COLLECTIONS FOR CHARITABLE AND RELIGIOUS PURPOSES,

A PART OF THE

Service of God, a Means of Grace,

AND THEREFORE

AN ESSENTIAL PART OF CHRISTIANITY.

BY

REV. THOMAS SMYTH, D. D.

THIRD EDITION.

Charleston:

James, Williams & Gitsinger.

Steam Book Presses, 3 Broad-St..

MDCCCLV.

WHAT OUR STANDARDS TEACH.

"Saints by profession are bound to maintain an holy FELLOWSHIP and COMMUNION in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification; as also in relieving each other in outward things, according to their several abilities and necessities. Which COMMUNION, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who, in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus."

[Confession of Faith, c. 26, s. 2.

"The Ordinances established by Christ, the Head, in a particular church, which is regularly constituted with its proper officers, are prayer, singing praises, reading, expounding and preaching the word of God; administering baptism and the Lord's supper; public solemn fasting and thanksgiving, catechising, making collections for the poor and other pious purposes, exercising discipline, and blessing the people."

[Form of Government, c. 7.

"The sermon being ended, the minister is to pray and return thanks to Almighty God; then let a psalm be sung; A COLLECTION RAISED for the poor, or other purposes of the church, and the assembly dismissed with the Apostolic Benediction." [Directions for Worship, c. 6.

GIVING AND

The duties required in the eighth commandment LENDING FREELY ACCORDING TO OUR ABILITIES AND THE NECESSITIES OF OTHERS, &C.

The sins forbidden on the eighth commandment besides the neglect of the duties required are ...... and all other unjust or sinful ways of taking or withholding, from our neighbor what belongs to him, or of enriching ourselves, COVETOUSNESS, inordinate prizing and affecting wordly goods, distrustful and distracting cares and studies in getting, keeping, and using them, &c.........-Larger Catechism, Q. 141, 142.

PREFACE.

ANOTHER edition of this pamphlet being required, it is enlarged by a prefatory chapter, and some corrections and additions. It was first printed about eight years since, and has met with very general circulation and concurrence of opinion. What power it may have had in stimulating the universal inquiry into the subject of church and systematic collections, as means of grace, and acts of pious and acceptable worship, I know not; but that our Church will ere long come so to regard and esteem them, is my earnest prayer.

The views which have long been here set forth are embodied in the resolutions of the General Assembly in 1854, which are as follows:

1. Resolved, That this Assembly hereby enjoin upon the pastors of our churches to give greater prominence in the ministration of the word, to the doctrine of the Scripture, as interpreted and set forth in our Standards, (more particularly in chap. xxvi. sec. 2 of the Confession of Faith: in Question 141 of the Larger Catechism: in chap. vii. of the Form of Government, and in chap. vi. sec. 5 of the Directory for Worship,) viz: that "Saints, by profession, are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in relieving each other in outward things, according to their several abilities and necessities, which communion, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who in every place call upon the Lord Jesus," "giving and lending freely according to their abilities;" and in conformity to this doctrine, recognizing, as one of the ordinances established by Christ, in connection with the sermon, prayer and praise, a "collection raised for the poor and other purposes of the church."

2. Resolved, That the Presbyteries which have not anticipated the provisions of this action of the Assembly, are most earnestly and affectionately enjoined, 1st. At their meetings following the rising of this Assembly, to take order that the ministers and church-sessions in their bounds shall be directed to adopt some practicable method by which an opportunity shall be afforded and an invitation given, to all the members of their congregations to contribute regularly to the objects of christian benevolence recognized by the Assembly in the organizations of the Boards of the Church, and to such other institutions as to them may seem right. 2d. And at every spring-meeting to institute a proper inquiry into the diligence