Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-09-13
st. Louis Correspondence.

Ed. Register-The cheerful news has
reached us that the Lieutenant-Gover-
nor, Coloin, of the Northwest Province
of China, has sanctioned the gift of
valuable building site of five acre for
Christian college in Lucknow. 1t is
most cheering fact that so many of
these gifts are being given in those old
and formerly heather lands. If such
gifts are being bestowed in those lands,
what should be given In this land OF
ours? Here we have men and women
owning thousands of acres of land and
millions of money who could just as
well as not give some of 1T for good
purposes, and yet, alas! we do not hear
of as many of these gifts here as abroad.
One heather man said that the Chris
tian religion was the best of all others,
because, said he, "All others say give.
The priests say we must give this and
give that; give first and give last; give
ali the time. But the Christian relig-
ion says take! Take our Christ, our
religion, our heaven. It must be the
best!' said this poor man. But II that
poor heather were to see some Of our
Christian men and churches fear he
would say. "They want to keep-keep
first, keep last and all the time" Is
not this greed for the world the great
damaging sin of the church to-day?
Think of mau worth his thousands
apd not yuil1ipp IN oivo ayon ono davis
earnings for Gods cause or the saliva
ton of the world. Did not Christ ask
His disciples to leave all and follow him?
How then can these rich, non-giving
men be followers of Christ?
Think of man with millions of
money in the bank following the Great
Teacher, who had not where to lay his
head. Think of one of these men with
thousands of acres of land being a SER
want of King and Leader, who does
not have place where he can have a
place where his followers can meet and
pray.
Think of the Master, clad in common
attire and eating with publicans and
sinners, being surrounded with women
in silks, satins and jewels set in gold,
and yet would not give the value of
the jewels of little finger to save
lost and ruined world. How can the
an all overshadowing love of the world?
It is not q sin to be rich if we make
good use of it. But if our money cause
us to love it more and the cause Of God
less and do less for the salvation of the
world, then our gold has Damaging
effect, if not the power to drag US down
to the abodes of the lost. It is good
thing to see rich men give largely, as
the instance above and some noble ex-
amples all over our broad gospel land.
But there is another view to be taken
of the subject of giving. Is it only the
rich who are to give? What said the
Master 10 the women who gave her
mite? Was not her gift of more value
in the sight of Christ than the treasures
of the rich? If our poor would do this
in this age of the world there would
be no lack, even if the rich did with
hold theirs. The poor have money
enough to give if it were only cared
for as it should be. Some of this class
think If they only had the money they
would give literally. Not 80; who ev-
or saw stingy poor man become liberal
by having great riches bestowed. If
man is not liberal with the farthings
he will not be when he has POUNDS in
stead of farthings. Our age is giving;
giving literally in contrast with the
past. But yet we are far behind what
we ought to be.
Such examples as the above should
arouse the church at home and the
men of means, as well as the women of
the farthings only. Happy will It be
for the church when the spirit of liter-
atty is browning feature of our relig-
ious life.