Benevolence by JOS. CLARKE

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 2, 1874

Benevolence.

By JOS. CLARKE

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Isa. 55:1.

Let him who would learn a lesson of benevolence read the whole of the fifty-fifth chapter of Isaiah, and let him see there how full and free God has made the offer of salvation. Again, in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. What a costly gift has God made to man to save him from ruin! The inspired word of God, is free as the air we breathe. Read aright, it lifts us above the clouds of unbelief, into the clear, bracing atmosphere of faith. And again; “Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal, shall it be measured to you again. Luke 6:38.

Again, in Acts 10:4: said the angelic messenger to Cornelius; “Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.” Yes; his alms went up with his prayers, and were his bank stock; and his dividend was infinitely better than large per cent and high rates of interest and premium.

Read of the dealings of God with Israel. When they became penurious and close and withheld the costly offerings that the law required, then came famine, pestilence, and war; but when they cheerfully met the demands of the law, and liberally supported their religious institutions, then came prosperity and peace, victory and success.

Says the wise man: “The liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself;” Prov. 11:25; and Isaiah testifies that “the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.” Isa. 32:8.

The providence of God has been, is now, and will always be, favorable to the liberal heart and hand. You have only to observe carefully the history and experience of individuals to see this. There is a record above of all that is done in this world; and the sympathizing heart which responds at once to the calls of benevolence and philanthropy is well known in the home of angels, and God's care is especially exercised in their behalf.

Men live and toil and struggle year after year for a fortune; yet suddenly they die and leave it all. Strange that no more of their wealth is deposited in the bank of Heaven. There it is safe—no need of insurance there; there all is security and bliss. Are you a person of large or of small means, by all considerations hasten to send on something to the bank of Heaven for your future need. JOS. CLARKE.