The Seaforth News, 1934-12-06, Page 3THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1934.
The e
Story v of
•
the
Figures
(Christian Stewardship and 'Finance
LSeoretary of W,M,IS. of North Side
United Church,)
It is said thait 'figures speak, and
also that (figures do not lie. For the
'sake of emphasis 'I should 'like to re-
peat that, but they say good speakers
aiever repeat, so I refrain. If then,
!figures speak, 'they must tell some-
thing and if figures do •not lie, they
must be founded on 'Tacks, and facts,
we know, are solid stubborn things,
The story begins with the 'financial
statement 'of our WADS. IS, for1
tiehf
t rd
quarter of this year. The 'figures tell
vis that. the 1Associate lPlelpers came
within 115e of their trsual quarterly
givings, This tells of faithfulness on
the part 'of the members, their secret-
ary and.! her comnmittee, Instead of the
$5 planned for in the budget for fees
and donations, a donation of $1 was
received, Of the $25 asked by the
Supply Committee to furnish an out-
fit o
utfito
f clothing for r a
pupil i
none of
our
Mission Schools, a
c ool., only $1116 was contri-
buted in the 3rd quarter. That means
That unless more is received for this
'fund in the fourth quarter the child
dor whom we are responsible will have
only about two-thirds enough cloth-
ing for his or her needs. (Let us hope
.that a kind Providence will temper
the wind to the shorn lamb, so that
ro 'child shall suffer unduly, because
of our indifference and neglect, The
Finance .Committee hoped to receiYe
at least '$12.50 at our social meeting,
but were doomed to disappoji Ole rt,
as only $1095 was realized, I won-
der ff the time is not ripe to make
same changes regarding our social
'f` meetings.
The primary object of these meet-
ings was for the sake of. sociability
and to try to get as many as possible
interested in missions. In our palm-
ier days 'all felt that the lunch served,
composed a real supper, and glady
contributed 25c to our funds. Nnsv,
a great many feel they cannot afford
to give a quarter each time and so clo
not attend.
The budget called for $25 for one
life 'membership, but none was forth-
coming. The loose collections for the
quarter were 2.66, showing that most
of those who attend are not forgetful
of the 'cent a month extra for the ex-
pense fund.
Aso We received with gratitude $2 for
our Piaith fund, also a gift of $3 from
one who though not a member, is int-
'eres'ted in our work. The contribu-
lions from the envelopes amounted to
$56,90, making the total amount re-
ceived for the quarter $91396. This is
only the second time in many years
that we 'have failed to meet our full
quarterly obligations, We had a bal-
ance in the first quarter and also in
the second. With these and the gener-
ous offerings which usually come in
the fourth quarter, we hope to be
able to reach the goal of our ambi-
THE SEAFORTH NEWS
tion by the end of the year. eY, it wouldn't be so bad. No one
At their 'Jubilee !celebration last could have any complaint if all the
year, the church I
c at Dondi
in our asking'm tame e f�
ot
the W.M.S.W1
The
Siouth >EUfrjcan mission field, ,contribut- fact is .there are .many other sources
ed ;$11,000 to missions. The African from which appeals come, People
women have
very hard lives, s They ought g t to stop going to movies because
rise at dayllight in order to 'have the they ask for money. They ought t0
necessary household duties done by shop patronizing tobacco and liquor
4 a.m. Then, carrying their babies on shops, if for no other reason than that
,their backs, they walk sometimes two they ask for money. And what about
or three utiles to work in the fields. cars! At the very beginning of the
They work alt day under the pitiless year the auto asks for money for 11
'blazing sun, returning in the evening cense, driver's permit, insurance, per -
in time to get the men's supper. All haps a new !battery and a tire or two.
'they get in a year is four yards of And that is only the beginning, Who
bright 'colored cloth for a dress, and can estimate the number of dollars
yet at their jubilee celebr'a'tion they spent on pleasure drives? The auto
gave ten tons of corn to be sold, the Will even 'hold one up on the road and
proceeds to go to missions, to carry refuse to go until money is 'handed
the blessed .gospel which has brought over,
such joy and b'lessiftg to then, to Oh, .yes, cars ask for a lot of mon-
those who are still .in spiritual dark- cy. They really ought to stay at home
•ness. like some people do about church and
ashe
t le aPoaslbilitY that these Af- missionary un
arY
,mee
titg
s because se th
e
Y
rican women may some day rise up claim they are always asking for
in judgment 'against us? tIf they had 'money, And there are scores of other
,our means would they fail to contri- money-beggers•=end not a few of
'bate their share in any quarter of the them ask for things that are not right,
year ? If they could enjoy an the ad or honest, or legitimate, and the sad
vantages, privileges and blessings part of it is that they get it, plenty of
which Canadian women enjoy, would it and no complaining. either,
they 'consider the Thank -offering Il3ut we arc getting away from our
brought by the women of our'con'gre- 'subject !Since 111931!1 we have lost 9
gation last 'month, adequate? Would members by death, 9 by removal, 42
they spend
so muchOf their money ,our <
aril
el
Y Co join
the D
pear
n
g
luxuries es and pleasures that they would Auxiliary, 9 have dropped out and of
be short when the Lord asked for those whose names are still on the roll
theis tithes—l:Plis share of what He 9 have not attended any meeting or
has given •then? As of old the 'Master made any contribution to . our work
,till sits over against the treasury and this year. 'While we sympathized with
tices—not so much the gifts, nor those who would like to hells the
yet the givers, but the motives which
cause, but feel that anything they
prompt the gifts. IHe knows what is can afford to give, would not be worth
in the heart and mind of every one of while, we deeply regret that they do
us. There is no getting away from not attend our meetings. The Lord
that, iooka, not AO much at what we give,
While sonic say we should give in as at What we have left, If we could
proportion as we spend on ourselves, get the co-operation of every woman
ethers maintain that we should go the in our congregation, and each contrib.
second utile and give a little more uted ever so little, our allocation
than we spend on ourselves. /How could so easily be reached.
does that correspond with the 011 Can any one think of a way where -
Testament injunction, "Pring ye your by we can get our Wnmet, to realize
tithes into my storehouse," and the that their prayer's and their attend -
New 'Tc tamcnt command, "On the mice at ilur meetings, even though
first day of the week let everyone •af they do not 'rare to contribute by en -
you lay by !tint in store as the Lord 'elope, would be a wonderful inypira-
has prospered him"? tion to the rest of its, and would count
at would at least be a wholesome for more than monetary offerings?
exercise to keep two records, one of This then is the story briefly told
ani moneys spent on ourselves, the by the Figures, of our efforts to pro -
other of the amount given to the mote the work of the Master in this
Church and missions,' and then try to Part of His moral vineyard; per baps
face the figure: without blushing. If more encouraging than might be told
even the professing Christians would of some other Auxiliaries or Mission -
be honest in doing this, II ant sure we ary organizations, but a very pathetic
would not hear so much about the little story when compared to the one
Church and its missionary organize- the 'Figures tall of what is going on in
tion asking for money. :Is there any the world around us.
more overworked complaint in the 'Here it is: Ian one year the British
'whole category of man-made 'charges? People paid £q!3y000,OOo for seats in
ad you ever hear 'those who are the picture shows, Britains drink bili
really interested in the growth of the was about £212i.1.$45,0o0 .in 17191313 ,int
Kingdom of God making such a United States last year, the moving
charge? Are not those who make such picture ,shows were attended by an av-
contplain'ts merely trying to lfnd an erage of 20;000,000 people each day,
excuse to get out of giving? 'Excuses, who gave $+4000,000, or nearly two
we are told. are just warded lies. 'million dollars for the year. For tob-
IRead Rev. 2111:5 and Gal, 6:7. acco they gave $21000,00000, For
The Church asks for money, Of tickets for a prizes fight which lasted
course it does, What organization, less than an hour $5,000,000 were ,git--
lodge, 'club, business or corporation 'tn. For joust one game in the World
does not? The W-.li,S, asks for mon_ Baseball ;Series this fall 100,000 tickets
eyl Yes. The charge is well founded, were soli, the best ones selling at
But if only' the Church asked for inun-
X5150 apiece. But, you say, that is in
PAIGE THREE.
the United States where there is so giving a tenth of our incomes, 10 God
dam
much wealth. Canada's bill for hard He sent the depression and reduced
them
so, that what we were giving
would be a tenth. Isn't that exactly
what the writer of the Proverbs said
long ago: 'There is that scattereth
and yet i 1cre'aseth, and there is that
withholdeth more than is meet, but it
ten'de'd to poverty." and what the
Master meant when He said: "Give
and it shall be given unto you.,,..,,
for with what measure ye -mete, it
shall be measured to you again."?
When Christ left this earth, He
ave His disciples the clear-cut com-
mand, "Go ye unto all the world and
preach the 'Gospel to every creature.
'We ignore this command, as well as
all other commands of God, at the
peril of our own souls. The '' "« ty
liquor in one year was 4m3.,1560000,
fro 119,13 'her tobacco bill was $815,500,-
.,000; in 119313 it had mounted to $iO ,-
000,000, an average of almost $110 for
every .man, 'woman and ehild in Can-
ada. an 191313 Canada manufactured
and used $1%000,000 01 soft drinks and
$7113,1500,000 of ice cream, besides what
was made in hotels, restaurants and
ice creast parlors. (Bets on the British
Columbia race tracks this summer,
'were more than $1100,000 over last
slimmer,
What about Ontario? The total li-
quor prnfts since July 3—that is in 4
months—were $0;300,000 and it is cal-
culated the profits for the year will
amount to t$5,d00,000—on government
sales only. Liquor Commissioner Ud wilt sufw, Tsksa
ette states there was a ion per cent. tlo root ofrely thiollos moralo cankertae isure in thourt
hearts e is
we shout
d X-ray them, tela
using
the mirror alrror of seGf-examination, the ac-
id test being perhaps, our ability to
answer, without any trace of bewild-
erment, the question Where does .,?.Y
money gori
increase s
e m c
oast
um st.
on c
7 t beer
On�^ in
[ar1U in September,
t
, compared ed with
the salve month last year, What tre-
mendous sums must 'come into the
hands of the brewers and -distillers,
and still they are not satis!'fied. The
revenue to the Ontario Government There is .00c great difference bet -
for sale of beer and wine in the first ween the Church, and anything else
it e weeks, amounted fes $!14000;000,
and before the sale of beer and wine
was licensed, the people spent $1,000,-
000 a Week for liquor,
The al rat
um '
f
o the
University tty of
Toronto spent $050 in equipping a
smoking room for the girls of the
'University. This room was opened on
Oct. 30.
\raw tossing to'Sea'forhh, where we
know conditions better. We know that
most of the industrial concerns are
.hut down, that very few men or boys
have employment, and that many
families have been on relief, and yet
similar evidences of a 'desire to spend
are just as noticeable here as in the
larger testees,
The Figures have told enough to
-how that whatever the cause ray be
1"r the shortage of motley to carry
the Goapel to those who need it so
!sadly, it is not that 'money fs acfu•cc,
Then what is it?
Rev, J. 11c.l-aurin, tD.D„ President
of the Baptist Cnnference ai Ontario
and Quebec, says the trouble lies in
the moral rot at the core of the church
which is eating the vitals out of the
spiritual life, causing a Irick of spirit-
ual power. ,He -ays from the 'reports
of the Baptist churches there were
.100 fewer baptisms in 19313 than in
1,9322, and so far this year there have
been 400 fewer than at this time last
year. As the moral ulcer in a church
(or individual) becomes more malig-
nant, the contributions to missions de-
crease, and the converse is equally
true, that a weakening of missionary
interest indicates the presence of a
spiritual degeneration. When the mis-
sionary spirit in a 'church wanes, it is
followed by a shrinkage in the local
funds, and then n -e hear of suppers,
teas, plays and every other conceiv-
able means of raising stoney to carry
on, the -Work of the church, some of
which are, to say the least, question-
able, very questionable-
il't is false economy to scrimp when
snaking our gifts to Christ, through
oar contributions to the work He
has left for Christians to oto. Some one
has said that because we were not
1w
eatassottiAlla "s"
Asiet's4 are -4,4
'::. ck
nt
•
We Are Selling Quality Books
Books are Well Made, Carbon is Clean and Copies Readily, All
styles, Carbon Leaf and Black Back. Prices as Low as You Can Get
Anywhere. Get our Quotation on Your Next Order.
SEAFORTH, ONTARIO,
m'.
eays
asking. for money. The Church gives
from its Great .:Plead a promise that
does 1101 accompany any of the other
ask,
s. e
'
g' Jesus lits r
t actsh
to
,Church
to
say,d
"Give and it
shall be given unto
you good measure, pressed down and
shaken together, and running over."
And with that vteoatderful promise the
Story of the !.Figures ends, and leaves
us to draw our own conclusions, ‘That
will they be?
The world and the things of the
world are pulling so hard, that it is
not easy to walk the straight and nar-
row w'ay. It is difficult not to feel
perplexed and discouraged, especially
in our Church work, in the face of
conditions as we find the to -day.
There is no easier way to dispose of
finaficial problems besetting the
Church and its missionary organiza-
tion., and *the many educational and
benevolent enterprises, than to say
"People haven't got the money." But
where is the money? There is certain-
ly evidence of wild spending in tine
world to -clay. Can any one who at-
tended the 'Hallowe'en frolic, honestly
report otherwise, than from all ap-
pearances the people of Seafoi-th and
the surrounding country scent to have
01011ey? If it is a question of money
for extending the usefulness of move-
ments which have to do with cultural
ends, or religious education, or child
welfare, or redemption work, or the
abolition of evils in social life, invar-
iably there is a lack of money. But
there is always enough to !crowd the
movies, to crash the gates at the ball
games,
ITt is not an effort to evade respon-
sibi'lity, so much as an absolute lack
of the sense of proportion, when one
who will pay 50c for a church supper,
will place 20c in a thank -offering .en-
velope -'the thanks front a grateful
heart for 'Govt's goodness throughout
a whole year! Can we not acquire, in
some quiet thinking with ourselves,
and a Serious facing up to our respon-
sibilities, a new sense of proportions in
the whole !natter of giving? Tf we do
and act accordingly, a new day will
dawn for all our churches and mis-
sionary societies.
On all hands there is a cal for re-
ligion mid the Church, especially from
bittTrcd statesmen and Helpless politi-
cians. ind there is sound instinct in
the call, But the churches +
t les taentsek-rs
are- in a pathetic ;,light. organized al-
most to death, struggling to keepma-
chinery moving, well-nigh bankrupt in
;money, if not in spiritual power,
tempted to. use ail kends of means to
meet failing finances, Can airy -thing he
more disturbing to .earnest lninds,
than to hear and read' the list of
Schemes, manoeuvres, ingenuities, des-
perate expedients by which the aver-
:uge church is struggling to wring mo-
ney for Christ's Bride, from the pock
ets of Mammon? 'These is something
grievously wrong somewhere, in the
conception of our faith and its fellotw-
sh'ip. Is not the great need of the
Church to -clay, more faith in ,God,
and in the things of God,—purity,
honesty, truth, integrity, love? We
sing, "Christians Awake." Is it not
high time we are putting these words
into action, lest some day, in the not
too far distant future, we may lose
that precious heritage handed down to
its from•oer fathers=The Church!
'`You are writing each day 'a letter
to 1nen,
Se sore that the writing. is +rue,
For the only Gospel that some men
may read
Is the Gospel ACCIURDZING TO
you,"
The Many -Purpose Off, --Both in
the Ionise and stable there arc scores
of Inca for Dr, Thomas' .Eclectric Oil.
Ltse it for cuts, bruises, bions, scalds
he pains of rhetnmlis.nt and sciatica
some throat and chest. Horses are,
liable vert large`' to similar ailments
and mishaps as afflict mankind!, and
. are cnunll,, amenable to the ' healing
nae, of this fine old remedy
which has made thousands of firis!
!friends during the past fifty years,
BODIES IDENTIFIED.
,The nn
ate -
Y nY sun•aunding the deaths
and identities of three young girls,
"babes in the woods," found atop a
mountain ,�
ern in southern.. I eltn'sylvauia,
and a man and a woman, slain in a
in a suicide 'pact 'near ,Altoona, Pa,
11100 miles away, has been solved. The
missing 'key to 'the puzzle which bat-
tled Pennsylvania authorities for al-
most a week, was ,furnished when
word cattle from California which es-
tablished the victims as 'Elmo
Noakes of Roseville, .Cal., a fruit
company employee: his daughters,
Nornia4l2, .'Devilla, 10, and Cored•lia,
8, and his niece and housekeeper,
'\Winnifred 1?ierce, 09. Noakes sud-
denly left Roseville about November
1112, taking his children and hie niece
with him, He was driving a sedan.
Apparently as they traveled they ran
oust of 'money, and death .presented it-
,ett i�
s
a-
a
the only solution a
to the e
emo-
tional and economic !tangle in which
they found themselves. The bodies of
the three children were found care-
fully laid out an, a blanket on a de-
serted !Pennsylvania hillside. They
apparently had been suffocated, All
possible means of identification had
been removed. Later, the body of a
'ratan and woman were discovered 100
miles away, and authorities inrmed-
lately t til
eked
the
ttw
Odi:
S
cove '
rte
s. Then
she abandoned an
doped sedalt was found, and
itielded
Y the first clue that pointed
the investigation to California: The
license plates had been removed, and
an attempt had ;been made to scratch
out the motor number, 'The number,
however, was deciphered and the car
was eventually traced to Noakes, whe
bought it 'October 39 from a dealer in
'Roseville.
S
do
wi
ra
in
.0
5,0
th
wa
.ht
wh
tat
fea
the
he
but
col
con
tip
vie
vel
ed
5101
'llel
ate,
istra
read
IT
be
orde
actin
pose
the
legis
has 1
will
tions
i;;ina
and
State
:bib
long
Cal
and '1
ulplo
pennf
of rel
nsltal,
just h
the C
of so
times
Wh
by a
past 13
Cabbie
;Of
tars' wo
minor
budget,
the use
for go.
, How•eve
upkeep
•1. Il on
kirt•in, a
cost of
biles. T1
showed
tion. 11.55
at that
would a,
'Olt5w,
that. the
Ministers
expensive
dollars al
t'sxes, Ed
"eSii011 1�
-hilly net
Went a
T. LAWRENCE SEAWAY PACT,
Changes is that big international
C111ne11t the i5;t, Lawrence 'treaty.
11 retard it of they are essential to
tification b • Parliament, y �lrliaunent, The Wash -
zoo administration, anion; other
?,,,talon., is iuncder-,tood to have
pressed a desire to have lnodi'fiec7
at 5:au•ae which provides that, on
e (nna 15n section of the water-
y. Canadian labor and materials
t11 be a u1 exclu rtelt, The view
ich find current expression at Os-
va is that this 1s one of the carding:
titres of the arrangement in which
re should be no variation, The
,sty took a long time to negotiate
when finally concluded, it was
tsidercd to be fair to both sides. In
sequence, change is not conceded
be either desirable nr necessary. In
w• of the fact that President Roose-
t's prestige is enormously enhanc-
es a result of the recent Congres-
na1 elections, with a ttlo-thirds
nocratic,preponderance in the Sen -
the opinion is that, if the adntun-
tion insists on ratification, it will
ily be possible,
he Canadian Parliament will not
asked to sanction the treaty until
Kington does, nor, as stated, in
r to supposedly promote favorable
n there, is •the !Government dis-
d to yield any gronuc. Thus, in
consideration of the program of
lation for the session, the treaty
to definite place at present and it
have one only under the condi-
as stated -adherence to the or -
pact on all the main principles
favorable action by the United
Senate -,early action at that.
EASING THE EN
ertft isn't broke yet.
shot. \n4 by a
gary and Edmonton, Lethbridge
fedicine Hat ratepayers and mn-
yed may feel the pinching of
es at the capital in the reduction
ief grants, but it's "business as
' at the Capital. Haven't they
ought six new automobiles for
abinet Ministers at an average
se $11;500 apiece? p Away, 'hard
at if the Budget hasn't balanced
total of some $1'0,0'90,0'()0! in the
ve years! What's that when
t Ministers must ridel
otiose trine or ten thousand dol-
rth of neve automo'bi'les is a
matter in a $16,000,000 annual
St's just one of those "what's
„ things that snake it so easy
'ern merits to spend stoney,
r•, it isn't the first cost, it's the'
that counts. List session, II.
tgastiery, Member for Wetas-
,ked some questions about the
operating' Af.inisters' autonto-
se return . tabled in the House
that in ;19313 the cost of opera -
$400/1;213. 'rise Arlinisters' cars
time had an original cost of.
CIL so that the depreciation
nouns to about another $4,000
and Toronto seem to',think
Cost Of supplying Cabinet
with automobiles is a rather
item in these days When
•e hard to :get by way of
,n ceiton's artsw-er t0 Ilse &Lt°
to step out and buy sis
v nuc..- Let's bridgeHerald I3cra !
tet_
lid For Sale ads, 1 weep 35c,