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August 16, 1911] THE
Editorial .
Another Sunday! The 125,000 Protestant
ministers of our country are asked by the
"Social Service Commission of the Federal
Council of the Churches of Christ" to preach on
some phase of the "labor question" on Sunday,
September 3d, and to devote that day to Labor.
Next!
We are at the height of the summer vacation.
There is yet time to make it most useful and
"
uvipiui w umens as wen as to ourselves. Are
we carrying our faith with us? Better still, are
we carrying our faithfulness with ust The
opportunity to show that we are Christ's is
sometimes far larger at the seaside or in the
mountains or at the summer boarding house
than at home. Are we using it and "making
good?"
"With Christ's power enabling us, with his
love inspiring us, with fellowship in his joy rewarding
us, work for him should be no burden.
Effort will be simply the natural going forth of
the powers, and the simple demonstration of the
vigor, of the new life that is within us. Nothing
will he hard, nothing will be impossible. "I
can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me."
A writer in a Northern Methodist pr^?mr?o
in expressing himself in a lively way concerning
the needs of that church. Among other
things he thinks it needs. "That the bishops shall
oversee, the superintendents shall superintend,
the stewards shall stew, the leaders shall lead,
the trustees shall trust, the preacher shall
preach, and the teachers shall teaeh."
"Enter ye into the joy of your Lord," were
the significant words of Christ in connection
with the parable concerning faithfulness to
trust and work. There are two elements to be
observed in the words. One is that the Lord rejoices
over the faithfulness of his true servants.
The other is that he gives them fellowship in
that pure and divine pleasure which he feels.
Under such condition work for the Lord he
comes the believer's greatest joy.
Separation of the State from the Church
seems to be the order of the day. Only two or
threfc years ago came the successful struggle in
Prance. Within eighteen months past Spain
after a determined diplomatic conflict has
broken the fetters of Rome. Within twelve
months Belgium has set itself free from
ecclesiastical despotism and according to El
Christiano of Madrid, news of the separation of
Church and State was received in the provinces
with public jubilation. Numerous telegrams of
congratulation came to the government offices
from all countries. Now we read .that the
political program of the newly clecte.1 Prcsi
dent of Uruguay contains a proposal for the
separation of Church and State. Verily when
the sun arises creatures that crawl in the slime
must hide away or perish.
It is wonderful how rapidly Romanism is
losing its grip on the once exclusively Catholic
countries of Europe and how heroically Protestantism
is displaying a banner for Christ in
those lands. Belgium has long been one of the
most exclusively Romish principalities of the
Continent. Now we are reading such news
items as this found in the "Record of Christian
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE S
Notes and
Work:" "The brave little Protestant Church in
Liege, Belgium, has opened a clinic for the sick
poor. In 1910, 986 persons were treated without
charge. A capable Protestant physician and
deacones: es carry on the work. Belgium Protestants,
despite their numerical weakness and
poverty, have undertaken mission work in the
Congo in addition to their active evangelization
work at home." Such facts should humble inactive
professing Christians in America, the
land of opportunity.
We are in receipt of a bound copy of the
Minutes of the last Assembly, including the
reports of the Executive Committees. This
handsome and handy volume is presented to us
with the compliments of the Executive Committee
of Publication. When it comes to supplying
good books, in good style, with promptness,
and as cheaply as they can be bought anywhere,
we commend Brother Magill's Committee.
Try and be convinced.
In this number will be found a communication
from Dr. Chester of our Foreign Missions
Committee, relative to our Foreign Missions
debt. Many of our people have failed to become
informed as to the sources of the debt and
will be interested in knowing the facts.
Especially will they be glad to be reassured that
the contributions of the Church have been
judiciously expended in meeting the necessary
requirements of our rapidly expanding work in
foreign lands. The zeal of the Church has apparently
outrun its knowledge or at least its
liberality, consequently imposing greater burdens
than it has successfully borne. The debt
will be readily cancelled by united effort and we
may well believe that when the entire amount
is paid it will have had more than an equivalent
in the results accomplished.
"The Men and Religion Forward Movement"
is taking shape. Its campaign will be conducted
in seventy-six cities in the United States
and fourteen in Canada. Each city in the list
will be visited, at the time of its eight-day campaign,
by a "team" of five "experts," who will
speak and lead in evangelism. Bible study,
Christian work among men and boys, factory
work, student work, sociology, etc., to be followed,
when they leave by the local leaders, and
the results to be gathered up by May, 1912. The
scheme is very elaborate, the expectations of the
organizers is very large. There's plenty of
machinery to be set up. 'Will there be the
divine power to make it throb with life? Advertising,
banquets, processions, popular night
meetings, will be largely used. It will be an
effort principally to stir men to religious duty.
What it will do that has not already been done,
except as to the spectacular nature of the effort,
remains to be seen.
Everything that God does is beautifully done.
His stars are jewels set in velvet; his flowers are
sapphires set in emerald. Everything of his creation,
in shape and color, as they lie bathed in the
sunlight, has upon it the touch of the beautiful.
And this teaches us to do beautifully everything
that we do. Especially in our conduct toward
each other ought there to gleam the beauty
of the star and breathe the fragrance of the
flower. Christian courtesy outflowing from a sincere
heart is the highest form of gentleness, and
so of beauty.
00T5 (777) 9
Comments
NOTES IN PASSING.
BY BERT.
In the notes in the issue of Aueust 2nd a
few words have been left out somewhat obscuring
the sense. In the sixteenth line from the
bottom of page nine after the werd "approval"
read, "and of that there is no question; but we
have also our Lord's distinct approval."
I have shown that the tithe has been in force
in pre-Israelitish times; that it was observed
by the Hebrew nation; in full force in New
Testament times; honored by many heathen nations;
insisted upon by the early fathers, Ambrt>se,
Chrysostom, Augustine, and others.
Church Councils also gave it their approval.
The Second of Tours, A. D. 567; the Second
Synod of Macon, A. D. 585; the Rouen Council
in 650; the council at Nantes in 660; and of
Metz in 756. Charlemagne in the beginning of
the ninth century made the tithe the subject of
legal enactment; in 927 Athelstan made it a law
for the whole English nation. Luther, Calvin,
and Knox insisted unon it Th?
Discipline of the Church of Scotland in the
preparation of which Knox took a leading part,
and which lies open before me as I write, sayB,
nnder "Head VI?The Rents and Patrimony
of the Kirk." "The ministers of the Word, and
the poor, together with the schools, must be
sustained upon the charges of the Church. . . .
We require the deacons and treasurers rather to
receive the rents than the ministers themselves,
because that out of the teinds (tithes^) must not
only the ministers he sustained, but also the
poor and the schools." And again under the
same general head, in the section, "For Reparation
of Churches," "Lest that the Word of
God, and ministrations of the Sacraments, by
unseemliness of the place, come into contempt,
of necessity it is, that the churches and places
where people ought publicly to convene, be with
expedition repaired in doors, windows, thatch,
and with such preparations within no on *.
?
taineth, as well to the majesty of the Word of
God, as unto the ease and commodity of the
people * * * The expenses to be lifted partly of
the people, and partly of the teinds, at the consideration
of the ministry."
It appears to me difficult to think of anything
more that God could do to prove His will upon
any subject than He has done upon this. If a
reliable historian carries any weight, we have
this from Bingham the author of "Christian
Antiquities." "This was the unanimous judgment
of the Fathers, and the voice of the church
uncontradicted for more than a thousand years,
or until the usages of the ehurch were alienated
and perverted by the papal hierarchy during the
dark ages." So far therefore as authority for
the tithe goes I am of opinion t.h? nn?# ia ?
liiUUU
out.
A look at the probable underlying reasons for
God's claim upon the Tithe might not be without
benefit. I make no claim to be able to read
the mind of God beyond what He has revealed,
or what we might reasonably expect to be true
from such knowledge of His character and of his
demands upon men as are found in the "Word.
"When we have taken all we can get, there may
be, and no doubt are, reasons in His own mind
which He has kept to Himself.
But I offer this reason first, it is one conspicuous
way in which our love to God can ex