p. 9 | W. S. CHAPMAN by W. S. Chapman

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 25, 1916

W. S. CHAPMAN

By W. S. Chapman

Rendering to God His Own — No. 3

W. S. CHAPMAN

It is vital that man shall yield obedience to the law of tithing, and for this reason Satan has sought to impress upon his evil angels the necessity of so influencing commandment keepers as to weaken their faith in the promises of God, and to develop the natural tendency to selfishness common to fallen man. He is represented by the servant of the Lord as thus instructing his angels:—

“Go, make the possessors of lands and money drunk with cares. If you can make them place their affections upon these things, we shall have them yet. They may profess what they please, only make them care more for money than for the success of Christ’s kingdom or the spread of the truths we hate. Present the world before them in the most attractive light, that they may love and idolize it. . . . Present every plausible excuse to those who have means, lest they hand it out. Control the money matters if you can, and drive their ministers to want and distress. This will weaken their courage and zeal. . . . Make covetousness and love of earthly treasures the ruling traits of their character. As long as these traits rule, salvation and grace stand back.”—Early Writings, pp. 266, 267.

“As Satan sees that his time is short, he leads men on to be more and more selfish and covetous, and then exults as he sees them wrapped up in themselves, close, penurious, and selfish. If the eyes of such could be opened, they would see Satan, in hellish triumph, exulting over them, and laughing at the folly of those who accept his suggestions and enter his snares. . . . Every selfish, covetous person will fall out by the way. Like Judas, who sold his Lord, they will sell good principles and a noble, generous disposition for a little of earth’s gain. All such will be sifted out from God’s people.”—Id., pp. 268, 269.

When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the promise is that the Lord will raise up a standard against him. So, to counteract the effort of Satan to develop selfishness, God presents the principles embodied in the parable of the talents, these to be worked out in the life, thus developing a character that cannot be molded along evil lines. In the parable of the talents man is presented as a steward, a coworker, with God:—

“The idea of stewardship should have a practical bearing upon all the people of God. The parable of the talents, rightly understood, will bar out covetousness, which God calls idolatry. Practical benevolence will give spiritual life to thousands of nominal professors of the truth who now mourn over their darkness. It will transform them from selfish, covetous worshipers of mammon, to earnest, faithful coworkers with Christ in the salvation of sinners.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. III, p. 387.

One servant, in the parable, confessed that he had hid the talent intrusted to him, and his counterpart is seen all through the ranks of Sabbath keepers today. “This unprofitable servant was not ignorant of God’s plans, but he set himself firmly to thwart the purpose of God, charging him with unfairness in requiring improvement upon the talents intrusted to him. This very complaint and murmuring is made by a large class of wealthy men professing to believe the truth. Like the unfaithful servant, they are afraid that the increase of the talent that God has lent them will be called for to advance the spread of truth; therefore they tie it up by investing it in earthly treasures and burying it in the world, thus making it so fast that they have nothing or next to nothing to invest in the cause of God. They have buried it, fearing that God would call for some of the principal or increase. When, at the demand of their Lord, they bring the amount given them, they come with ungrateful excuses for not having put the means lent them by God out to the exchangers, by investing it in his cause to carry on his work. He who embezzles his Lord’s goods not only loses the talent lent him of God, but loses eternal life.”—Id., pp. 386, 387.

“Christians forget that they are servants of the Master; that they themselves, their time, and all that they have, belong to him. Many are tempted, and the majority are overcome, by the delusive inducements which Satan presents to invest their money where it will yield them the greatest profit in dollars and cents. There are but few who consider the binding claims that God has upon them to make it their first business to meet the necessities of his cause, and let their own desires be served last. There are but few who invest in God’s cause in proportion to their means. Many have fastened their money in property which they must sell before they can invest it in the cause of God, and thus put it to a practical use. They make this an excuse for doing but little in their Redeemer’s cause. They have as effectually buried their money in the earth as had the man in the parable. They rob God of the tenth, which he claims as his own, and in robbing him they rob themselves of the heavenly treasure.”—Id., p. 398.

To such professed Christians the servant of the Lord speaks in decisive tones: “I have been shown that many of our people are robbing the Lord in tithes and in offerings, and as the result his work is greatly hindered. The curse of God will rest upon those who are living upon God’s bounties and yet close their hearts and do nothing or next to nothing to advance his cause.” “The only means which God has ordained to advance his cause is to bless men with property. . . . Well, says one, the calls keep coming to give to the cause. I am weary of giving. Are you? Then let me ask, Are you weary of receiving from God’s beneficent hand? Not until he ceases to bless you, will you cease to be under bonds to return to him the portion he claims. He blesses you that it may be in your power to bless others. When you are weary of receiving, then you may say, I am weary of so many calls to give. God reserves to himself a portion of all that we receive. When this is returned to him, the remaining portion is blessed; but when it is withheld, the whole is sooner or later cursed.”—Id., Vol. V, pp. 151, 150.

“Never was there a more important time in the history of our work than the present. The message of the third chapter of Malachi comes to us, holding up before us the need of honesty in our relations to the Lord and his work. My brethren, the money that you use to buy and sell and get gain will be a curse to you if you withhold from the Lord that which is his.”—Id., Vol. IX, p. 53.

“Wherever there is life, there is increase and growth; in God’s kingdom there is a constant interchange,—taking in, and giving out; receiving, and returning to the Lord his own. God works with every true believer, and the light and blessings received are given out again in the work which the believer does. Thus the capacity for receiving is increased. As one imparts of the heavenly gifts, he makes room for fresh currents of grace and truth to flow into the soul from the living fountain. Greater light, increased knowledge and blessings, are his. In this work, which devolves upon every church member, is the life and growth of the church. He whose life consists in ever receiving and never giving, soon loses the blessing. If the truth does not flow forth from him to others, he loses his capacity to receive.” “The man who will rob God is cultivating traits of character that will cut him off from admittance into the family of God above.”—Id., Vol. VI, pp. 448, 391.