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NEWS FROM THE WORKERS
HOW THEY BANKED FOR THE
LORD.
Some of us oftentimes wish we had
wherewith to give. Perhaps if we
adopted tithing this desire might be
gratified. As an example, we copy
the following:
“Old Mulberry Street Methodist
Church held those whose consciences
were aroused by faithful preaching on
the Bible doctrine of the tithe by Bish
op Joseph Key, who was for many
years pastor of the church. Mr. Cal
der Willingham, a young married man
just beginning his business career,
heard one of these sermons, and was
so convicted that he talked the mat
ter over with his w’ife, and they both
determined to be obedient to the law.
He was a member of the Baptist
church, she of the Methodist. As
partners in all enterprises, they de
termined to share their tithe between
the two churches.
“The next day witnessed their fidel
ity to law. When the first dollar was
made, it was changed, and the dime
placed in a drawer that w’as called
the Lord’s Drawer. Later on, when
the dimes grew to dollars, because he
was propered greatly, it w r as neces
sary to bank the Lord’s money, and
a regular system of bookkeeping was
begun which carried an account for
themselves and one for the Lord.
With an available fund like this the
necessity of w r ise expenditure became
evident, and they felt that Christian
stewardship included a faithful study
of the investment of the Lord’s
money.
“It was not long before their gift
to the church began to branch out
and embrace the fitting of young men
and women for life by giving them
JUNIUS W. MILLARD IS LIVING STILL.
(Continued from Page 7.)
This program involves also the giving of our
time in order to study the problems of every
man, home, or business that may appeal to us
for our solution, and to study the problems of
our church life, and of missions, and to put into
operation in the way of practical help the
truths we may learn.
But, above all, this involves the gift of our
substance, but from this we will not shrink. We
will count not only ourselves, but also our pos
sessions as part of the Kingdom. Realizing that
“It is more blessed to give than to receive,”
we pledge ourselves to give of our money, not
only for church support, and missions, but for
human needs of our weaker brother. We re
fuse either to lose faith in God, or confidence
in man, and in this spirit we enter upon a real
ministry to real men and women in this city,
and throughout the world.
So much for the outlook, but little has been
said of the spiritual side of our work as a
church, or my part in it as your pastor. Under
God, my relation to the work is to be as your
shepherd, your minister, your teacher, your
leader. In this leadership, I expect the co-op
eration of the deacons of this church. I ex
pect them to be present at every public meet
ing of the church, just as I expect to be pres
ent myself. They, with me, must study the
problems that face us, and must join with me
in leading the church into its larger work.
But the work itself must be done by the
church. The officers are responsible for the
leadership, but the church is responsible for
the success of the work, and just there comes
in the spiritual part of the life of the church
as represented in the public and private meet
ings for worship. To these the workers of the
church bring their tools to have them sharp
ened. They come to church, not to be enter
tained, but to receive instruction, equipment,
the advantage of a Christian educa
tion. Annually sufficient sums to
cover scholarships for earnest stu
dents "Were placed in the hands of the
President of Wesleyan College and
Mercer University. These scholar
ships grew until every year there were
not less than six in each institution
who enjoyed the benefit of their be
neficence.
“So unostentatiously did they give
that even members of their own fam
ily did not recognize how large their
benevolences had become. They
themselves scarcely realized how
many and how w r ide had become their
ministries.
“For more than twenty years they
followed this habit of tithing, when
again a great conviction came to the
husband in a sermon on the same
subject in which was emphasized the
thought that the tithe belonged to the
Lord, and that in paying the same
men did not give to the Lord; it was
his own interest on what he had loan
ed them. So deep did this convic
tion take hold of this earnest man that
again he called his wife into confer
ence, and they agreed that they now
wanted some joy of giving. Hereto
fore it had been the Lord’s own they
were rendering an account of. The
Lord’s account in the bank then grew
to one-eighth of their income. The
benevolences increased, and the joy of
giving was truly theirs.
“We cannot forget how, when need
ing a scholarship for a young woman,
who wished to become a deaconess,
and the Home Mission treasury was
so nearly empty, that we dared not
tax it, we wrote to this princely man
and his wife of our needs. By return
mail came a check covering the full
inspiration, and then go out to do their work
among the needy.
The public meetings are thus a dynamo to
give energy to the worker for individual ser
vice.
Ours is to be a Bible ministry, and much is
to be made of family religion. Methods of
study can be announced later. The members
of the church are to be led in systematic study
of the Word of God.
This, my brethren, is my conception of the
life and function of a church, and this is the
spirit with which I am willing to give myself
again to the work of the pastorate. If you, as
a people, are unwilling to join me in this pro
gram, then my answer to your call is No. I
have other ways in which I can serve men and
honor God. But if you will join with me un
reservedly in this world-wide program, and
give yourself to it, as I expect to do, with love
for men and loyalty to Jesus Christ, then my
answer is Yes.
Yours for the truest service,
JUNIUS W. MILLARD.
4* 4* 4*
MISS CRANE’S CHANCE.
(Continued from Page 3-)
“I appreciate your approval, Nell,” her aunt
replied, “but I am going to the city, and I
would like to know, if I happened to be detain
ed by my business, if you think that you can
run the house, with the butler’s help, while I
am gone?”
“Asurredly,” Nell answered, “with Peter
Blackburn as my distinguished assistant, I feel
almost like I could run an empire. For he is
really, Aunt Caro, so reliable and dignified,
that at times he quite overpowers me.”
“Yes, I understand,” Miss Crane replied
with a sigh. She did not tell her niece, but
he often made her think of that which perhaps
was a fact—that he had taken the dead master
of the house for an ideal to follow.
The Golden Age for December 19, 1912.
year’s expense of Mae McKenzie, at
the Scarritt Bible and Training School,
and a note saying that they were glad
to be able to celebrate the anniver
sary of their wedding day by sending
the enclosed check.’ ”
“So quietly were these funds ex
pended that often Mr. Willingham’s
own people did not know of them.
When his brother, Dr. Willingham,
secretary of the Baptist Board of Mis
sions, visited China, he was surprised
to find a complete hospital built,
equipped and in service, the gift of
these two people. Os special note in
this record is the fact that it was a
joint action of husband and wife, con
tinued through a long, prosperous and
happy married life.”
Hoping the above article from The
Missionary Voice, will inspire many
and teach them how to have means
for giving, I send it in as a Christmas
contribution to our Golden Age.
MATTIE HOWARD.
A WESTERN BREEZE.
Parsons, Kansas, Dec. 10, 1912.
Dear Editor:
It has been our privilege to conduct
special meetings with Pastor A. W.
Claxon and his good people at Par
sons, Kan. The meetings continued
for nearly three weeks. About thir
ty souls were added to the Church. We
had splendid congregations at all the
services. On the (Sunday evening on
which I preached on “Why I Am Not a
Christian Scientist,” the beautiful au
ditorium was crowded from the front
row to the back seat in the gallery.
The Baptists at Parsons have a
splendid Church building, on which
they still have some debt, but I feel
sure that they will come out all right,
for they are a brave, heroic people,
used to burden-bearing, and ready for
further sacrifice.
Dr. Claxon and his good wife show
ed us great kindness. They are hard
workers, and self-sacrificing for the
cause of the Master. God has bless
ed their labors in Parsons.
Mrs. Palmer and I shall carry with
us pleasant memories of our work in
that attractive and growing young
city. Our prayers shall always be
that the Lord may bless both the work
and the workers in Parsons, Kan.
We began special meetings in Prai
rie Home, Mo., December 8. I was
pastor at Pisgah, six miles from here,
many years ago. The prospect is
good for a fine meeting.
RAY PALMER.
•F
Dear Golden Age:
We have just closed a great re
ligious campaign in Mobile, Ala., con
ducted by the Evangelistic Depart
ment of the Home Mission Board.
Over 300 members were added to the
Churches. We had Bro. G. B. DeGar
mo, of Blue Mountain, Miss., at Crich
ton, and he is a sweet-spirited soul
winner and a veritable Christian gen
tleman.
We forgot we were in town and
shouted like we used to in the coun
try. It is fine to experience “Old
Time religion that makes us love
everybody”.
Now if you know any pastor who
is having trouble with a lot of un
saved Church members, tell him to
send for DeGarmo and he and the
Lord will bring things to pass.
Yours rejoicing,
H. V. DAFFIN.
Crichton, Ala.
“Well, Gertrude will be quite willing to help
you,” Miss Crane affirmed, after a moment.
“If you should happen to have any guests,
don’t hesitate to call on her.”
“Oh, of course.” Nell replied. “But
please, Aunt Caro, don’t talk like you expected
to stay an aeon. And, besides, your secretary
of finance would like to know if it is permis
sible, why you take this sudden trip to the
city?”
“Because I want to invest,” Miss Crane an
swered, all that idle capital, which is laying
in bank to ray credit. It is getting on my
nerves.”
< I suppose that means,” Nell said, slowly,
“that you desire to investigate the various
benevolent institutions in the city, and find out
where you can achieve the most good, with
your money?”
“Perhaps, but that .is only half of my
scheme. You just wait, until I come back, lit
tle girl, and 111 tell you all about it. The big
idea which came to me last night, when I was
iyi n » awake, trying to evolve a plan that would
help me to do the most good, for the most peo
ple. Think of it, Nell,” she continued, with
a falter in her voice, “having the power to
give away thousands, when positively in the
old days, a dollar used to seem to me some
times, as big as a sun-dial?”
“Pretty nearly continually all the time,”
Nell quoted, mischievously. And then, as her
aunt turned to leave the room, she got up and
crossed the floor to her side, and laid her hands
on her shoulders, as she kissed her.
But all the same,” she said, in a voice that
was as sweet as it was sincere, looking straight
into the blue eyes of the older woman, “there
is just one thing in this universe that I con
sider priceless, and that no money under the
sun could buy, and that is—you.”
(To Be Continued.)