The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Thessalonians — Section 86

Ver, 10.-Pauperizing charity. There appear to have been idle, hlkative persona in the Thessalonian Ohurch who neglected their trades while they m:1,.Je themselves very prominent in the Ohristian assemblies, expecting to be supported out of the common funds, St. Paul justly rebukes their disgraceful conduct. He points to his own example. Even he, an apostle, devoted to the work of the Churches, did not draw from the runds of the Churches, but supported himse!C by his own labour. The wholesome direction which he gives has a cert ,in grim humour about it. Here is his remedy for the tiresome, loquacious idlers: starve them into industry. That process will bring them to their souses. It would have been well if the same wise, manly counsel had always prevailed in the Church. A weak and foolish administration of Christian charity has too often fostered the poverty it aimed at curing. Some of the reasons which make it positively wrong for the charitable to snppon the idle should be well weighed by those persons who are more kind-hearted than reflective. I. IT INJtidEB THE RECIPIENT. Thus paupers are bred and multiplied. 1. The 1i11 of idleness is encouraged; for idleness is a sin. Those who encourage it will have to bear part of the guilt of it. 2. The indoient are tempted to many vices. The idle members of the Church gave to the Thessalonians the greatest trouble. Work is a moral antiseptic. 3. Indepe11denre ia destroyed, The able-bodied pauper is quite unmanned by the loss of his independence, There wa.s some sense in those stem old l<:lizabethan laws against sturdy beggars and vagrants. II. IT INJUMS THE GIVER. 1. Where pubi1c funds are thus misappropriated, cm injustice is done to those who contribute to them. We do not pay poor rates in order to encourage idleness, nor do we give communion offerings for that unworthy object. District visitors who have the administration of moneys suhscribc,l by other people should remember this, and not permit soft-heartedness to oust justice, 2. Where only private benevolence is concerned, tM heart is hardened in the end by the sight of the alms6 ofcAarity. Ill. IT INJURES THE TRULY NEEDY, We take the children's bread and give it to dogs, and the children starve. The idlers are the most clamorous for assistance, while the deserving are the most backward to make their wants known. Suffering in silence, they are often neglected, because greedy, worthless persons step in first and ravage t!).e small heritage of the poor. IV. IT INJURES THE COMMUNITY. 1. It discOV,rages industry generally. Not only are the idle encouraged in their discreditable way of living, but a tax is put upon industry, and men du not feel so strongly inclined to work honestly for their daily bread. 2. It propagates the worst class of society. The idle part of the population or great cities are the canker of civilization, There vice and crime breed most freely. It is the law of England that no man need starve, But it is right and necessary that when the state gives bread it should compel labour-i.e., of course, if there is health for work. Idltmess is the curse of the East; Syrian felahin will sit to reap their corn. Wise Christians will ever protest against this fatal vice, and all who administer Church funds should feel a heavy responsibility resting upon them to guard against increasing it by well-meant but foolish doles of charity.-W. F. A. Vcr.14.-0hurch diacipline. There are several references to Church discipline in the writing~ or St. Paul, showing that he was desirous to see or<ler and a healthy character of Church life maintained among his readers. In an earlier verse of the present chapter (ver. 6) he advises the Thease.lonians to withdraw themselves'' from every brulher that walketh disorderly;" now he bids them not keep company with those who refuse tu obey his apostolic message, I. IDLENESS IS AN OFFENCE HEAVY ENOUGH TO MERIT CHUROH DISCIPLINE, The preceding verses ~how that St. l'iiul has in mind those idle busybodies who wnlkcd disorderly (ver. 11, eto.). We visit dishonesty, intemperance, etc., with censure. The apo11tle ~ot·s further, and selects idleness for special notice by the Church, So great d06S he feel the evil or it to be. II. NEULE0T OF APOBTOLI0 INJUNCTIONS 18 THE llllMEDIATE OCOABION l'OR THE EXER0IBE oF CHURCH DISCIPLINE, The idle are first to be admonished (ver, 12). When &.(\monition fails, further measures must be taken. The apostles had no ambition to be lords over Christ's heritage; though their commanding influence naturally gave great  86 THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE '1.'HESSALONIANS. [oR. w, 1-18.