CONTENTS. CHAP. I. THE PRINCIPLE OF THE SUSTENTATION AND EXTENSION OF RELIGION AND BENEVOLENCE BY PECUNIARY CONTRIBUTIONS, ARISING FROM,— 1. The Necessities of Man's Physical Nature and Moral Condition. III. THE OBJECTS TO WHICH THESE FUNDS SHOULD BE DEVOTted. 1. The Ministry, and the Necessary Requirements of Worship. 2. The Assistance and Extension of the Church, and the Conversion IV. THE CONSECRATED PROPORTION OF INCOME TO BE ASCERTAINED,— 1. By the general Spirit of the entire Scriptures. 2. By the unchangeable Nature of all Religious and Moral Ob- 3. By the Jewish Law of Tithe and Free-will Offerings. 4. By the immense Enlargement of the Field of Exertion under the 5. By the peculiar Prominence given in the New Testament to 1. Those which spring from sacred Obligation to God. (1.) The Fulness of Divine Love and Bounty. (2.) The Sacred Obligation thence arising. 2. Those originating in the Claims and Condition of Man. (1.) The vast Importance and Urgency of the Interests involved. (3.) The happy Influence it would exert on the World. (4.) The Sufficiency of such Resources for all Requirements. (5.) Examples of eminent Devotedness in this respect. 3. Those included in the Glory of Christ, and in Christian Consistency, (2.) Its happy Influence on the Heart and Character. (3.) Its Design and Tendency to assimilate to God in Principle, (4.) The Opportunity of peculiarly glorifying God. (5.) The Certainty of Personal Sufficiency in a course of Faithful (6.) Its Influence on the Enjoyment of the Divine Blessing in (7.) On Man's future Eternal Condition and Happiness. THE CHRISTIAN WEEKLY OFFERING. INTRODUCTION. In the latter half of the nineteenth century a serious proposal is made to ascertain the scriptural principle and measure of contribution for religious and benevolent objects. Where have the consciences and the hearts of Christians been during these many ages? Sciences, whose first principles but yesterday saw the light, have quickly attained to certainty and vigorous maturity. But this divine science is as yet only in its infancy. Is there any mystery in the prostration and inefficiency of the Church of Christ up to the present hour? Honest inquiry, with a view to the distinct apprehension and cordial practice of such a rule, has rarely existed. The use of the term rule will take many by surprise. They never imagined such a thing. Their will is their only law. It is here humbly attempted, in dependence on the divine blessing to ascertain this rule, and to advance those data which will enable every sincere inquirer easily to learn the measure of his obligation. Appeal is here made to the true followers of the Saviour. If men of the world treat the subject with scorn and indifference, earnest and faithful Christians cannot. It is of the greatest moment to perceive distinctly the reason and the reasonableness of this requirement. Independent of all other considerations, it is as needful as it is beneficial even to the giver, tending to exercise and improve both his graces and his heart. Principles, as well as organisations, in order to vigour and expansion, must have free and constant exercise. Without some such arrangement how could the principles of benevolence and active love be cultivated? How could man's native selfishness be subdued, and his heart and character be formed for the joys of heaven and the fellowship of holy and benevolent beings? Here is a means of training men on earth for stations of honour and blessedness in heaven. That which man obtains without thought or toil, prayer or sacrifice, he lightly regards, whatever its true value. The proper motive of this rule of action is love to God, from a sense of boundless obligation; and love to man, from identity of nature and interests. It should be performed as a sacred duty, which it were fraud and embezzlement to neglect; with ardent delight, as being in itself right and excellent; and with a joyful knowledge that, though a most imperfectly performed duty, it is received as if it were the gratuitous offering of spontaneous love and holy sacrifice. Above all, it must be in entire self-renunciation and freedom from personal merit, and in simple dependence on the grace and intercession of Christ, under the conviction, " We are unprofitable servants. Of thine own, O Lord, have we given thee." So far are they from the expectation of salvation through their own beneficence, that the Saviour represents the redeemed as if they had lost the remembrance of their services, and as if filled with wonder at their gracious approval by the great Judge of all. (Matt. xxv. 37.) As where there is no fixed and invariable rule prescribed, the amount contributed may fairly depend on the nature and magnitude of the objects to be compassed, it is proposed to inquire into the principle of sustentation and extension of religion and benevolence by pecuniary contribution, the manner of obtaining the necessary resources,-the objects to which they are to be devoted, the rule of proportion to be adopted in their dedication, -and the considerations which should animate to its prompt and universal practice. CHAPTER I. THE PRINCIPLE OF THE SUSTENTATION AND EXTENSION OF RELIGION AND BENEVOLENCE BY PECUNIARY CONTRIBUTIONS. THERE are two prominent features of the religion of the present day most painful and unsatisfactory,-the absence of any defined and adequate scale of contribution among Christians at large, and the general failure of dedication by men of wealth of a duly augmenting proportion of their ever-increasing possessions. Happily some are seriously weighing this subject with a view to the earnest and conscientious performance of their sacred obligations. May they multiply a thousandfold! |