Steadying the Ark

 Money and the church

A recent television news show featured a former employee of the church who was involved in investing church funds. He no longer works in that capacity. It was his feeling that the money should be used in a different way. He went on national television to criticize the church.

This reminds me of an account in the Bible. It seems that a man who was not a Levite saw something that he thought was happening that he could control. The ark of the covenant was tipping and he feared that it might drop to the ground. He reached up his hand to keep it from sliding and touched the ark. The account records that the Lord struck him dead on the spot.

Why? Because he took over a priesthood responsibility that he was not authorized to assume. We call this type of action steadying the ark.

No matter what our personal desires and opinions are we have no right to question the church or its leaders. We may die a spiritual death if we do.

Recently a rather wealthy man sued the church to have them return the tithing that he paid because he did not think the church was using the money he way that he thought it ought to be used. He wasted his money by bringing suit, because he did not recoup any money. He has left the church.

During the history of the church, funds have been required to cover expenses. In lieu of money members have donated goods or labor. As example; the building of the Kirtland and Nauvoo temples.Then after the saints moved west the three temples in Utah as well as numerous tabernacles, stake and ward buildings.

When the chapel was built in Lander the local members had to raise 30% of the cost of the building before construction could begin. My family contributed labor as well.

I have a receipt in my files that shows that I contributed money to the building of the Idaho Falls temple. Later we were asked to contribute money to the building of the Jordan River temple. Now the church uses funds to purchase lands and provide funds for the building of temples all over the world. They do not ask members to specifically contribute to the funding of temples.

When I was stake president we had ward and stake budget assessments as well as welfare assessments. I was appointed to be the regional welfare coordinator. The Wyoming region was asked to provide a certain amount of money for welfare. I talked to the stake presidents of the Casper and Big Horn stakes and we agreed on each stake's share of the assessment that we received from church headquarters. Each stake would then assign the wards their share.

At tithing settlement the bishops would meet with each family and suggest an amount for each to contribute to the budgets in addition to tithing and fast offering.

As things progressed the welfare assessment was filled by welfare projects with members working in the various canneries and farms and orchards. No money was asked for.

Each ward and stake had a building fund provided by the church to cover future building needs. No money was asked for members to contribute to and paid janitors were replaced by donated labor. This also happens in cleaning of the temples.

The monetary assessments were then covered by the funds from the proceeds of wise investments of excess church funds. 

The Savior taught the principle of stewardship in Matthew 25:14-30. Most people read this and think it is just a nice story.

Most of you are not even aware of these changes. 

"Isn't it wonderful that faithful tithe-paying by rhe members and prudent investment of church funds have made it possible for the Church to cover all of these needs without additional financial sacrifice of church members?

My dear grandchildren please remember whose church this is. Do not try to steady the ark.

Love,

 

Grandpa