194
Gospel Workers 1915
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 very poor policy for men
to seek to improve on God’s plan, and invent a makeshift, averaging
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 all who
would co-operate with Him must carry out this plan, instead of daring
to attempt an improvement on it.
[226]
The Lord instructed Moses, for Israel, “Thou shalt command the
children of Israel, that they may bring thee pure oil olive beaten for
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 remember that the house of worship is the Lord’s property,
and that it is to be scrupulously cared for. But the funds for this work
are not to come from the tithe.
A very plain, definite message has been given to me for our people.
I am bidden to tell them that they are making a mistake in applying
the tithe to various objects, which, though good in themselves, are not
the object to which the Lord has said that the tithe should be applied.
Those who make this use of the tithe are departing from the Lord’s
arrangement. God will judge for these things.
One reasons that the tithe may be applied to school purposes. Still
others reason that canvassers and colporteurs should be supported from
the tithe. But a great mistake is made when the tithe is drawn from the
object for which it is to be used—the support of the ministers. There
should be today in the field one hundred well-qualified laborers where
now there is but one.