JESUS AND THE TREASURY.
By H. A. St. John
"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury; and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury; for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark 12:41-44. We here see that when Jesus was on earth he had an interest in the Lord's treasury; he sat over against it and beheld with the deepest interest how the people cast money into the treasury. In his instruction to his disciples he uttered no words of condemnation of the rich for casting in much of their abundance, for this was eminently proper for them to do. It is just the right thing for the rich to cast in much. To whom much is given, much is required, and how can they clear their own souls, as good stewards of their Lord's goods, if they do not cast in much. But that which interested and impressed our Saviour most of all was the gifts of the poor, those who cast into the treasury from their want, their penury, their actual living. To such giving is a real sacrifice. In this is the highest merit. Jesus did not discourage this giving on the part of even the very poor, but, on the other hand, his words may be taken as the highest kind of commendation. What an encouragement to the poor if they may learn from this circumstance that their offerings, which seem so small and of so little worth to them, are so highly prized and greatly blessed of the Lord! Do you not think that poor widow would have been glad in her soul if she could have known how Jesus felt, and what he said to his disciples about her two mites?—Most assuredly she would. But what was this written for? Why has it come down to us? Is it not for our instruction, admonition, and encouragement?—Without question this is true, it is for us. Jesus still sits over against the Lord's treasury in every church. He is still beholding how people, both the rich and the poor, cast money into the treasury. Reader, if we could see the Jesus, he who was infinitely rich and became poor for our sakes, who then gave his life for us, if we could see him sitting over against the treasury, beholding how we cast money into the treasury, would we not come to the treasury with gladness, and cast in much, of our abundance? or, if poor, come just as gladly, and cast in of our want, especially when we know the high estimate that Jesus puts upon these offerings of the poor? Then let us all remember, always remember, that Jesus sits over against the treasury now, watching the people with the most intense interest, as they do not come, or do come, to cast104money into the treasury. And then, as with an eye of faith you can see him there, let your offerings be as unto the Lord, and not unto men. Ring it out from east to west, from north to south, everywhere, that Jesus sits over against the treasury now. Jesus sits over against the treasury now, beholding how the people, HIS PEOPLE, cast money into the treasury. Jesus will guard his treasury well, nor will he change his relation to the treasury of his church till his work of salvation for sinners is past. Some backslidden souls will never find Jesus until they find him at the treasury. Happy the souls that meet their Lord often at the treasury.