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order to obtain means in some easier way than by patient, persevering
labor. If those who have not made life a success were willing to be
instructed, they could train themselves to habits of self-denial and
strict economy, and have the satisfaction of being distributors, rather
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than receivers, of charity. There are many slothful servants. If they
would do what it is in their power to do they would experience so great
a blessing in helping others that they would indeed realize that “it is
more blessed to give than to receive.”
Rightly directed benevolence draws upon the mental and moral
energies of men, and excites them to most healthful action in blessing
the needy and in advancing the cause of God. If those who have means
should realize that they are accountable to God for every dollar that
they expend, their supposed wants would be much less. If conscience
were alive, she would testify of needless appropriations to the gratifi-
cation of appetite, of pride, vanity, and love of amusements, and would
report the squandering of the Lord’s money, which should have been
devoted to His cause. Those who waste their Lord’s goods will by and
by have to give an account of their course to the Master.
If professed Christians would use less of their wealth in adorning
the body and in beautifying their own houses, and would consume less
in extravagant, health-destroying luxuries upon their tables, they could
place much larger sums in the treasury of God. They would thus imitate
their Redeemer, who left heaven, His riches, and His glory, and for our
sakes became poor, that we might have eternal riches. If we are too
poor to faithfully render to God the tithes and offerings that He requires,
we are certainly too poor to dress expensively and to eat luxuriously;
for we thus waste our Lord’s money in hurtful indulgences to please
and glorify ourselves. We should inquire diligently of ourselves: What
treasure have we secured in the kingdom of God? Are we rich toward
God?
Jesus gave His disciples a lesson upon covetousness. “And He
spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man
brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, What
shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And
he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater;
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and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say
to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take
thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool,