Tithes and Offerings
347
There has been a great lack of Christian benevolence in the church.
Those who were the best able to do for the advancement of the cause
of God have done but little. God has mercifully brought a class to the
knowledge of the truth, that they might appreciate its priceless value
in comparison with earthly treasures. Jesus has said to these: “Follow
Me.” He is testing them with an invitation to the supper which He has
prepared. He is watching to see what characters they will develop,
whether their own selfish interests will be considered of greater value
than eternal riches. Many of these dear brethren are now by their
actions framing the excuses mentioned in the following parable:
“Then said He unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and
bade many: and sent his servant at suppertime to say to them that were
bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one
consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought
a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me
excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go
to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have
married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came,
and showed his Lord these things. Then the master of the house being
angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of
the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt,
and the blind.”
This parable correctly represents the condition of many professing
to believe the present truth. The Lord has sent them an invitation
to come to the supper which He has prepared for them at great cost
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to Himself; but worldly interests look to them of greater importance
than the heavenly treasure. They are invited to take part in things of
eternal value; but their farms, their cattle, and their home interests
seem of so much greater importance than obedience to the heavenly
invitation that they overpower every divine attraction, and these earthly
things are made the excuse for their disobedience to the heavenly
command, “Come; for all things are now ready.” These brethren are
blindly following the example of those represented in the parable.
They look at their worldly possessions, and say: No, Lord, I cannot
follow Thee; “I pray Thee have me excused.”
The very blessings which God has given to these men to prove
them, to see if they will render “unto God the things that are God’s,”
they use as an excuse that they cannot obey the claims of truth. They