Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-05-06
wHY ~ sHoULp GIvE.


The earth is the Lords and the fun
ness thereof: the world and they that
dwell therein" II. then. We are His peo-
pie. He has a right TO command His own.
II the earth and its fullness are His.
then He has a right TO demand all, or
any part, OF what belongs TO Him
In a little tract entitled: Who Owns
the wool2'' Rev. ]. b GambreH en-
phasizes a self-evident fact. that who
ever owns the sheep owns also the wool
upon its hack. In the S5th Psalm we are
called Gods sheep" so Of course pas
ture. sheep and wool all belong TO Him.
Therefore our so-cElled giving Is. ir
reality. only rendering unto God small
portion OF His Own-and how pitifully-
small that portion often is.
But perhaps YOU do not agree with the
Lord your God as to His method of evan
gelizing the world-aS 20 His need of you
In this great plan OF redemption All this
should matter little. soldiers first duty
is to obey. and We are soldiers under the
banner OF Christ. your Captain. child 5
first duty is TO obey; are We not children
OF the Heavenly king2 Our Bible tells
us. The Lord loveth cheerful giver;
hut II you cannot give cheerfully. il you
cannot even give willingly. give any
way. a child Is not excused for disobe-
dience merely because he cannot obey
willingly.
great and powerful king was one
day looking out from the window Of his
turret chamber over the rich and vast
country that lay within the borders II
his dominiOns. Far of on the outer edge
OF his estate he saw beggar-ragged.
dirty. starving. He was filed with COM
passion for the miserable creature and.
ter in the hands OF servants he went out
int sha col ha faur hu~
hills and brought the poor man back
20 his own house. Here he was washed
and made clean. robed in a garment be
fitting the kings own son and fed at the
royal table
Then said the king: son. houses and
lands. orchards and vineyards will I give
thee; overlooking abundance shall he
thine and thou shalt never want for any
earthly goods: but on one condition:
there are still many poor wanderers on
my vast domains who have not vet been
found. II Is not the will of your king
that one Of these should perish III Peter.
S-el and ! command that out Of your
great abundance you shall at all times be
ready to render aid 10 these unfortunate
brothers
The man. Of course. gladly accepted
these conditions and for a time took
great pleasure in helping the DOOR the
way. A few times he even went ont into
the highways and byways for the ex-
press purpose OF seeking and saving the
lost
But by and by his heart grew hard and
proud He became bOastful and said:
Mine own industry and mine own right
arm hath gotten me this wealth. Have
not pruned and digEed about the vines
Have I not gathered and pressed the
grapes. trod the wine press and plucked
the fruits Of industry with mine own
stance on these idlers2 Lest there come
= famine. I will store up fruits and grain
for the years to come. and then will
eat. drink, be merry and take mine
ease"
The king was very much displeased
when he learned these things and IL you
Will read Luke 12-a1 you will see what
He called the man. Moreover. He said
90 him: Depart from me. Inasmuch as
We did il not TO one OF the least OF these,
my brethren. We did IL not to me-" The7
the mans possessions were taken from
him and given to others.
We all recognize the King in this story.
He is the Lord our King, and we are
the moor beEgars on whom He has abun-
dainty Isvished both spiritual and ma
terial blessings II we use them only FOR
our own selfish purposes the day viii
come when TO US He will say: Thou
fool. this day shall thy soul be required
OF thee" Then whose shall those things