Oberlin's Rule of Giving.
It appears that one of the rules established by Oberlin was, that every one of his people should every year place in the treasury one-tenth part of his net income; this rule he enforced by love. The money was applied to works of benevolence or charity, and to many improvements made in that wilderness country. Le Grand told me that for some years he would not comply with what he considered an arbitrary rule, though he highly valued Oberlin; but he thought he could be his own almoner of the Lord's blessing on his temporal industry. The losses that he sustained year by year in his business induced him at the end of a few years, closely to examine into the matter, and he found that during that period they amounted to exactly ten per cent on his income, which he should have put into the treasury, according to Oberlin's rule. This discovery convinced him that Oberlin was right, and he has acted ever since on the prescribed plan; and now, instead of meeting with losses, his income has greatly increased, though he has not ceased from also being his own almoner of the blessing that God confers upon him.—Life of Stephen Gillett.