If some system of pecuniary beneficence is not adopted by professors of religion, the consequence is that when they amass property they fail to comply with a tithe of the obligations God imposes on them. Everyone knows something about the influence of habit. The prophet recognizes its power when he says, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or his spots?" [Jeremiah 13:23] Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. If the young grow up to manhood and womanhood without adopting some regular plan of making appropriations to the cause of God, they will almost invariably fail to perform the augmented obligations which an increse of property brings along with it. This is doubtless one prominent reason why there are so many in the churches who do comparatively nothing for the cause of benevolence. They have been trained unfortunately, if, indeed, they have been trained at all. They know not the alphabet of pecuniary liberality. They are ignorant of the first principles of Christian beneficence. Owing to the infelicitous circumstances surrounding them when their religious habits were forming, they are, in a great degree, disqualified for usefullness as church members. With the increase of their worldly possessions they adopt a more extravagant style of living - they consult the "lust of the eye and the pride of life" - but that it is their duty to "honor the Lord with their substance and with their first fruits of their increase," seems entirely remote from their thoughts. "This is a lamentation and will be for a lamentation." - If all such professors of religion as these were excluded from our churches, what material changes would be made in the statistical tables of our denomination! What a diminution of numbers! Aye, would there not be a decrease of the ministry? Does the question arise, "Why exists this deplorable state of things among us?" The answer is, because there are multitudes belonging to our churches who, if they are beneficent at all, have no system in their beneficence. They have never adopted the plan of making to the cause of God contributions proportionate to their ability. They overlook the fact that they should lay by in store for objects of benevolence as God prospers them. And as long as this fact is overlooked, though they may rapidly accumulate wealth - and though their obligations to be beneficent will be graduated by their ability to give - it is morally certain that they will not comply with a tithe of those obligations which an increase of property creates.I have thought that the systematic and constant calls made by the Mosaic law for the surrender of property were designed, among other things, as a preventive of covetousness. These regular demands reminded the Israelites of their obligations to God and their dependence on him. The Mosaic economy was a very expensive one. Those who have not looked narrowly into its arrangements would perhaps be surprised to know the extent of the expenditures necessary to its maintenance.
God claimed as his own the first-born both of man and beast. His language is, "Sanctify unto me all the first-born. Every firstling among the cattle, whether ox or sheep. that is male is mine. But the firstling of an ass you will redeem with a lamb. All the first-born of your sons you will redeem. And none will appear before me empty." (Exodus 13:2, 34:19-20)
The first fruits of the ground were offered to God. The Israelite was thus addressed, "You will not delay to offer the first of your ripe fruits. Every man will give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given you. The first-fruit of your corn, of your wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep will you give him." (Exodus 22:29) (Deuteronomy 16:17, 18:4) What amount of the first-fruits was to be given in this way is not specified. The donor, under the promptings of gratitude to the Author of every blessing, was to give according to his ability.
The children of Israel were also required to consecrate to God the tithes of their income. Before the introduction of the Mosiac dispensation it was no doubt customary for the people of God to pay tithes. Hence it is said Abraham "gave tithes to Melchisedec, the priest of the most high God." (Genesis 14:18-20) Jacob's vow is confirmatory of this view of the subject. "And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then will the Lord be my God: And this stone which I have set for a pillar, will be God's house and of all that you will give me, I will surely give the tenth unto you." (19:20-22)
Though the custom of paying tithes did not originate with Moses, it was incorporated by him into the regulations of the Jewish theocracy, as is evident from the following language: "And all the tithe of the land whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord. And concerning the tithe of the herd or of the flock, even of whosoever passes under the rod, the tenth will be holy unto the Lord." (27:30-32)
The Levites after receiving tithes from the people gave a tenth to the Lord. "Thus speak unto the Levites and say unto them, when you take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then will you offer up an heave offering of it for the Lord, even a the tithe." (Numbers 18:26)
============== [From the Tennessee Baptist, December 31, 1859, p. 2, from CD edition. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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