The Surplus Money

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 20, 1882

The Surplus Money.

UNDER this heading the Advance publishes the following interesting experience of an old subscriber. It is a very good supplement to the “Sermon on Tithes,” which we printed last week:—

I started out in life on a very low basis in all respects. Avarice was the mainspring to all effort. I had nothing but my hands and energy to rely upon; but by industry and economy accumulated the sum of $5,000. I then felt that

when I had secured $10,000, my anxiety for gain would be checked. But when that point was reached, I decided to get what I could and hold it with a firm grasp. The matter of giving to any object, however worthy, was not in my line.

In this way I continued until my thirty-fourth year, being completely immersed in worldliness, and dead in trespasses and sins. But at this point, God in his wonderful love, reached clear down to me, and by the light of the Holy Spirit, showed me my ruined condition. I felt my case hopeless for a while, until Jesus Christ revealed himself to me as an almighty Saviour, able to save to the uttermost. I joyfully accepted the proposed salvation, and my first inquiry was: “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” My first thought was that I would let go the “muck rake,” and give my entire time and energy to proclaiming to others the precious salvation I had found. But God was pleased to direct me into a wiser course.

At this time I was worth about $30,000; and was engaged in a business that gave me an income of $3,000 per year. It came to me as an inspiration to stop accumulating, but to make what money I could, and after meeting the necessary expenses of my family, to devote the surplus to objects of Christian beneficence. I have pursued this course for nearly fifty years, and by close economy have been able to give about thirty-five per cent. of my annual income to such objects of charity as God and my own conscience approve.

I believe that in this department of life and work, God has lifted me out of self, and led me to adopt a better course than is generally followed by my Christian brethren. Aside from its being scriptural, it tends to lift the individual giver above the parsimonious, “Don’t-know-as-I-have-anything-to-spare-now” spirit, which is so prevalent among even Christian givers. I thank God from the depths of my heart, that he led me into systematic beneficence.