GIVING THE TENTH OF OUR INCOME.
By Jennie Fowler Willing
EVERY Christian ought to give a tenth of his gross income to the Lord's work. Gross, rather than net, for if one says, "I will give what is left after I have had my living," he will be very apt to use the lion's share on himself, and the Lord's cause will go begging. We are not to be trusted at that point. Jacob said, "Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee." (1) To keep the promise we may have to live simply. And that will be the better for us in every sense. (2) We will have to keep our accounts carefully. Otherwise, we will never know when we are quite honest with the Lord; so we will be saved from the slipshod way of doing business that is at the bottom of most failures. (3) It will make us honest. We will avoid doubtful margins if we know that God has the concern in hand, taking ten per cent. of the gross profits, and liable to withdraw the capital if he is not pleased with our methods. (4) It will make our business honorable. The office will become a temple. In England "gentlemen" are above business. In our country "ladies" are. In God's code, work is honorable, though it be as coarse and common as herding cattle, driving oxen, or dressing vines. 2. It is necessary for self-defense. One of the twelve, after witnessing Christ's miracles, and listening to his teaching three years, fell through covetousness, and died by suicide. Is there a greater hindrance to God's work than the avarice of his own people? We may be able to stand where an apostle fell, but it is well to be on our guard. "Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed that the field bringeth forth, year by year." "The first of your dough ye shall give unto the Lord, an heave-offering in your generations." The Hebrews gave one-third of their income back to God. The firstlings of the flocks and herds were sacred to God. If the owner wished to retain them, he paid for them. The first-fruits of the harvest were the Lord's. The spontaneous growth of the seventh year belonged to the poor. That year all debtors were released from obligation. The trespass-offering had to be paid, and also the yearly offering of the shekel of the sanctuary, about twenty-seven cents of our money. A tenth of everything was given every year; and the third year there was an additional tithing, when the people made solemn declaration before God that it had been faithfully paid. If a Jew could give so much, surely a Christian ought not to give less than one-tenth. 4. Neglect of this duty displeases the Lord. "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation." 5. He is pleased with faithfulness in this matter. "Ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them, and ye shall dwell in the land in safety. The land shall yield her fruit; and ye shall eat your fill." The apostle orders that everyone shall lay by him in store, on the first day of the week, as God hath prospered him, the means to carry on the Lord's work. We must not wait till we have a competence in adopting this rule of giving. Jacob left home in such haste that he had hardly the runaway's bundle on a stick. His giving was all in the future. Systematic giving is a safeguard against mammonism, a deadly danger in our country. If all God's people would give by rule, all his causes would soon be taken off the pauper list. There would be no lack in any department of his work.