 subscribed eight date. Taking it altogether 1 hwe even more, to preach the good news dollars per quarter, but think I been at greater expense, probably, of the kingdom, but when I go to wilt be obliged to giveten inorder thaw the position will be worth, but church and see how cold and in there is the necessary tight during different the brethren are ; see Sun that he may get his pay. 1 cannot see why you should put the campaign, and in our land of day after Sunday the same small me down as a “ rich man,” though various shades ami colors of belief audiences out morning and evening. 1 do feel a pardonable pride in be and opinions, 1 was compelled to I think its most a waste of money ing addressed by you, and have .you condescend more or less to my con to hire preachers. The people do write that “ to no one else have I stituency. You are well \nware not appreciate preaching any mow. mentioned this,” placing it thus on that I could not be elected by the We have a good preacher; we are me to set the ball rolling—confer vote of the church, so was forced paying him eight hundred dollarea ring great honor 1 spp|x>se. to use some measures, my dear old year, and I let him have the brown You certainly over estimate my pastor, that you might not consider cottage for eighteen dollars per- wealth very greatly. I cannot lie quite correct wdth your peculiar month, two dollars cheaper than it said to have* in real, and personal views. You know me to be a lib rented last year, but he seems so property more than two hundred eral man, ami as such, addressed me worried with his family cares, that and fifty thousand, and you must in g<xxl faith, but you can surely sometimes I think he is not pre- know in this day, that such a sum see that such a measure would not pared to preach. scarcely cuts a figure in the money be consistent with my place in the But truly 1 had not intended halls of legislature. Of course it markets. Your figures are not far writing so much. I close by wish notTje wrong however when you caTcuTaXe. ing your Hovel, butT think, -feasibly • that my income is at least fifteen :me, only in the event of reelection ! plan, much success.' thousand dollars ; I take pride in I heartily concur with you in the ,J am yours truly and fraternally, Hon. A. B. L----- ,of K—. 'saying that I have made uiy money liope that this may be carried myself, and know how to turn it | ou| by very many in the near fu- And thus the “ Rich Man.” reus- triHe. If I had the wealth of some men, nothing could prevent me taking immediate steps to further- the cause of my Master which 1 love with.all my heart, - On looking over my books, 1 find ^umnjmmamjaiuawaiiauuiuiniaKrouituttUAWBiaTiu um imiug n i mmnun iimmiM.r.ii^yTiT,^, oned, whilp the pastor’s fantastic aircastle faded out. We suppose, that should a thousand letters be written to a thousand Heli men, ho 4.WU would.., answer in language, but why any should an- swer as did the Hon. L----- , is something mysterious. There can be no doubt but that he wished the cause well; he certainly offered no argument to show that one tenth of — or airy mie^ i i icmn e is tu tywr ueh '—- to give to the Lord ; he did not ad duce a single Scripture condemning the action of a brother or sister, should they semi out preachers at their own charges. One strong ar gument was “ It is novel' ’ There is not so much good proof for that as might be supposed, for the pastor had gathered from history that such . a work was not wholly unknown. There can be but little objection to communities of Christians banding together to preach the Gospel, and that being true, no one could object to having an Evangelist sent out even by one individual. But why should the pastor thus give’ up his cherished scheme ? Alas ' it never has occurred to the rich men, men who have been wonderfully pros pered in the midst of Christian civilization, that they in any way, have greater ability to preach the Gospel than the poor .young wan__ who lias been impelled by the whitening harvest, to go into the field, trusting the future for his un certain stipend. Thus the pastor reasoned : “ Why should I, with but ordinary talents, and suffering almost daily from an infinhity of the flesh, use every available means to fit myself for preaching, while around me on every side, are those with God given abilities (See Acts 11 : 29) who will not aid me in this struggle to tell, in an acceptable manner these ‘ Wonderful Words of Life? ” To the young man who fits himself for the ministry, the living is un certain Of course J know it is the same in law, medicine, ami almost every branch of labor, in which we engage. But in law or medicine there is Some prescribed fee bill, and what is better, a chance to rise, by industry, to command a compe tence. The daily and hourly strug gle unlit preacher to make himself master of language, a mover and director of those under his care, for positive remuneration. I know I will *1« seriously charged with sordid motives in this matter, and . on me will be poured severe critic ism, but why ? Is it not al-out ’ A *