The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-06-22

Lord: because out of them he sa+is-
fies the wants Of those whom h has
declared to be his Representatives:
for "Inasmuch as We did it unto one
of the least Of these, ye did il unto
me-"
So long as q man has money he is
free; but as soon as money has the
| man he is a slave.
Money is only means: it is not ar
| end. A man may possess mill ons, and
still fail to have secured all the most
desirable things Of life. 1t is not the
possession Of money, but it use. that
makes a person rich. The office of
money is merely as a medium Of eX-
change. Certain abilities or oppor-
tunities are changed into money: then
the money is changed into houses and
clothes and fcod and health and Ser
vice and pleasure. The manner in
| which this medium is employed deter
| mines ones wealth; 50 tina one per
son buys moro riches with a hundred
dollars than another buys with a thou
sand.
A popular notion hat missions are
simply something to which money
must be gsven widely prevails. Prob
ably most persons think of miss. n,
only in connection with m0~--
Among Christians the idea is comr-oo
that their supreme missionary oult-u-
ton is net by money. A certain type
Of missionary address. With which all
attendants upon religious gather r-~
are familiar, has greatly fostereG this
roisapprehelsion. Really the money
side of missions is only secondary:
IL this enterprise S to be conducted
as a mere financial propaganda. IL
cannot widely succeed. Missions need
knowledge, interest and sympathy be-
fore they need money; the gift with
F, out the giver is bare It is more n
| portant that a Christian bear upon his
spirit the burden of the u~nevang-i-
lied world than that he make large
gifts Of money to the missionary
treasury. This cause needs his intel
iIgent interest, his best counsel, MS
sense of responsibility, and his earnest
prayers, more han it needs his dol
lars. A goddess millionaire might give
q fortune to foreign MISSIONS, but l.
would not count for as much in uIti-
mate results as the prayers of the
d~eep-souled saint who has no earthly
store to give.
Everybody at some time or other
feels the desire to travel: comparative
ly few may travel far in person, buE
overypouy may journey u distant
realms representatives,. Ones mOney
nay go to scenes tropical and Orien-
tai: and thus ones own power and
personality may be projected into the
'Tttn~nnOSt parts of the earth. In this
fashion, even a small pocketbook may
become an avenue OF 0e~llverance from
a petty, trivial and Seif-centered exiS-
tence.
There is a familiar 2hle verse
which says that the Lord loveth a
cheerful giver." That word .cheerfuI,'
says a commentator. really means III
the original 'hilarious.' The picture
called up by the word is so contrary
to our accepted notions as to be al
most grOtesQue. The idea of giving
with hilarity-With unrestrained ana
Overlooking joyfulness-is foreign to
prevalent ideas and practices. Yet that
is the KIND of giver the lord loves.
The circulating, grudging and pain
fully Se~lf-cOnSclOuS giver, who has
figured out a due return for his boun-
", may get tull credit upon the books
Of benevolent societies; but the Lord
doesn't love him. Only they who so
enter into the secret Of the Christ
spirit, which has fo~rth-giving, self
abasing, yicarious love for its essence,
can know the JOY which comes from
service, surrender and sacrifice.
Some folk exc religion in terms
of pennies. They are like the heather
who have temple money'-coins too
small to pass current in the ordinary
transactions of business, and SO re-
served especially for gifts to the tenn
pie and to beggars. The effort TO
buy the gold Of religion with the cop
per of selfishness is a cheap tran5ac-
ton. Every child shOuld learn that
while candy may be bought by the
penny's worth, nothing less thar b
nickel should be put into the contribu-
ton box.
God asks for our money only be
: cause he wants it. He can get along
without gifts from US: but we cannot
get along without gifts to him.