Tithe Volume 1

Blurb

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XXX CONSEQUENCES OF TITHE ROBBERY Evils following alienation of tithes, 337.--Simony, and lay "patrons," 338.--Prevalence of small benefices, 338.--Failure of Henry's government to improve impoverished parishes, 338.--Injustice of three millions of tithes in lay hands, 339.--Impoverished benefices held by clergymen of private means, 339.--Pauperisation of present-day Church people, 341.--Their lack of scriptural service in supporting the ministry, 341.--Examples of injustice of laity towards clergy, 342.-- Neglect of clergy sometimes cruel, 343.-- Low standard of principle indicated thereby, 344.--Inadequate ideas of responsibility as to spreading Christianity, 345.--Small proportion of population, or of titled people, who support missions, 345.--Ignoring of stewardship by owners of property, 347.--Low standard of giving indicated by Hospital Sunday Fund, 348.--Indifference to suffering connected with Indian famines, 349.--Small average gifts even for subscriptions that are popular, 350.-- English givers put to blush by Pagans, rebuked by Jews, condemned by Christian Fathers and councils, and debased to "robbers of God," 351. WE have traced in outline, the steps, or some of them, by which the Englishman may be said to have deteriorated, or descended from the status of a tithe-payer, so far as to have become an advocate of what is sometimes dignified with the name of the "voluntary" principle, by which the modern Christian claims to be at liberty to disregard personal tithing, and to render to the cause of God, of religion, and the poor, as little or as much as he pleases, or, what he says "he VOL. I. 337 22 can afford," himself being sole judge as to the amount. The results have been sufficiently disastrous; but the loss of...