River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-09-17

longer do pI1bdJ6 CudIlUeS, DuI
as public, and even sometimes as mere
ly justice. For instance, provisions for
the blind, for the infrm, asylums for
the mentally weak and hospitals for
the sick. are now considered to be a
duty of the community and are provid-
ed for by general taxation. Thus
benevolence is asserting itself, and
combining and dividing its honors with
justice. That which previously would
have been left to q few of generous
disposition is now provided for by the
whole community-generous and self
ish Who can question that this is an
advanced step; and. if SO. that all
should co-labor along those lines and
cease to encourage mendicancy, the
solicitation of aims, the appeal to
sympathy through the eye?
If our social arrangement has pro
vided for such cases, it should be con-
sidered misdemeanor to ignore such
provision. If our public charities. hos
pitfalls, city Homes, etc.. be not upon
such a scale as have the approval of
generous, reasonable minds, then the
that it may be made right, proper, suit
able for the use of any having need
thereof. The community should be
ashamed to provide for others what
they would not be willing to accept for
themselves under the same circum-
stances. The Pastor expressed hope
that these reasonable sentiments might
through the public press be brought
effectively to the attention of Poor
Boards, Charity Committees, etc.
God Loves Cheerful Givers.
Gods gifts are given cheerfully. The
Bible tells us that He appreciates a
cheerful giver-one who enters into
the spirit of his gift, who accompanies
the coin with cheerful word, kind
look, helpful advice, or what not. If
these cheerful givers belong to Gods
Family, the Father will love them and
manifest His love for them. Their cul-
tivation Of His Spirit will bring them in
to closer relationship with the Almighty
How generously shall we give? some
may ask The answer IS: God has
given us our minds, our judgments.
wherewith to decide all questions. The
need of the needy. the amount Of our
surplus, the claims Of others upon that
surplus-all these things should. prop
erly enough, enter into our calculations
and help us to decide how much should
properly be given to charity.
In order to get a great blessing out
of our charities, we should give until
"a h0 Srix
coin out OF a thousand = which he
would never miss-is not likely to get
therefrom great blessing. He must
continue in the exercise of this God
like disposition until his gifts shall
necessitate his restraining of his own
luXuries or, perhaps, his own comforts.
Then he begins to be really charitab bic
and to really appreciate some Of the
joys which the Lord designs shall be
granted to gsRRUous souls.
Giving FSeiated to ForgIvlng.
Every advance in true charity has
bearing upon the character. Whoever
Is generous with his fellows will find
it more and more easy to be forgiving
toward those who do him injury
Charity, love, benevolence, affects the
entire being. 1t tends to make it's
possessor more kind and gentle In
word, action and judgment 1t de
velops his sympathy. All this Is a de
velopment of Godlikeness. The Apos-
ties point this out in order, associating
meekness, gentleness. faithfulness,
long suffering, brotherly kindness,
charity-all elements Of the one great
quality of Love.
The Fathers Holy Spirit of Love Is
also the Spirit of His Son, our Re-
deemer; and all who will be accepted
as members Of the Bride, the Lambs
Wife, we are assured, must be copies
of Gods dear Son. They must all have
this kind, generous, charitable quality.
We are not meaning to say that such
quality would be acceptable to God
without Christ, our Redeemer; for the
Bible clearly sets forth that no man
cometh to the Father but by Him.
John 1859 But the Sons method
of preparing us for the eternal glory,
after we have become His disciples.
is by instructing US along the lines of
the development of this Divine Char
er-Iikeness. If Christians could re
alize this more fully, how kind and
charitable they would bel
The Lord would have His people
wholehearted in their sympathies-
broad. deep, generous. To give either
money, forgiveness, sympathy or any
other good thing grudgingly, half-heart
edly is to spoil the matter. True, many
Of the Lords people are by nature very
narrow, mean, spiteful, contrary to
what the Lord would approve. But
He Is willing to overlook all the natu
raj defects if He sees the right heart
condition-sees that we are endeavor-
| ing to the extent of our ability to over
come our natural weaknesses and to
| put on Christ.
With US the first lesson is to learn
to look into the mirror of the Lords
| vTTar1 ond fhoro RI n0fo orr ma fT1rQl