The Neshoba Democrat., 1912-07-25
TheLord' S ortion
How Much Of Christians Income
Shall He Give to Codl
II R ANY letters are received by the
WI Christian Herald from its read
VI ers concerning tithes, Chris


N ers concerning tithes, Chris
tian giving, the Lords por-
tton." etc. We are glad to be able to
set before them today the views Of
so distinguished an authority as Prof.
David Smith. D. D., LII. D., who in
every essential point expresses the
same views that have appeared from
time to time on this subject in the
Christian Herald. We take the fol-
lowing extract from his article in the
British Weekly:
AN income without Gods portion
Is like week without Sabbath or
town without church. 1t is char
acteristic Of the two dispensations
that, whereas the law required a
tenth, there is no assessment under
the Gospel Christianity is the reli-
gion Of the Spirit, and never deals
with men in the way of commands
and prohibitions. 1t puts the love of
Christ in our hearts. and the love OF
Christ constraineth u.s. 1t calls us
sons of God, and puts us on our honor
to be worthy of that high kinship.
freely says Jesus, we have received.
freely give
THE trouble is that it is difficult
where there is no prescription to de-
termine how much one ought to give,
and to be assured that one is givina
enough; and it seems to me that .he-e
are two practical and effective tests.
There is no true liberality where
there is no sacrifice, no self-denial;
where ones contribution is made of
ones superfluity' mark 1874, r. W,
that is, of the surplus which remains
over after ones own wants are sup
piled. Shall l offer burnt offerings
unto the Lord my God of that which
doth cost me nothing?' Thus the
measure of our liberality is not what
We give, but what we retain. 1t is
difficult for rich man to be liberal.
He must give so much in order that
he may miss what he gives, in order
that 1t may cost him a sacrifice and
involve self-deniaL
Lesson Brought Home to One.
What proportion does our Christian
iberality bear to our expenditure on
luxuries? A wealthy friend once
told me how this consideration first
came home to him and led him to re-
wise his scale of giving. 1t was at the
outset of his successful career, when
he was earning a good salary. His
lifelong hobby was a well-bred dog:
and, looking over his cash book one
day he remarked two adjacent en-
tries. One was To Foreign Missions,
GO cents and the other, TO terrier
pup. $26.' There was no harm what
ever in the latter entry; it was per-
fectly legitimate The harm lay in its
disproportion to the former. A man
who could afford so much for a toy
could afford more for the conversion
of the heather. 1t is perhaps less un-
fortunate than it seems that religion
should be so mixed up with money.
Money is test not only of a gentle
man but Of Christian; and the fact
is that most of us stand the test won
derfully we'll, far better than we
think.
IN justice TO ourselves we ought to
define more accurately that phrase,
giving to the Lord 1t comprehends
not merely what we cast into the TEN.
pie treasury. but all that we bestow
on Others for love or PHYS sake. It is
not written that he that hath pity
upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord?'
It is not only our contributions to,
ward the support of the ministry and
the evangelization Of the heather that
are given to the Lord but all our
public and private charities; and If
everything be fairly reckoned, it will
be found that 1t is not a mere tenth
of their incomes that some of us are
giving, but far larger proportion."-
Christian Herald.