Sacredness of Vows
433
in bank stock or in merchandise, or if there are individuals connected
with the institution which they have pledged to help to whom they take
exceptions, they feel perfectly free to use their means as they please.
This lack of integrity is prevailing to quite an extent among those who
profess to be keeping the commandments of God and looking for the
soon appearing of their Lord and Saviour.
The plan of systematic benevolence was of God’s own arrange-
ment, but the faithful payment of God’s claims is often refused or
postponed as though solemn promises were of no significance. It is
because church members neglect to pay their tithes and meet their
pledges that our institutions are not free from embarrassment. If all,
both rich and poor, would bring their tithes into the storehouse, there
would be a sufficient supply of means to release the cause from finan-
cial embarrassment and to nobly carry forward the missionary work in
its various departments. God calls upon those who believe the truth to
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render to Him the things that are His. Those who have thought that to
withhold from God is gain will eventually experience His curse as the
result of their robbery of the Lord. Nothing but utter inability to pay
can excuse one in neglecting to meet promptly his obligations to the
Lord. Indifference in this matter shows that you are in blindness and
deception, and are unworthy of the Christian name.
A church is responsible for the pledges of its individual mem-
bers. If they see that there is a brother who is neglecting to fulfill his
vows, they should labor with him kindly but plainly. If he is not in
circumstances which render it possible for him to pay his vow, and
he is a worthy member and has a willing heart, then let the church
compassionately help him. Thus they can bridge over the difficulty
and receive a blessing themselves.
God would have the members of His church consider their obliga-
tions to Him as binding as their indebtedness to the merchant or the
market. Let everyone review his past life and see if any unpaid, unre-
deemed pledges have been neglected, and then make extra exertions to
pay the “uttermost farthing,” for we must all meet and abide the final
issue of a tribunal where nothing will stand the test but integrity and
veracity.
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