Chapter 21—The Use of the Tithe
God has given special direction as to the use of the tithe. He does
not design that His work shall be crippled for want of means. That
there may be no haphazard work and no error, He has made our duty
on these points very plain. The portion that God has reserved for
Himself is not to be diverted to any other purpose than that which
He has specified. Let none feel at liberty to retain their tithe, to use
according to their own judgment. They are not to use it for themselves
in an emergency, nor to apply it as they see fit, even in what they may
regard as the Lord’s work.
The minister should, by precept and example, teach the people to
regard the tithe as sacred. He should not feel that he can retain and
apply it according to his own judgment, because he is a minister. It
is not his. He is not at liberty to devote to himself whatever he thinks
is his due. He should not give his influence to any plans for diverting
from their legitimate use the tithes and offerings dedicated to God.
They are to be placed in His treasury and held sacred for His service
as He has appointed.
God desires all His stewards to be exact in following divine ar-
rangements. They are not to offset the Lord’s plans by performing
some deed of charity, or giving some gift or some offering, when or
how they, the human agents, shall see fit. It is a very poor policy for
men to seek to improve on God’s plan, and invent a makeshift, aver-
aging up their good impulses on this and that occasion, and offsetting
them against God’s requirements. God calls upon all to give their
influence to His own arrangement. He has made His plan known; and
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all who would cooperate with Him must carry out this plan, instead of
daring to attempt an improvement on it.
The Lord instructed Moses, for Israel, “Thou shalt command the
children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the
light, to cause the lamp to burn always.”
Exodus 27:20
. This was to be
a continual offering that the house of God might be properly supplied
with that which was necessary for His service. His people today are to
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