Genuine Liberality by Jos. Clarke

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 15, 1871

Genuine Liberality.

By Jos. Clarke

I FIND in the report of the American Missionary Society for missions and schools, among the freedmen, held at Lawrence, Mass., dated Nov. 9, 1870, the following item which I append:—

“Sec. Whipple read a letter from a gentleman, inclosing a check for $5,000, and mentioned the case of another gentleman who had left for the Association the sum of $20,000, in his will, but had decided to become his own executor and to furnish the amount at once. $6,000 of the money has been already received.”

Such gifts as these, from the wealthy, show real liberality and sincerity. Cannot S. D. Adventists take a lesson from this? Such gifts, from the rich, mean business, work, something effected. I speak unselfishly. I pay my own expenses, consequently, have no ax of my own to grind; but I would really like to see some of our rich S. D. Adventists show that they believe the third angel's message; it would be so refreshing to see, once in a while, such donations as the above. It would be like a cool wind upon the desert, or like a glimpse of Paradise.

To see all our donations come in sums from one to ten and twenty dollars, and occasionally a little higher amount, is sad; but I am sorry to think that most, even of these, are from poor men. Sincerely, in view of the day when the rich will throw their silver and their gold into the streets, I would, with respect, ask the rich men, Do you believe, or do you doubt?

JOS. CLARKE.