"When You Take Money Out Of The Church Treasury"
Under this heading, in the Gospel Advocate of November 3, Brother Gayle Oler had an article, part of which I now quote:
"1. When you take money out of the church treasury and give it to the preacher, you are not primarily supporting the man and his family, but you are supporting the gospel, which is your duty.
"2. When you take money out of the church treasury and give it to the light company, you are not supporting primarily the light company, but a work of the church, providing necessary light and power for the operation of the plant in which you worship and teach.
"3. When you take money out of the church treasury and give it to Boles Home for the care of the fatherless, you are not supporting primarily Boles Home, but the fatherless, which is your duty. Boles Home receives only those whom churches of Christ certify unto us are their proper Christian duty to support."
Brother Oler neglected to add another important paragraph. But I shall supply it for him, as follows:
"4. When you take money out of the church treasury and give it to a missionary organization, with a set-up and officials almost exactly like those of most orphan homes operated by the brethren, you are not primarily supporting the missionary organization, but you are supporting the gospel, which is your duty."
But are giving to the preacher, supporting, or giving to orphan homes, and PAYING the light company a bill you owe them, comparable? 1 Corinthians 9 clearly commands us to support those who preach the gospel. I wish Brother Oler would tell me what's wrong with my supplementary paragraph, number 4 above.