There are ministers who seem to regard the subject of gospel finance as a dry, uninteresting, and embarrassing topic. Such an attitude indicates failure to grasp the underlying principle of gospel finance, which is love that heavenly attribute which so fully expresses the character of God when it is written, " God is love." It was love which led the Father to give His only begotten Son for the rescue of a sinful race, and it was love which led the Son to pay the sinner's penalty of death, and to say, " Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy will, O My God."
It is therefore inconceivable that any true member of the heavenly family, who by adoption has become heir to all the riches in Christ Jesus, should fail to possess and to manifest that principle of love which results in freely giving all he has when the Master hath need of it. It is the " cheerful giver " whom the Lord loveth; it is the " liberal soul " that is made fat. There is no shorter route to a dry and barren spiritual experience than through a program of miserly dealing with God; and there is no broader highway to a true revival of deeply spiritual life than by the carefully cultivated fields of love for God. Why should Seventh-day Adventist ministers and workers hesitate to urge upon the attention of our people the importance of faithfulness in gospel finance, ever maintaining the basis that all acceptable giving is the outgrowth of love? Ministers who hesitate to ask God's children for their gifts to support the cause of God in the homeland and in fields afar, certainly have a dim conception of the scope of their high calling.
As we study the life and teachings of Christ when He was here on earth, we find that Jesus made larger reference to money than He did to any other one commodity entering into the affairs of life. In all His teaching He recognized that the natural tendencies of the human heart are selfish and mercenary,— the exact opposite of the principles of love and sacrifice which govern the heavenly family,— and He ever entreated all to " lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven " through the investment of means in the advancement of His spiritual kingdom on earth.
One of the best ways of deepening love for God is to invest in the gospel program. Where the treasure is, there the heart will be also; and when men are led to deal liberally with God in tithes and offerings, they will be greatly blessed. More than once have ministers expressed themselves in the following words: " Let those who are successful in raising money take care of the financial burdens, and the rest of us will give our time to preaching." From such a viewpoint, the vision is most obscure. What kind of preaching is it which does not touch the pocketbook as akin to the heart, and call forth a response in love and cheerfulness?
Are we as ministers faithfully making known to our dear people the privilege and the duty which is theirs to separate themselves from earthly treasure, and the consequences in failure to do so? The fires of the last day will burn up all farms, houses, automobiles, stocks, and bonds; and the possessor who is bound to them will be destroyed also. Let us seek to be more faithful in leading our people to lay up their treasures in heaven, and thus center the heart's affection upon the realities of eternity.
Lacombe, Alberta.
