CHARITY AT HOME by Moses Hull

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 23, 1858

CHARITY AT HOME.

By Moses Hull

IN looking over the Review I see that Bro. Cornell has favored us with a discourse on the text, "Charity begins at home." I have long seen and felt the necessity of an exposition of that text. Since I have been trying to proclaim the truth, I have received over $1000 per year in "God bless you," "Praise the Lord for sending Bro. Hull this way," &c., and at the same time those who were thus lavishing their benedictions upon me, would do nothing towards helping me, or those who are dependent upon me for support.

I do not know of any brother or sister who cannot see my duty. "O yes, Bro. Hull, it is your duty to go with the message; let come what will, you must be in the field." So I think. But I can see your duty, too. It is just as much your duty to spread the message as it is mine.

"But I don't feel that I have a call," says one. But I feel, see and hear a call to you, which is, to hold up the hands of the messengers, by administering to their temporal necessities. The messengers and their families must have something to eat, drink, and wear, and if it is their duty to administer spiritual things to you, it certainly is your duty to administer to their temporal necessities.

I once asked a rich brother to lend me money to pay my expenses to an appointment. Said he, "I can lend you the money, Bro. Hull; but I think it is your duty to go out without purse or scrip." Well, it might have been, as the poor brother only had one farm of 160 acres, with two tenants upon it, besides a store, village-house and lot, two span of horses, one yoke of oxen, and three or four cows! But the poor man has learned "the deceitfulness of riches," and that they "that will be rich fall into divers temptations." He has concluded to try to climb up some other way.

Brethren, shall we try to awake and cast off the works of darkness? We all have a duty to do. When it shall be said, "Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you," when your gold and silver begins to "eat your flesh as it were fire," then you will be glad to give up some of your wealth. But, alas for you! your sacrifices will not be accepted. May the Lord root covetousness out from among us. M. HULL. Russiaville, Ind., Nov. 20th, 1858.