The tithe

by Elmer Bryan Stewart

PREFACE.

There has been no attempt in this brief work to record every mention of the tithe that may be found in ancient writings. Some have called attention to a large group of references which lie in the era contemporaneous with the history of Israel. Items of history, for example, from 500 to 800 B. C. are interesting, but would not add materially to the argument. In a way they may help to solve the question as to the meaning of terms used in the pre-Mosaic period. Many prefer to be cautious about asserting that there was a religious tithe in this remote period. Mr. Johns in his valuable work, “Assyrian Deeds and Documents” Vol. III, says, for example, (pp. 347-349), that to translate a certain word “tithe” as some do is to “assume that there was a tithe.” He admits, however, that this view “agrees admirably with that universally adopted custom among Semitic peoples of paying a tithe to the government.” On the other hand Prof. Sayce positively asserts that there is a word which should be translated tithe. The cautious ones say that he jumps at conclusions. Some who do not jump stand ever still and reach no conclusions. Which is better, I do not undertake to say. It has been the aim of this work to take a broad view of tribute, not distinctly as paid to a priest, but to kings as well. Rulers often assumed the function of a priest and appropriated the revenue to themselves. While the meaning of terms and the use of revenue may be in a somewhat doubtful state, there seems to be no question but that the proportion of the tenth prevailed as has been stated.

Acknowledgment is gratefully made of the kind help of Dr. R. F. Harper, Prof. of Assyriology, and Dr. J. H. Breasted, Professor of Egyptology in the University of Chicago, for valuable direction as to books that might be read to advantage. I desire to express my appreciation of the advice and encouragement of Mr. Thos. Kane and other friends who have urged me to present this study to the public. I trust it may increase the tribute to the King of glory, the Head of the Church.

E. B. STEWART.

Chicago, August, 1903.

INTRODUCTION.
WHAT WE OWE, AND WHY WE DON’T PAY IT.

No one not an unreasoning optimist believes that with our present methods of Church finance, it is possible that the World will be Christianized during the Twentieth Century. No one not an unreasoning pessimist believes that if all Christians practiced the Tithe System and devoted one-tenth of their income to the Master’s work that the World could not be brought to a knowledge of Christ within the next one hundred years. These two facts being conceded, and no thinking man will deny them, three questions suggest themselves:—

1st. Who is most to blame for present conditions?

2nd. The Results,

3rd. The Remedy.

Answering the first question as to who is most to blame, it is my deliberate conviction based on more than twenty-five years varied experience and growing more decided each year, that the blame very largely lies at the doors of our Theological Seminaries and Theological Professors, the teachers of our teachers. They must bear a very large share of the responsibility.

There will be, there can be no permanent change for the better while our religious teachers are taught to teach us a lot of generalities which do not have even the merit of being glittering on this, of all subjects connected with the Christian life of laymen and lay-women, the most important.

There will be slow progress so long as such a large proportion of students for the ministry are taught that we laymen and lay-women owe everything to God in general but nothing in particular, nothing definite; that the time of payment, manner of payment, and even the amount of payment of whatever we owe, or think we owe, or somebody else tells us we owe, is left entirely to our natural disposition to benevolence or stinginess or to our moods and caprices. That payment to God of any definite proportion of our income does not enter into the Christian system; that all our benevolences are to be classed under the general term of “Giving,” thus placing our Heavenly Father and the street beggar to whom we may give a few pennies, in the same category. That it is right and not an insult to the Almighty to teach us that we can give money to God; that the basis and foundation of the Christian system of providing means for carrying on the Master’s work in discipling all Nations is founded on a few sentences from a letter Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, urging them to make a generous free-will offering in aid of some suffering fellow Christians down at Jerusalem. For obvious reasons, the reason he gives for urgency in the matter is very rarely quoted: “That there be no collections when I come.” Paul evidently had his share of human nature, and special collections which most Ministers so much dread was probably also his pet aversion.

During the past year I have had a very striking confirmation of this opinion. On September 29th, 1902, I sent a copy of the following letter to the President or leading official in each of the Evangelical Theological Seminaries in the United States and Canada, 152 in all:—

Dear Sir—By this mail I send you a sample package of such literature as I publish on the subject of “Honoring God with our Substance.” I will take pleasure in sending gratis, express prepaid, a sufficient number of similar packages to supply one for each theological student under your care if you or some one in your institution will state how many will be required and agree that they shall be placed in the hands of the students. Hoping to hear from you, I am

Yours very truly,

Just twenty-seven accepted the offer, thus showing that nearly five-sixths of those to whom the letters were addressed were not willing or indifferent as to whether the students under their care should be taught that the debt we owe to God means anything definite.

In November of the same year I sent a similar letter addressed to the “Professor of Practical Theology” in the 125 institutions where the first offer was not accepted. A total of 22 responded and expressed a willingness some of them an earnest desire to distribute literature on Tithing among the students. Next I tried to reach the students direct, as I had failed to reach them by the first two methods in more than two-thirds of the Seminaries of our country and Canada. Once more I had written and personally signed 103 letters, the envelope being addressed “To That Student Most Interested in the Subject of ‘Honoring God with our Substance.’” The letter enclosed was as follows:—

To the student receiving this letter:—

Dear Sir—By this mail I send you samples of such literature as I publish on the subject of “Honoring God with our Substance.” I will take pleasure in sending gratis, express prepaid, a sufficient number of similar packages to supply one for each Theological student in your Seminary, if you will state how many will be required and agree that they shall be placed in the hands of the students.

When you engage in your life work you will find no subject of such vital interest to laymen, and a thorough understanding of it, and ability to explain it, will greatly aid you in Church and Missionary support.

Awaiting your reply, and hoping for your co-operation, I remain

Yours very truly,

To my great surprise only ten accepted this offer, leaving 93 institutions devoted to training preachers either indifferent or unwilling to permit their students to accept and read, without expense, the same literature on the subject of Tithing that active Pastors have ordered in quantities aggregating many millions during the last 27 years for circulation among their people.

In contrast with so much apathy and indifference or opposition, many of the replies received were of the most encouraging character, the writers expressing deep interest in the subject and promising hearty co-operation.

Another obstacle, and second only in importance, is found in the attitude of a large proportion of the editors of our Religious Newspapers. It should be remembered in their behalf that nearly all of them are Ministers, and as a result are themselves the victims of false teaching or no teaching on this subject, which to at least nine-tenths of their constituency, is of the most vital importance. The few lay-editors of Religious Newspapers that I have the honor of knowing all believe in and practice the Tithe System.

As in the case of Theological Teachers, I have very recent confirmation of this opinion.

A year or two ago a fellow worker in this field, the Rev. Henry Lansdell, D. D. of Morton College, Black Heath, England, an extensive traveler in Oriental countries, and noted author realizing that Religious books are read by so few people as compared with Religious newspapers, conceived and put into execution the unique idea of publishing serially in slip form suitable for printers’ proof, some of the results of the latest archaeological researches and discoveries bearing on the subject of Tithing, supplementing and enriching them with his own researches and interviews with eminent archaeologists. I copy from a letter received from him dated July 8th, 1903:

My Dear Sir—Your letter of the 23d June, quite cheered me. I have circularized and sent slips to upwards of 1,250 editors in 114 countries, Kingdoms and States, sending also with my offer in 167 cases an autograph or dictated letter. Thus far the result is approximately as follows: No answer received from 976, and the number who have declined is 248, whilst about 26 have accepted the series in whole or in part. The number of copies printed of four of these publications amounts to over 400,000 weekly; of the rest I do not know the circulation, but supposing that each paper has four readers, it does not seem at all an extravagant estimate that the articles will be brought before two million readers weekly. This surely is something to thank God for!

Out of the 1,250, more than half were sent to America and Canada. Not one Canadian paper thus far has accepted, but in the United States the papers accepting are California, 1; Arkansas, 1; Texas, 1; Ohio, 2; New York, 1; New Jersey, 1; Pennsylvania, 1; Illinois, 1.

It is my belief—certainly my hope—that Dr. Lansdell has in preparation a volume in which he will exhaustively treat of the early history of the Tithe.

Unfortunately I have mislaid the first three slips, each about a newspaper column, sent me by Dr. Lansdell, and hence am unable to give their titles. Commencing with the fourth, the titles are as follows:—

IV.	Egyptian War Tithes.
V.	Pre-Historic and Spartan Greece.
VI.	Græco-Persian and Later Greece.
VII.	The Romans.
VIII.	The Pelasgi, Britons and German-Saxons.
IX.	Where Did Abram Learn Tithing?
X.	Jacob’s Vow.
XI.	Israel’s First Tithe.
XII.	Israel’s Second, or Festival Tithe.

Naturally the first three would have reference to the very earliest history, including lately discovered evidences of Tithing in pre-historic times.

One would suppose that such original and late matter as these titles indicate, prepared by a thorough scholar, would be gladly accepted and published by the religious press. That it is not carries its own comment.

My own experience has in some respects been similar. To illustrate: Two or three years ago I offered for a limited time to send gratis, express prepaid, to Christian Endeavor societies, Epworth Leagues, and Baptist Young People’s Unions such literature as I publish on the subject of Tithing sufficient to furnish one of each to every family represented. I had the offer printed, occupying about an inch of newspaper space, and sent it with a personal letter asking publication to practically all the Evangelical religious newspapers in the United States and Canada. I kept no accurate record of the replies, but probably one-fourth, possibly one-third, cheerfully published the offer; two or three editorially called attention to it, while a few returned it with an offer to insert it at regular advertising rates. The rest ignored it.

As to Results. These, judged by any fair standard are not only deplorable, but a shame to our profession as Christian men and women. The old lady who boasted that she had been a Christian for twenty-five years and had never failed to give a dollar a year to Foreign Missions was a good deal above the average. If she had given a like sum, less than ten cents a month, to Home Missions, she would not have suffered by comparison with the rest of us; and yet we are the richest nation in the world, and while now passing through a season of unexampled prosperity, our gifts to Missions show very slight increase; in many cases they are less than ordinary. No wonder the world sneers at our profession of love for Christ and desire to see His Kingdom established throughout the world. They have the right to sneer in this regard and we are the last people in the world who have a right to criticise them for doing it.

In this respect both our Heavenly Father and the world about us occupy the same standpoint of judgment. No matter what our profession may be, both God and the world measure our real interest in this as in all other subjects by what we do for it, and for us laymen and lay-women our doing is measured rightly and of necessity by our contributions, the money we give.

So far as we are concerned I can think of but one excuse. I admit that it is a poor one but it is the best we have. We have either been wrongly, or insufficiently, taught by our religious teachers regarding this of all subjects to us the most important. There has been little or no “Thus saith the Lord” about it; nearly all our teaching has been on the line of ‘Give, Give, Give’; very little of definite payment of what we owe and letting free-will offerings commence after our debt has been paid. We have been continuously and persistently taught that we can give money to God. We have even been exhorted and urged to be systematically benevolent in the matter of gifts to God. Think of it! Systematic benevolence applied to our Heavenly Father. The whole system of our teaching on this subject has been based on “Giving,” everlastingly “Giving.” If this teaching is right we laymen can justly claim the right to give what we please and as we please. Gifts and payment occupy very different standpoints. If I owe a debt, it is a definite amount and I must pay it when it is due, or be branded as a defaulter, but no man owes a gift. True, we both give and pay when we pay Tithes, but the payment is to God, the giving as His stewards and agents is to our fellow men for the upbuilding and advancement of His Kingdom.

It is only fair in this connection to say that ministers have the same excuse, poor as it is, that we laymen and lay-women have. They have been the victims of wrong teaching by their professors of theology and teachers of practical—not theoretical—religion. The only sensible thing for us all to do is to repent and reform.

That I may not be accused of overstating or misrepresenting the situation, I copy the Pledge of the Tenth Legion of the Christian Endeavor Society. This Pledge has been signed by over 25,000 of the young people of our churches. It clearly perpetuates this false teaching and will of course bear its legitimate fruit. At the time the Tenth Legion was started the attention of its officers was called to the mistake as I regard it in the language, but they declined to change it. It reads as follows:

“Unto God the Things that are God’s”

Enrollment Blank.

Please enroll my name in

THE TENTH LEGION

of the United Society of Christian Endeavor as a Christian whose practice it is to give God the tithe, and send me the Certificate of Membership.[A]

Another result is that while this is a Giving Age as never before in the history of the world, the Church is not getting her share. Christians are giving largely, but not to Church objects nor through Church channels. There are tens of thousands, probably hundreds of thousands, of Tithe Payers but their Tithes are not brought into the modern storehouse, the Church, but are directed into numberless other channels. Habits of giving to objects of benevolence outside the Church are being formed, especially by the young, which will last for life. The result is and will continue that taking into account the increase in wealth and increase in Giving in other lines, the Church is not only not making advance but relatively retrograding.

A further word about the results of this teaching. The Supreme message of Christ was unselfishness. Judging by what we professing Christians give to spread His Name and Kingdom outside of our own churches, which means Home and Foreign Missions, could anything appear more intensely selfish than modern Christianity in rich America? Boiled down, it certainly appears to mean to the world at least, and I fear to God, get converted, confess Christ before men, join the church, attend church and prayer meetings, do as little as you can and be respectable among your neighbors towards the support of your church and pastor, and then give less than $2.00 each per member to Home and Foreign Missions. Yes—taking out the amounts contributed by, say, 20 per cent of generous givers—mark I do not say large givers, it is less than 50 cents each, or to be liberal less than 5 cents each per month for the conversion of the world at home and abroad, and all this in free, rich America. In most other countries Christians have some excuse for not paying the Tithe to God. In most of them there is a State Church, and the State claims the right to enforce payment of the Tithe for the support of that Church. Not so with us. We have no State Church, and are accountable to God only for the payment of the Tenth. As Mr. Stewart explains in the following pages, the Tithe is God’s law for the race, yet the payment—in American churches at least—is entirely voluntary. In this respect it does not differ from the law of the Sabbath, or any other of God’s laws. We may refuse to obey any or all of them. Our obedience is voluntary, but our refusal to obey does not abrogate or repeal the laws.

I was rejoiced when I learned that Mr. Stewart, the author of the following pages had been studying this subject for years. I urged him to prosecute the work, and publish the results of his investigations and conclusions. I had the pleasure of reading the manuscript before publication. I regard his work as excellent from every standpoint, and the best for “plain people” I have ever seen. It will be both my pleasure and duty to give it the widest possible circulation, and I bespeak for it careful and prayerful reading, more especially on the part of my brother laymen who are seeking to know and do their duty in this the most important practical subject connected with our Christian life under Twentieth Century conditions.

As to the remedy. There is no immediate remedy in sight. It is simply a question of more light, but light never enters into purposely darkened rooms.

In so far as Mr. Stewart’s little volume comes into willing hands it will help take down the shutters and let the light into hitherto darkened rooms. I hope and believe it will also cause many putters-up-of-shutters to hesitate and at least be neutral rather than continue their thus far darkening work.

When the teachings of this little volume, and others yet to be published in the light of recent investigations and discoveries have had time to permeate and leaven the thinking Christian public he will be not only a brave, but a rash, professor, or teacher or editor who will at once advertise his ignorance and offend a large proportion of his pupils, or readers, by proclaiming the doctrine that the Tithe is not God’s law for the human race and as enduring as its author. He will not have the courage to teach that it was a Mosaic institution, that it was abolished by Christ, and that Christ intended to substitute in its place as a system of church finance the earnest plea of one of his followers 30 or 40 years later for a generous free-will offering from the churches in Corinth to relieve the needs of suffering fellow Christians in another city.

A natural question would be—“Do you expect that the character of the teaching of a large majority of the Theological Professors and writing by editors of the religious newspapers, most of them past middle life, will be changed by the change in Christian public opinion on this subject, and that they will become active teachers of the binding obligation of the Tithe?”

I have no such hope, but I do hope and expect that they will be neutral and refrain from opposing. My belief is that active opposition and indifference can and will be stayed; but my hope is in the next generation of professors, teachers and preachers, and as a result a generation of laymen and lay-women who will teach and practice that the Tithe is—not was—God’s law for the human race, and that the obligation to pay it is as binding now as it ever was.

LAYMAN,
310 Ashland Boulevard.

Chicago, July 29, 1903.

THE TITHE.