CHURCH FINANCE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2863, 18 November 1890, Page 2

CHURCH FINANCE.

TO TIM EDItBOH. Sir,—No organisation in any community should exercise higher functions, or be possessed of wider influences than the Church, The temporal objects of Church organisation; if I may be permitted to say so, are to give men and women a lofty conception of duly, and to regard life from its highest standpoint. The Church has the control and care of the moral well-being of the people, and should by precept, and muok more by example, inculcate a spirit of devotion to duty, and a nigh sense of honour and consistency in the dealings of life. In so far as the Church attains these objects she fulfils her functions, and in so tar as she falls short of these she faila in her aims. It is difficult to understand under these circumstances how a sufficient justification can be found for some of the means adopted for raising funds for Church purposes. I refer, of course, to bazaars and other displays of a kindred nature. Tho synod has at its recent sitting passed a resolution expressing regret that "doubtful " means are used for raising revenue. The means referred to are either justifiable or not, and I presume the employment of the word " doubtful" is a weak kind of way of expressing disapprobation. A represent* tive body like the Synod should express its opinion with precision and in language which will admit of no dubiety. It is often stated that those who practice the means referred to, that they do so reluctantly, but they do not see how it is to be avoided, as money must be raised. This position is quite untenable. In the first place it is a painful admission that the Church is not fulfilling her mission. If she had hold or her people the money would be forthcoming for her maintenance. Again the inconsistency of tho position isglaring. From the pulpit men are exhorted to evince a spirit of devotion to duty even at the expense of persona! interest and advancement, and to leave the issues in perfect faith to the providence of God. In practice the Church resorts to raenns that aro in every way objectionable for raising funds in direct defiance of her own teaching or faithfulness, and in effect expresses disbelief in what she proposes to teach. What possible hold can the clergy expect to obtain on the minds of rueu? Tho giving of alms has been enjoined upon Christian people, but bazaars and similar artifices are entirely without warranty, aud are directly opposed to Christian teaching. I contend that money obtained by these means is dearly gained. It is gained at the expense of consistency, lowering the clergyman's office amongst his people by stultifying the moral tone of the community, which it is the great object of the Church to raise. Hotter far to closo a church altogether than that any of these oharges should be laid at her doors. I have made these remarks in no spiteful epirit, but from a conviction that tho loss to the Church in adopting such tactics is incomparably more than the gain. If these means of raising revenue are persisted in the influence of the Churoh, especially on the reflecting portion of the community, will wane, and her very foundation, the spirit of her Divine Head, will bn undermined and fall to decay.—l am, &c, CHURCHMAN'.