In 1 Cor. 16:1-2 we read "As I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye; upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as the Lord has prospered him." This passage has been quoted in most every congregation of the church of Christ every Lord’s day for the past hundred years or more, and still we seem to know nothing of its teaching.

I realize that the subject of financing the church is a tedious one as well as one that is new to our readers. It has not been preached by the preachers for fear some would say that the preacher is just out for the money, and the leaders have failed to teach on the subject, I suppose, because they were not willing to set the example. I have no ill will toward any one in writing these articles, for while some of the preaching brethren I am sure, have been neglected, yet the brethren have been exceptionally good to me, and in the most cases have given as much as they were able to give. But a number have insisted that I write on this subject, and realizing the need of the teaching, I am willing to do so.

First, I want to notice the rule under the Law of Moses, Num. 18:25—"And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, when ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe, * * * * and ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your household: For it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation. Paul says in 1 Cor. 9:13, "do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? And they which wait at the altar are partakers with the Altar ?" Evidently, Paul is looking back to the things we have just read from Num.18. Now, let us look at the arrangement: the Levites were to give their time to the work of the tabernacle, serving for themselves and also for the people. Thus being engaged all the time in that work, they would not have time, of course, to take care of a flock of sheep, or farm or do much other servile labor. And unless there was some way provided for their livelihood, and that of their families they could not attend to their duties. And surely it would not be right for them to put in all their time serving at the altar and have nothing to live on; while their brothers worked at other things and had plenty. So, the Lord in His wisdom provided for them that they, too, might have an income for themselves and their families. The Israelites, their brethren, were to give to them a tenth of what they made and this was to be their reward for their service in the tabernacle. Now brethren, I have heard many a good sermon on the Tabernacle, a type of the Church. And if types and anti-types mean anything, and surely they do, we are going to see something in this giving part of it. If it is right for evangelists and officers of the Church to give their time to the work of the church, then is it not right for their brethren, to give them a reward that will be their inheritance? Is it not a fact that if our brethren would bring "all the tithes into the storehouse"—Mal. 3,—give a tenth, even, of theirs, that every loyal and true evangelist could put in all his time preaching the gospel, and the elders could put in their time taking care of the flock? Brethren, is it right for those who minister about holy things to give the best days of their lives to preaching the gospel, and looking after the church, and then come down to their old age in want?

God says in Mal. 3, "Ye have robbed me in tithes and in offerings." Are we not afraid that He will say the same of us unless we do better than we have been doing? Brethren, let us think on these things!

More to follow.