The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-02-04

ssssSa latsE people. These
boxes were
called "trumpets" because they were
narrow at the top and wide at the
bottom, and crooked like horn. SO
that the dishonest could not abstract
the coin. The people who desired to
advertise their benevolent spirit
sounded the trumpet" before them by
causing their money to jingle and ring
es they threw 1t in the contribut on
box. That custom no longer obtains
since a handful OF copper makes more
noise than greenback. People then
sought to make their money Jingle;
now they try to hush IL as much as
possible. In other wo-ds. the teach
ing Of the king was that the principle
of alms-giving in the new kinedom
was to be, not ostentation advertise
ment, display, and to be seen OF men.
but on the ground OF pure benevo-
lence, real charity. genuine religious
life.
Everything depends on the motive
behind the gift. Money will do good,
whether tainted or untainted; ii will
buy food for the hungry, and clothing
for the naked, and medicine for the
sick. but it's value in the sight OF God
depends altogether on the spirit with
which 1t is given. There are circum-
stances where certain amount OF
publicity is necessary for the sake OF
the object or cause to which gifts are
devoted, but so far as the giver is
concerned the value OF his gift con.
sists altogether on the motive behind
II. To be seen OF men" that is the
error the king would uproot The
paltry and pitiful attempt at parade
on the part OF his diciples, that is
the thing He condemns. BE not as
the hypocrttss, who sound trumpet
before them" They have their re-
ward, but II is not the reward of the
Father who seeth in secret.
hypoeritIesi Prayers.
What is true of giving is true also
OF prayer. There is not so much dan
ger in this direction as in the other.
The trouble now is to get people to
pray at all. They neither pray in the
synogogues, nor in the corners OF the
streets. nor in the secret closet We
hire men to do our praying for US, and
il we are reverential enough to bow
our heads while they are doing II, we
feel that we have been sufficiently de-
vout In Christ's time men made a
parade OF their devotions. They
spread their prayer rug in the market
place, and at the street corners, and
made a show OF piety, in order to
hear the onlooksrs say. See. how
holy this man is," II men did that
now, the crowd would jeer. and say.
Here is an escaped lunatic."
For, the fact is the men who did
that in old time were frauds at heart
Their vain repetitons deceived no
body. The Moslems have a proverb:
'If your neighbor has made the pill
grimage to Mecca once, watch him; II
twice, avoid his society; IL three
times, move into another street" In
other words, look out for the man who
is ostentatously religious.
Publicity Not Condemned.
Mark you, there 10 nothing here
against public prayer. or open aims
giving. The man who takes oppoT-
tunity from these words not TO give
at all nor to pray at all, Is just As far
wide OF the mari. The whole force
of these words rests on the supposi-
tion-"to be seen Of men" II the mo-
tive behind your bSnsvolence or your
prayers is the good opinion OF your
neighbors. the speech of people. the
praise Of men, you are PhArisee and
lypocrite. But II your motive Is
disinterested bene Violence and sincere
love Of God yoa viii not fail OF the
beRediction Of heaven though your
name is herAided in all the newspa-
pers at the head OF the subscription
list. and you are known and read Of
all men as q follower Of Jesus Christ
Ch-ysostom said If thou shouldeEt
enter into thy closet, Gad, having shut
the door, shOuldost do II for display,
the doors will do thee no good"
For displRy-thAt Ia the idea. Do
nothing for display is the law OF tho
siBgdom. II iE not your attitude. It Ia
your heart that He looks at Not
what you say with your fips In prayer,
but what is in your heart deep down
out of sight 10 what He listens to. II
is not the bell lp In tho stespls, but
the people down In the psWs that
sounds the loudsst in the ears OF the
Father In Heaven. 1t is not the
money you put on the contribution
plate. but the spirit that caused yov
10 put 1t there that counts up yonder
To say prayers and TO really pray sr'
two very different things.
Prayer is the souls sincere desire
Uttered, or unexpresssd
The motion OF IRE.
That burns within the breast