are called of God or not; for the salary calls them!" (28.)

121. Funds for Widows and Orphans of Pastors Denounced.--Regarding
Christian benevolence and charity, Tennessee admonished the Christians
to be liberal, and also to establish a congregational treasury to meet
their needs. General treasuries, however, were denounced as leading to
synodical tyranny and worldly-mindedness. This was applied also to the
establishment of general funds for the support of widows and orphans of
pastors. In the Report of 1821 we read: "Why are ministers' widows and
orphans, and poor ministers only, to be supported by a general fund, and
not also the poor members of the church? Are the families of ministers a
nobler race than other people, so that extraordinary provisions must be
made for them in preference to others? Would it not be better if every
congregation had a fund of its own to support their needy at home? Each
congregation are best acquainted with their own poor, and know who
deserves help. Is it necessary that the congregations should send their
money several hundred miles from home, into the general fund, and that
the poor should receive it from thence? Pious ministers accustom their
families to honest labor, so that they may know how to support
themselves when they need it. Who supports the people's widows and
orphans? It is too lamentable a fact that too many ministers do not
accustom their children to labor, but indulge them in their pride,
vanity, indolence, and in the imitation of rich, proud, and pompous
people of the world. Behold how many ministers with their wives, in our
time, surpassing humility--how grand their attire, how lofty their
appearance, how great their association with the wealthy of this world!
With what contempt do they view the poor! How numerous their waiters,
and how little do they expose themselves to preach the Gospel unto the
poor! There is no similarity between them and Christ, whose ministers
they affect to be--for He was poor; He appeared lowly and in the form
of a servant. Such vain, arrogant, and indolent families truly cannot
support themselves in such style after their fathers' decease; a general
treasury indeed might be considered necessary to support such in their
vanity. The farmers and mechanics may labor hard to procure money to
fill this treasury, of which, though, their widows and orphans in their
straits could expect no assistance. Have we any nobility in America whom
the people mus