The True Principle of Giving.
By George Ide Butler
In every religious principle we strive to carry out, it is important that we should realize why it is obligatory upon us. It saves us from false impressions and gross mistakes. Satan ever desires to present things before us in a false light, that we may view God's requirements as burdensome or unjust. The truth is, all of God's requirements are designed by him to benefit us. As Moses says, “And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him; and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul; to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?” Deut. 10: 12, 15. “For thy good,” expresses the real motive of the Creator in all that he requires of us. His greatest glory is seen in this. “God is love,” saith the Scripture. So important a place does this attribute hold in the character of the Creator, that it is personified as representing him. Why were conscious existences formed by his power? Because he desired to see happiness around him. We conceive of millions of worlds existing, filled with happy beings, all created by the same God, and for the same object. Obedience to every one of God's requirements will truly benefit us, and make us more happy, in time and eternity. It is a false gloss with which Satan covers sin. No sin ever made a man truly happy, or in any way worthy of respect. The slightest departure from perfect rectitude involves consequences of evil alone. When we become fully conscious, and really believe this, then we are in the path of safety. We should be greatly benefited could we always realize this. Some of the hardest things poor human nature can do, produce the happiest results in the end. One man has a hasty temper which he cannot control without the help of the Lord. It breaks forth in spite of him. The requirements of God are presented before him. His temper must be subdued. What a hard time is experienced; and, ten to one, the poor man feels that it is a hardship. But when it is overcome, and true meekness takes its place, and he can control his passions, how much happier he is in his own mind. So of an evil tongue. It is constantly involving one in difficulty. We must control it. But the habit is a hard one to contend with. But when the victory is gained, no one ever regrets it. He finds God's way the best way. I believe this principle will hold good in the whole catalogue of God's requirements. Every one will benefit us here and hereafter. So of giving freely to support God's cause, or benefit our fellow-men. We all know it is a duty plainly set before us in the Bible. Perhaps there is none upon which more is said. But it often happens that individuals who love to hear on all other subjects of religious truth, when it comes to giving, will shrug their shoulders and seem to draw back. It is not a pleasant subject; and if they do give at all, it seems to be a very painful duty to them. And I am satisfied that very many more give when it seems to them a painful duty, rather than a blessed privilege. The Apostle Paul quotes our Saviour as saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20: 35. Judging by the actions of most professed Christians, they do not believe this statement. If I understand the sentiment, giving is more productive of happiness to the one who imparts than to the one who receives. When we see the avidity with which people receive gifts of all kinds, and how much argument and pressing they require before they will give, we have good reason to doubt their believing the Saviour's statement. And the course of many ministers in being so willing to receive, would naturally make us believe they were more unbelieving than any other class. Truly it is a statement which it is hard for selfish human nature to fully accept; yet it is no doubt fully true. Two men start out in life equally talented, equally noble. Different influences are thrown around them. A worldly influence causes one to strive to aggrandize himself, and to think the main object of life is to get and retain. He goes on in this course year after year, growing wealthy, and alas! growing more and more selfish. His heart becomes so pinched and contracted that everything centers in himself—the thought of acquiring mainly fills his soul; the thought of losing fills him with agony. How many there are in this world who have pursued this course till everything noble in them is destroyed. The other man, being brought under the benevolent influence of true religion, feels that the great end of life is to be of benefit to others. From this point he imparts, wherever he can see proper evidence of good being accomplished, in proportion to his ability, either to God's cause or to suffering humanity. He lives for something higher than self. The rule of his life is to make just as little trouble to others as he can, and do them all the good he can. Perhaps the amount of property in his hands may not be as great as that of the other man; but what a wealth he possesses in his character. True nobility of soul is manifest. Generosity and benevolence become stamped on his very countenance. Which of these men is the happiest, even in this world? Which has enjoyed this world the most? Which is most truly blessed? And oh! whose place would you rather be in when you are laid on the bed of death, or when the trump of God shall sound? These questions, dear reader, you may answer. The truth is this: God has so arranged it that the brain or muscle of a man when called into exercise, increases in strength; but when left inactive, loses its power. The arm of the blacksmith by constant use becomes much more largely developed and powerful than the arm of the watchmaker, or accountant. That portion of the brain called into exercise also becomes developed. This is why men improve, as speakers and writers, by constant practice. A man may have noble mental powers, but by neglect they become weakened. The Hindoo binds his arm to his side till it becomes fixed and he loses all power over it. This is a law of our very being, applicable to physical, mental, or spiritual power. We must therefore act upon it or suffer the consequences. Love is the ruling principle of Heaven. Love, or charity, never faileth. All who are saved will have learned the principles of Heaven here; then God will intrust them with an immortal existence in which to carry out these principles. Selfishness will not exist in Heaven. It is not a safe principle; it would mar Heaven. How important that we sedulously cultivate the principle of benevolence. The only way we can do it is to act upon it. To stand off and admire it in others, and not act upon it ourselves, is not sufficient. The principle reaches to rich and poor alike. It is just as important that one class should have a benevolent character as the other. We want it for its own sake. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” We cannot form such a character without vigilant exercise. So we should not be weary in well-doing. This is why we should “love mercy;” not love to have others do us good, but love to be merciful to others; and love it as we do it. Were this spirit prevailing all around us, it would make this world a heavenly place. Should all our people get this principle in their hearts, it would make an entire change in things. Ministers, as the special representatives of Christ on earth, should set the example, and live out this saying of his. The people would surely follow. If carried out fully, the hard heart would break before it. It is hard to resist a man when we know he is trying to do us good because he loves us. Here is the true principle of giving; and every time we give for any benevolent object, let us not do it as though it were a hard, unpleasant duty, but because it benefits us even more than the one who receives it. Oh! let us believe the words of our Master, and act upon them from day to day. We want to get the principles of Heaven deep in our hearts, so that they will send forth streams to water and fertilize all around us. Many of our wealthy brethren have so long been making it the great object to acquire, that they can hardly realize the beautiful sentiment of our Saviour, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” And some of our poor brethren are just as selfish. I hope none of us will be antagonistic to the very foundation principle of the Christian religion. It was to carry out this principle that Jesus himself condescended to come here and die for us. We cannot hope for salvation unless we follow our Master, especially in the great fundamental principles. Many a soul which is now barren and parched as Sahara, would be moist and filled with blessedness would they but act upon the sentiment of the Saviour, to put away their selfishness and be a blessing to others. Let us try the experiment. As the Saviour says in the beautiful parable of the good Samaritan, “Go and do thou likewise.”