_To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine._
Having seen an article some months since in your Magazine on the above
subject, signed Murus, and thinking the following plan an improvement
upon Murus's, I shall feel much obliged by your giving it insertion in
your valuable and extensively circulated periodical. And I hope I shall
not be too presuming in stating that, if it is put into operation in
every county, in a very few years it will entirely liquidate all the
debts now existing on chapels, without any increased exertions on the
part of the friends. The plan, if entered into, which I humbly trust it
will be, will do away entirely with _begging cases_, will not require
the minister to leave his church, will lessen the calls on his people,
will enable them to raise their ministers' incomes, and eventually
confer much happiness on the churches, and relieve them from pressing
difficulties; whereas the systems now adopted are very inefficient, and
will take three times as long to get rid of the existing burdens. I
would also suggest, for the prevention of debts being again accumulated,
that no chapel be allowed to be erected without advancing half the money
required for building it, nor be allowed to partake of the privileges
arising from this plan until the whole of the present churches are out
of debt. I would also recommend the churches who adopt this plan, to
give no countenance to any church begging, as the same system can be
adopted in every county with certain success. There is a difficulty in
Murus's plan in that of increased exertions, whereas in this, none are
required.
Prop. 1. That all the churches make an annual collection, which shall be
brought to the Association, and that the total amount shall be applied
to the liquidation of the debt _on one chapel_, as shall be then and
there agreed.
Prop. 2. That the chapel whose debt is so paid off shall contribute the
interest of its debt every year, till it amounts to half the sum paid
off, when it shall not be required to pay its interest money, for so I
will call it.
Prop. 3. That, in addition to the interest money of the chapel so paid
off, it shall not contribute less than ten shillings for every L100.
of debt, till the whole of the debts are paid off the chapels in the
county; by which means the deficiency of ten shillings in the pound
will be made up without distressing the churches.
Prop. 4. That any church whose lot it may fall to, at the Association,
to have its debt paid, who shall the next year pay the half of its debt,
shall be considered to have fulfilled its agreement, and shall be liable
only to its small contribution at the rate of ten shillings for every
L100 debt so redeemed.
Prop. 5. That every church whose debt shall be paid off, shall bring
forward sufficient and satisfactory security for the fulfilment of its
contract, which may be done by four or five persons joining together
for that purpose.