The Washington herald., 1909-06-19

merely, as a medium OF exchange. Ger
tain abilities OF opportunities are changed
Into money; then the money Is changed
into houses and clothes and food and
health and service and pleasure. The
manner in which this medium is en-
pl0yed determines ones wealth: so that
one person buys more riches with
hundred dollars than another buys with
a thousand.
A popular notion that missions are simply
something to which money must be given
widely prevails. Probably most persons
think Of missions only in connection with
money. Among Christians the idea is
common that their supreme missionary
obligation Is met by money. A certain
type Of missionary address. with which
all attendants upon religious gatherings
are familiar. has greatly fostered this
mlsapprehension, Really the money side
OF missions is only secondary IL this en-
terprise Is to be conducted as mere A.
nancial propaganda, IL cannot widely
succeed Missions need knowledge, inter
est, and sympathy before they need
money: 'the gift without the giver is
bare. II is more important that a
Christian bear upon his spirit the burden
OF the unevangelized world than that he
make large gifts OF money 70 the mis-
sionary treasury. This cause needs his
intelligent interest, his best counsel, his
sense Of responsibility, and his earnest
prayers, more than it needs his dollars.
goddess millionaire might give a for
tune 70 foreign missions, but il would
not count for as much in ultimate results
as the prayers Of the deep-souled saint
who has no earthly store TO give.
Everybody at some time or other feels
the desire TO travel: comparatively few
may travel far in person, but everybody
may journey to distant realms repre-
sentatives. Ones money may 90 10
scenes tropical and Oriental: and thus
ones own power and personality may be
projected into the uttermost parts OF the
earth. In this fashion. even a small
pocketbook may become an avenue OF
deiiverance from petty. trivial, and self
centered existence.
There is a familiar Bible verse which
says that the Lord loveth a cheerful
giver." That word cheerful" says a
commentator. really means IN the origi-
nal hilarious" The picture called up
by the word is so contrary TO our ac-
cepted notions as 70 be almost grotesqus.
The idea Of giving with hilarity-with IN
restrained and overfowing joyfulness-
is foreign 10 prevalent Ideas and prac-
tees Yet that is the kind Of giver the
Lord loves. The circulating. grudging.
and painfully self-cOnsciOus giver, who
has figured out a due return for his
bounty, may get full credit upon the
books Of benevolent societies: but the
Lord doesn't love him. Only they who 50
enter into the secret OF the Christ-spirit.
which has forth-giving. self-abasIng. Vi
cariOus love for its essence. can know
the JOY which comes from service, sur
render and sacrifice
Some folk reckon 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 reserved especially
for gifts 20 the temple and TO beggars.
The effort to buy the gold OF religion with
the copper OF selhshness is a cheap trans
action Every child should learn that
while candy may be bought by the pen
ny's worth. nothing less than a nickel
should be put into the contribution box
God asks for our money only because
he wants US. He can get along without
gifts from Us; but We cannot get along
without gifts to him.
A distinct advance was registered when
Endeavorers started the fashion OF giving
two cents q week 10 missions. Then Il
was rare for an individual 20 support his
own missionary. Now scores and hun
dreds OF persons indulge themselves
often at great sacrifce-in the Tbxury OF
an Individual missionary. So while they
work and earn and eat and sleep IN one
hemisphere. they minister as messengers
OF the gospel in another hemisphere.