p. 125 | WHAT DO WE GIVE?

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 26, 1892

WHAT DO WE GIVE?

WE all enjoy giving. There is hardly a man to be found who does not like to make a present, at least sometimes and to some persons. The higher his esteem for the person, the greater his enjoyment in offering the gift. This truth is fully tested in the usual Christmas giving. Now let us apply this same principle to our manner of giving for the advancement of the kingdom of Christ.

Do our contributions toward it form any measure of our love? Are they the product of any real self-denial on our part? Let us place ourselves, for a moment, side by side with a few poor but noble Christians lately converted from heathenism, and remember that we are side by side with them in God's sight.

We are indebted for this incident to the Herald and Presbyter, which records it as follows:—

"A church at Benito, Africa, with a native pastor and membership, has decided to contribute each 'one dollar every six months and the women fifty cents.' They appear to be in want of ready money. The first collection was made up of 'iron pots, oil, pomade, ringlets, calico, a keg of powder, cutlasses, etc.' But the collection, when turned into money, as it will be, amounts in value to fifty good round gold dollars, to be applied to missions. When one has a heart to give, there is always a way."

Are there not ribbons, neckties, gloves, fancy fans, canes, etc., which we might deny ourselves—and hardly think it worth calling denial—while we devoted the money to a higher use? But let us not be afraid of real self-denials, if we would be good soldiers of the cross. "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." And again, "He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me." —Bible Class Scholar.