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General Conference Bulletin, vol. 1 - Contents
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    LIBERAL GIVING A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF CHRISTIAN WORK

    L. T. NICOLA

    “The plan of salvation is founded on sacrifice, the principle of sacrifice is in it, and that principle must never be lost sight of. So the principle of liberal giving is the principle of the gospel, a fundamental principle of the plan of salvation. The first great gift was the gift of Jesus Christ to a world hopelessly lost. Christ is spoken of as the great gift. When Christ sent out his disciples, he said, ‘Freely ye have received, freely give.’ The language of the prophet is ‘Ye have sold yourselves for naught, ye shall be redeemed without price.’ We have stated the principle. Much time could be spent in enlarging upon it, but this is not necessary.GCB July 1, 1896, page 706.4

    “Now as this policy has been gaining ground, the real spirit of liberality which was shown by our people in former years, and which was a marked characteristic among us, has been diminishing, and unless there is a change in our course, not only in this, but in all our relations to the work, we will soon be in the channel of many of the popular churches. While we do not desire this condition, and while there is not one of us who would favor it, yet imperceptibly we are, in many ways, drifting in that direction. The spirit of real liberality is not in the popular churches of to-day. It was in the early Methodist Church, and it was in nearly all of the churches in their early experience; but when they raise money now, they frequently get up something for the people to pay for, something the people can buy. They get up parties, socials, and this, and that, and the other amusement, in order to obtain funds without having to ask for a free gospel donation, — for the people to put their hands into their pockets, and support the work on its own merits.GCB July 1, 1896, page 706.5

    “Now these things have come into our general work, and of course, the more the general work runs in these lines, the more the other parts of the work will be weakened in this way, one influencing the other, and so the evil will go on. I believe with all my soul that the time has come to stop and consider the situation, and to turn our course, that we may get right. You may not appreciate the sentiments that I have expressed; but I am certain, brethren, that if you study the underlying principles of the gospel, and the underlying principles of this work, you will see that what I have said is correct.GCB July 1, 1896, page 706.6

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