Generosity in Christian preaching emphasizes heartfelt giving as an expression of devotion to God and care for others, going beyond mere obligation to reflect God's grace (2 Corinthians 9:7). Illustrations often use imagery of small gifts noticed by heaven, the flourishing of a giving tree, and unexpected blessings that reward open-handed kindness (Acts 20:35).
Generous giving is often rewarded unexpectedly in times of great need.
Two boys who were working their way through Leland Stanford University found themselves almost without funds. One of them conceived the idea of engaging the great Polish pianist, Paderewski, for a piano recital, and devoting the profits to their board and tuition. The pianist's manager asked for a guarantee of $2,000. The boys proceeded to stage the concert, but the proceeds totaled only $1,600. The boys sought the great artist and told him of their efforts. They gave him the entire $1,600 and a promissory note for the $400, explaining that they would earn the balance and pay it off at the earliest possible moment.
"No, boys, that won't do," said Paderewski. Then, tearing up the note, he returned the money to them, saying, "Now take out of the $1,600 all of your expenses, and keep ten percent of the balance for each of you for your work, and let me have the rest."
The years rolled by. The war came, and Paderewski was striving with might and main to feed the starving thousands in his beloved Poland. There was only one man in the world who could help Paderewski. Thousands of tons of food began to come into Poland for distribution. After the starving people were fed, Paderewski journeyed to Paris to thank Herbert Hoover for the relief sent them.
"That's quite all right, Mr. Paderewski," was Mr. Hoover's reply. "Besides, you don't remember how you helped me once when I was a student working my way through Leland Stanford, and I was in a hole." Remember the words of the Master, "With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again" (Matthew 7:2).
A tree dies when it stops giving; giving is essential to spiritual life and blessing.
"It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).
There is an old story that goes like this:
An unusual tree grew outside the gates of a desert city in the Middle East. It was an old tree, a landmark as a matter of fact. It seemed to have been touched by the finger of God, for it bore fruit perpetually. Despite its old age, its limbs were constantly laden with fruit. Hundreds of passersby refreshed themselves from the tree as it never failed to give freely.
But then a greedy merchant purchased the property on which the tree grew. He saw hundreds of travelers "robbing" his tree, and he built a high fence around it. Travelers pleaded, "Share with us." The merchant quoted in return, "It is my tree, my fruit, bought with my money." And a strange thing happened: the old tree died! What had happened? The law of giving, as predictable as the law of gravity, had expressed its immutable principle: when a tree stops giving, it stops bearing, and it dies.
Yes, this story illustrates well the law of give-and-receive. And when I think of how much I take from God's world, I bow in guilt at how little I give to His work. "But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly" (2 Corinthians 9:6). The Bare Facts
One night two friends were camping out in the deep woods on a warm summer's night. Suddenly, their sleep was abruptly interrupted by a large furry visitor. A huge black bear began to tear through their camp, crushing supplies, throwing backpacks, and scaring the two men half to death. Thinking quickly, one of the men began to lace up his sneakers for a quick getaway. "You will never outrun that bear!" his friend yelled. To this he replied, "I don't have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you!"
Jesus taught us to put others first. His very actions and dealings with the beggars, the lepers, and thieves showed that He had compassion for the lowly. So the next time you have trouble with your brother remember the following:
"The world measures a man's greatness by the number who serve him. Heaven's yardstick measures a man by the number who are served by him."
Hearts are often like savings-boxes, easy to take but hard to give for God's glory.
Gotthold's sons had purchased a savings-box, to keep the little sums of money they occasionally received, and found, that, however easy to drop the pieces in, it was much more difficult to bring them out. He thereupon observed, "That is an emblem of the hearts and coffers of the vast majority of the men of these times. They are very greedy to take, but very backward to give, especially for the glory of God and the relief of the poor. Oh, how long we must shake, and how many arts we must try, before we can extract even a penny from a hard and penurious man for the service of God or his neighbors! So long as he lives, he imagines that the business for which he came into the world is to collect and keep money; but when he has to leave the world, and when death breaks the savings-box to pieces, and he must resign his hoard to others, he does it with reluctance and displeasure. I really believe, that, were it not too absurd and useless, many a miser, in making his will, would do what a miser once actually did, appoint himself his own heir. How dreadful a folly to hoard up gold, and to lose heaven!"
A grateful man vows to give generously to God but struggles when worldly influences intervene.
Some years ago, a poor boy came to town in search of a situation as errant-boy. He made many unsuccessful applications, and was on the eve of returning to his parents, when a gentleman, prepossessed by his appearance, took him into his employment, and, after a few months, bound him apprentice. He so conducted himself during his apprenticeship as to gain the love and esteem of every one who knew him; and, after he had served his time, his master advanced a capital for him to commence business with. He retired to his closet with a heart glowing with gratitude to
God for his goodness, and solemnly vowed that he would devote a tenth part of his annual income to the cause of God. The first year, his donation amounted to fifty dollars, which he gave cheerfully, and continued to do so, till it amounted to twenty-five hundred dollars: he then thought that was a great deal of money to give, and that he need not be so particular as to the exact amount. That year, he lost a ship and cargo, to the value of forty-five thousand dollars, by a storm. This caused him to repent; and he again commenced his contributions, with a resolution never to retract. He was more successful every year, and at length retired. He still devoted a tenth part of his annual income for some years, till he became acquainted with men of the world, who by degrees drew him aside from God. He discontinued his donations, made large speculations, lost every thing, and became almost as poor as when he came to town a poor errant-boy. Dib. Treasury.
Like the moon reflects the sun's light, we should share God's blessings with others.
As the moon doth show her light to the world which she receiveth from the sun; so we ought to bestow the benefits received of God to the profit of our neighbor. Cawdray.
Churches never fail from giving too much, but from giving too little.
"I knowed many a church to die 'cause it didn't gib enough; but I never knowed a church to die 'cause it gib too much. They don't die dat way. Bredren, had any oh you knowed a church to die 'cause it gib too much? If you do, jest let me know, and I'll make a pilgrimage to dat church, and I'll climb up by de soft light ab de moon to its moss-covered roof, and I'll stand dar, and lift up my hands to heben, and say, Blessed are de dead dat die in de Lord."
Historical figures generously gave to help the needy and support faithful service.
The clergy of Amida, at the instigation of the bishop, sold all the gold and silver vessels of their churches in order to supply the wants of seven thousand Persian prisoners who were thrown into that city by the Romans in a most destitute condition. A certain cardinal once took pity upon a poor woman who applied to him for five crowns to pay her rent, and he gave her five hundred because of her virtue, honesty, and piety. Pisistratus, the Athenian, always had a servant near him with a bag of silver coin, from which he always supplied the wants of the sickly, the insolvent, &c. Cyrus said that he had prodigious riches; and the chief end he aimed at in the use of them was to reward those who serve the public faithfully, and to succor and relieve those that would acquaint him with their wants and necessities. Pliny, a Roman orator, though not very rich, yet by frugality he bestowed great sums of money upon his friends. A friend of his who became insolvent, he became responsible for. When his friend died, his daughter would have given him all her father's effects; but Pliny generously forgave her all, and, besides, contributed a large sum of money as an addition to her fortune. Julius Cæsar used to say that there was no music so charming in his ears as the requests of his friends, and the supplications of those in want of assistance. Marcus Aurelius says that he could not relish a happiness which nobody shared but himself. Marc Antony, when depressed, and at the ebb of fortune, cried out, "that he had lost all, except what he had given away." Cato at the close of life declared to his friends that the greatest comfort of his old age, and that which gave him the highest satisfaction, was the pleasing remembrance of the many benefits and friendly offices he had done to others. L. M. Stretch.
A poor child's gratitude highlights the impact of compassionate giving.
A lady visited New-York city, and saw on the sidewalk a ragged, cold, and hungry little girl gazing wistfully at some of the cakes in a shop window. She stopped, and, taking the little one by the hand, led her into the store. Though she was aware that bread might be better for the cold child than cake, yet, desiring to gratify the shivering and forlorn one, she bought and gave her the cake she wanted. She then took her to another place, where she procured her a shawl and other articles of comfort. The grateful little creature looked the lady full in the face, and, with artless simplicity said, "Are you God's wife?"
A horse refuses to move until charity is given, illustrating the power of generosity.
Kosciusko, the hero of Poland, once wished to send some bottles of wine to a clergyman at Soluthurn; and as he hesitated to trust them by his servant, lest he should smuggle a part, he gave the commission to a young man of the name of Zeltner, and desired him to take the horse which he himself usually rode. On his return, young Zeltner said that he would never ride his horse again unless he gave him his purse at the same time. Kosciusko inquiring what he meant, he answered, "As soon as a poor man on the road takes off his hat, and asks charity, the horse immediately stands still, and will not stir till something is given to the petitioner; and, as I had no money about me, I was obliged to feign giving something in order to satisfy the horse." Percy.
St. Nicholas secretly gave gold to save a poor family from despair.
Nicholas. Now, in the city of Panthura, there dwelt a certain nobleman who had three daughters; and, from being rich, he became poor, — so poor, that there remained no means of obtaining food for his daughters but by sacrificing them to an infamous life: and oftentimes it came into his mind to tell them so, but shame and sorrow held him dumb. Meantime the maidens wept continually, not knowing what to do, and not having bread to eat; and their father became more and more desperate. When Nicholas heard of this, he thought it a shame that such a thing should happen in a Christian land: therefore one night, when the maidens were asleep, and their father alone sat watching and weeping, he took a handful of gold, and, tying it up in a handkerchief, he repaired to the dwelling of the poor man. He considered how he might bestow it without making himself known; and, while he stood irresolute, the moon, coming from behind a cloud, showed him a window open: so he threw it in, and it fell at the feet of the father, who, when he found it, returned thanks; and with it he portioned his eldest daughter. A second time, Nicholas provided a similar sum, and again he threw it in by night; and with it the nobleman married his second daughter. But he greatly desired to know who it was that came to his aid. Therefore he determined to watch: and when the good saint came for the third time, and prepared to throw in the third portion, he was discovered; for the nobleman seized him by the skirt of his robe, and flung himself at his feet, saying, "O Nicholas, servant of God! why seek to hide thyself?" and he kissed his feet and his hands. But Nicholas made him promise that he would tell no man. And many other charitable works did Nicholas perform in his native city. Mrs. Jameson.
Giving generously to God's cause results in greater blessings and growth.
A rich merchant in St. Petersburg, at his own cost, supported a number of native missionaries in India, and gave like a prince to the cause of God at home. He was asked, one day, how he could do it. He replied, "When I served the Devil, I did it on a grand scale, and at princely expense; and when, by his grace, God called me out of darkness, I resolved Christ should have more than the Devil had had. But how I can give so much you must ask of God, who enables me to give it. At my conversion, I told the Lord his cause should have a part of all that my business brought me in; and every year since I made that promise, it has brought me in about double that it did the year before: so that I can and do double my gifts in his cause." Bunyan said,—
"A man there was, some called him mad: The more he cast away, the more he had."
Giving away all shoes in faith led to unexpected provision before night.
One cold, frosty morning, a poor woman, shivering with cold, nearly barefooted, came to Parson Moody's door, telling a pitiful story, and asked for an old pair of Mrs. Moody's shoes. Mr. Moody went to the bedroom, and took the only pair of shoes his wife had, and gave them to the poor woman. Soon Mrs. Moody was about the house in search of her shoes; but they were not to be found. In due time, Mr. Moody told her what had taken place. "Dear Mr. Moody," said she, "how could you do so, when you knew they were all the shoes I had in the world?"—"Oh! never mind it, dear wife, the Lord will send in another pair before night, I doubt not." Before noon, they made their appearance. Cong. Quarterly.
A pastor chose to clothe poor children rather than warm his own home.
A Parisian paying a visit to a curate in the middle of winter remarked that he was living in a house with naked walls, and inquired why he had not got hangings to protect him from the rigor of the cold? The good pastor showed him two little children that he had taken care of, and replied, "I had rather clothe these poor children than my walls." Percy.
Giving generously leads to greater blessings than holding back for oneself.
There is a story of a certain godly and charitable bishop of Milan, who, journeying with his servant, was met by some poor people, who begged an alms of him. The bishop commanded his man to give them all the little money that he had, which was three crowns; but his servant, thinking to be a better husband for his master, gave them but two crowns, reserving the third for their expenses at night. Soon after, certain noblemen meeting the bishop, and knowing him to be a good man, and one that was liberal to the poor, commanded two hundred crowns to be delivered to the bishop's servant for his master's use. The man, having received the money, ran with great joy, and told his master of it. "Ah," said the bishop, "what wrong hast thou done to me and to thyself! for, if thou hadst given those three crowns as I appointed thee, thou shouldest have received three hundred."
— Spencer
Covetous people excuse stinginess by comparing their giving to the widow's mite.
A gentleman called upon a rich friend for some charity. "Yes: I must give you my mite," said the rich man. "Do you mean the widow's mite?" asked the solicitor. "Certainly," was the answer. "I shall be satisfied with half as much as she gave," said his friend. "How much are you worth?"—"Seventy thousand dollars."—"Give me, then, your check for thirty-five thousand: that will be half as much as the widow gave; for she, you know, gave her all." The rich man was cornered. Covetous people often try to shelter themselves behind the widow's mite.
Gospel fire reveals hidden wealth for sacred use despite covetous reluctance.
Diodorus Siculus relates, that the forest of the Pyrenean Mountains being set on fire, and the heat penetrating to the soil, a pure stream of silver gushed forth from the bosom of the earth, and revealed for the first time the existence of those rich lodes, afterwards so celebrated. Covetousness yields up of its pelf for sacred uses as unwillingly as if it were appointed to succeed the earth in the office of holding and concealing it; but let the fire of the gospel be kindled in the Christian Church, and its ample stores shall be seen flowing forth from their hiding recesses, and becoming "the fine gold of the sanctuary." Biblical Treasury.
Giving to others does not diminish resources but brings God's blessing and provision.
The shepherds led the pilgrims to Mount Charity, where they showed them a man that had a bundle of cloth lying before him, out of which he cut coats and garments for the poor that stood about him; yet his bundle or roll of cloth was never the less. Then said they, "What should this be?"—"This is," said the shepherds, "to show you, that he who has a heart to give of his labor to the poor shall never want wherewithal. 'He that watereth shall be watered himself.' And the cake that the widow gave to the prophet did not cause that she had the less in her barrel." Bunyan.
A penniless boy became wealthy and honored fortune by generous charity and philanthropy.
Years ago, a penniless boy, on a journey, paid for his meal by doing a job of work. Fortune honored him, and he came to be the possessor of millions, which he bestowed with a lavish hand on works of charity and philanthropy. He therein honored fortune. To-day, the ships of two nations escort his remains to his native shores, honoring him as never a man was honored before. George Peabody has made his name honorable by a noble use of fortune.
A conqueror shows mercy and generosity by sparing a city and providing for its people.
Demetrius, the conqueror of cities, having for just cause made war upon and subdued Athens, instead of putting all to the sword, as they expected, said that he would revenge himself by granting them pardon, and being their friend, and assuring them, that, while they had been absent, his soldiers had filled their houses with provisions.
Generosity is rare because it is contagious and requires others to receive it.
One great reason why men practise generosity so little in the world is their finding so little there. Generosity is catching; and, if so many escape it, it is, in a small degree, for the same reason that countrymen escape the small-pox, — because they meet with no one to give it to them. Greville.
Proverbs illustrate varied attitudes toward giving and generosity across cultures.
He gives an egg to get a chicken. People give to the rich, and take from the poor. — German. — To one who has a pie in the oven you may give a bit of your cake. — French. — Let that which is lost be for God. — Spanish. — No one is so open-handed as he that has nothing to give. — French. — Broad thongs are cut from other men's leather. — Latin. — There is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers.
— Seneca
True credit for giving is measured by the heart's intent, not the amount given.
After a charity-sermon in Edinburgh, one of the congregation, by accident, put a crown-piece in the plate, instead of a penny, and, starting back at its white and precious face, asked to have it back. But he who held the plate said, "In once, in forever."—"A weel, a weel!" grunted the unwilling giver: "I'll get credit for it in heaven."—"Na, na," said the collector: "ye'll get credit only for the penny."
Giving from the heart moves others to give generously and sincerely.
Andrew Fuller, when on a begging tour for the cause of missions, called on a wealthy nobleman to whom he was unknown, but who had heard much of Fuller's talents and piety. After he had stated to him the object of his visit, his lordship observed, that he thought he should make him no donation. Dr. Fuller was preparing to return, when the nobleman remarked, that there was one man to whom, if he could see him, he thought he would give something for the mission, and that man was Andrew Fuller. Mr. Fuller immediately replied, "My name, sir, is Andrew Fuller." On this, the nobleman, with some hesitation, gave him a guinea. Observing the indifference of the donor, Mr. Fuller looked him in the face with much gravity, and said, "Does this donation, sir, come from your heart? If it does not, I wish not to receive it." The nobleman was melted and overcome with this honest frankness, and, taking from his purse ten guineas more, said, "These, sir, these come from my heart."
Giving generously brings joy and is the greatest luxury a believer can enjoy.
I knew a lad in Christ once, who adopted the principle of giving a tenth to God. When he won a money-prize for an essay on a religious subject, he felt he could not give less than one-fifth of it. He had never after that been able to deny himself the pleasure of having a fifth to give. God had wonderfully blessed that lad, and increased his means, and his enjoyment of the luxury of luxuries, — the luxury of doing good. That lad was C. H. Spurgeon.
Faithful giving leads to unexpected blessings and abundance for a poor community.
Hohannes, the blind missionary of Harpool, tells of a place where the Board had spent much money with little result, where he was sent. It was a poor place. The people were to raise six hundred piastres; and the Board was to pay the balance of his salary. The people said they could not raise that sum; a neighboring pastor said it was impossible, they were so poor. After much anxiety, the missionary laid the case before God in prayer, when it was impressed upon him that each should give his tenth. He proposed it to the people, and they agreed to it. The money was easily raised, and amounted to more than the entire salary. That people never prospered so much before; their crops were abundant, and their satisfaction great. They not only supported their preacher and school-teacher, but gave two thousand piastres to other purposes.
# GLORY.
Different attitudes toward giving affect how others perceive and remember generosity.
Some men give so that you are angry every time you ask them to contribute. They give so that their gold and silver shoot you like a bullet. Other persons give with such beauty, that you remember it as long as you live; and you say, "It is a pleasure to go to such men." There are some men that give as springs do: whether you go to them or not, they are always full; and your part is merely to put your dish under the ever-glowing stream. Others give just as a pump does where the well is dry, and the pump leaks. Beecher.
Giving generously leads to unexpected provision and greater prosperity.
I never prospered more in my small estate than when I gave most, and needed least. My own rule hath been, first, to contrive to need myself as little as may be, and lay out none on need-nots, but to live frugally on a little; second, to serve God in my place, upon that competency which he allowed me to myself, that what I had myself might be as good a work for common good as that which I gave to others; and, third, to do all the good I could with all the rest, preferring the most public and the most durable object, and the nearest. And, the more I have practised this, the more I have had to do it with; and, when I gave almost all, more came in (without any's gift), I scarce knew how, at least unexpected: but when by improvidence I have cast myself into necessities of using more upon myself, or upon things in themselves of less importance, I have prospered much less than when I did otherwise. And when I had contented myself to devote that stock which I had gotten to charitable uses after my death, instead of laying out at present, that so I might secure somewhat for myself while I lived, in probability all that is like to be lost; whereas, when I took that present opportunity, and trusted God for the time to come, I wanted nothing, and lost nothing. Richard Baxter.
The liberal giver is spiritually rich and protected by God's providence.
LIBERALITY, Opinions of Giving to the Lord is but transporting our goods to a higher floor. — Bowes. — It is another's fault if he be ungrateful; but it is mine if I do not give. To find one thankful, I will oblige a great many that are not so. — Seneca. — In defiance of all the torture, of all the might, of all the malice, of the world, the liberal man will ever be rich; for God's providence is his estate, God's wisdom and power are his defence, God's love and favor are his reward, and God's word is his security.
— Dr. Barrow
How one uses money early reflects their future spiritual and material state.
LIBERALITY, Benefit of I had three brothers, who had been brought up to the duty of giving even of their little store for the spreading of the kingdom of the Redeemer. It happened that each of these brothers possessed a box, in which he dropped any money that might be given to him. In the confusion of moving our residence, these boxes were mislaid, and were long looked for in vain. Some time afterwards, the boxes were unexpectedly found. The boys determined at once to open them. The three boxes contained almost the same sum of money, — about ten pounds. My eldest brother had long wished to possess a watch; and, without hesitation, he appropriated the whole of the contents of his box to the purchase of one. My second brother was of a divided mind. He accordingly separated his money into two portions: one he spent for his own gratification; the other portion he gave to some religious society. My youngest brother gave up all: he reserved no portion for his own self-indulgence, but freely and joyfully gave the whole to the Lord. The dispositions which were then shown proved indicative of the future course of each of these young men. The eldest has been engaged in many undertakings which seemed to promise wealth, and he has expended large sums of money: but he has failed in every thing; and, at the close of a long life, he is a poor man, and has been for some considerable time dependent on the bounty of his youngest brother. My second brother is not poor; but he has never been rich, nor satisfied with his very moderate circumstances. I am now in mourning for my youngest brother. He died lately, leaving a hundred thousand pounds, after having freely given away at least as much to missions among the heathen and to other works of love. God prospered him in every thing that he undertook; and he ceased not, throughout the whole course of his life, to give freely of all that God gave to his hand. Freely he had received, and freely and cheerfully did he give.
The Kingdom and the People.
Praying for God's blessings while refusing to give to His cause invites judgment.
Go out and look towards heaven, and say, O God! a new year is beginning: we want rain and wind and sunshine, the regular order of the seasons, the fertility of the soil, the germinating quality of the seed, and all these in that harmonious adjustment of times and relations that will insure us a rich harvest and multiplied bags of cotton. O God! send these, and health and friends; for we intend to revel upon the good things of thy providence: but let it be distinctly understood that we do not intend to yield a dollar to the support of thy cause in the earth, until we have feathered our nests to our own liking. Attempt this if you dare; and you will feel that lightning ought to strike you before you get through with your petition. And yet this is the plain English of what you are doing.
— Dr. L. Pierce
A man doubts his faith’s genuineness before giving, showing lack of generosity.
A very mean man joined the church; and people thought it might make him liberal: so one of the elders called on him for a small contribution. He heard him through, and then responded, "I'll tell you what it is, Brother A., if I find my religion genuine, I will pay Brother D. a dollar the next time he comes; but I don't like to pay money for an article before I know it's all right."
True charity begins at home but should extend generously to the whole world.
It is an old saying, charity begins at home; but this is no reason it should not go abroad. A man should live with the world as a citizen of the world: he may have a preference for the particular quarter or square, or even alley, in which he lives; but he should have a generous feeling for the welfare of the whole.
— Cumberland
A king rewards a page's secret generosity to his mother with unexpected gifts.
Frederic, King of Prussia, day one rung his bell, and nobody answering, he opened his door, and found his page fast asleep in an elbow-chair. He advanced towards him, and was going to awaken him, when he perceived part of a letter hanging out of his pocket. His curiosity prompting him to know what it was, he took it out and read it. It was a letter from this young man's mother, in which she thanked him for having sent her a part of his wages to relieve her misery; and finished with telling him, that God would reward him for his dutiful affection. The king, after reading it, went back softly into his chamber, took a bag full of ducats, and slipped it with the letter into the page's pocket. Returning to the chamber, he rang the bell so loudly, that it awakened the page who instantly made his appearance.
"You have had a sound sleep," said the king. The page was at a loss how to excuse himself; and putting his hand into his pocket by chance, to his utter astonishment, he there found a purse of ducats. He took it out, turned pale, and looking at the king, shed a torrent of tears without being able to utter a single word. "What is that?" said the king. "What is the matter?"
"Ah! sire," said the young man, throwing himself on his knees, "somebody seeks my ruin! I know nothing of this money which I have just found in my pocket!" "My young friend," replied Frederic, "God often does great things for us, even in our sleep. Send that to your mother; salute her on my part, and assure her that I will take care of both her and you."
Frederic the Great rewards a servant's care for his poor mother with financial help.
Frederic the Great, of Prussia, during his last illness, endured many restless nights, which he endeavored to soothe by conversing with the servant who sat up with him. On one of these occasions, he inquired of a young Pomeranian from whence he came. "From a little village in Pomerania." "Are your parents living?" "An aged mother." "How does she maintain herself?" "By spinning." "How much does she gain daily by it?" "Sixpence." "But she cannot live well on that?" "In Pomerania it is cheap living." "Did you never send her any thing?" "O yes, I have sent her, at different times, a few dollars." "That was bravely done; you are a good boy. You have a deal of trouble with me. Have patience: I shall endeavor to lay something by for you, if you behave well." The monarch kept his word; for, a few nights after, the Pomeranian, being again in attendance, received several pieces of gold; and heard, to his great joy and surprise, that one hundred six dollars had been settled on his mother during her life.
Edward Colston uses his wealth generously to support charities and education for the needy.
Edward Colston, at the age of forty years, became a very eminent East India merchant, prior to the incorporation of the East India Company, and had forty sail of ships of his own, with immense riches flowing in upon him. He still remained uniform in his charitable disposition, distributing many thousand pounds to various charities in and about London, besides private gifts in many parts of the kingdom. In the year 1704, he instituted a very magnificent school in St. Augustine's-back, in Bristol, which cost him £11,000 in the building, and endowed the same with between £1,700, and £1,800 per annum forever. He likewise gave £10 for apprenticing every boy, and for twelve years after his death £10 to put them into business. It has been frequently reported that his private charities far exceeded those in public. "We have heard," says the Bristol (Eng.) Journal, "that one of his ships trading to the East Indies had been missing upwards of three years, and was supposed to be destroyed at sea, but at length she arrived, richly laden. When his principal clerk brought him the report of her arrival, and of the riches on board, he said, as she was totally given up for lost, he would by no means claim any right to her; therefore he ordered the ship and merchandise to be sold, and the produce thereof to be applied towards the relief of the needy, which directions were immediately carried into execution. Another singular instance of his tender consciousness for charity was at the age of forty, when he entertained some thoughts of changing his condition. He paid his addresses to a lady, but being very timorous lest he should be hindered in his pious and charitable designs, he was determined to make a Christian trial of her temper and disposition, and therefore one morning filled his pockets with gold and silver, in order that, if any object presented itself in the course of their tour over London bridge, he might satisfy his intentions. While they were walking near St. Magnus Church, a woman in extreme misery, with twins in her lap, sat begging; and, as he and his intended lady were arm-in-arm, he beheld the wretched object, put his hand in his pocket, and took out a handful of gold and silver, casting it into the poor woman's lap. The lady being greatly alarmed at such profuse generosity, colored prodigiously; so that, when they were gone a little further towards the bridge-foot, she turned to him, and said, "Sir, do you know what you did a few minutes ago?" "Madam," replied Mr. Colston, "I never let my right hand know what my left hand doeth." He then took his leave of her, and for this reason never married to the day of his death, although he lived to the age of eighty-five.
True generosity prioritizes helping the poor over personal enjoyment of wealth.
The benevolent John Howard, well known for his philanthropy, especially his attention to prisoners, having settled his accounts at the close of a particular year, and found a balance in his favor, proposed to his wife to make use of it in a journey to London, or in any other excursion she chose. "What a pretty cottage for a poor family it would build!" was her answer. This charitable hint met with his cordial approbation, and the money was laid out accordingly.
A wealthy man's fortune is truly found in the hands of the needy he helped.
When a gentleman who had been accustomed to give away some thousands was supposed to be at the point of death, his presumptive heir inquired where his fortune was to be found. To whom he answered, "that it was in the pockets of the indigent."
Even the poor can show generosity by sharing their limited resources with others.
A correspondent of the Philadelphia Native American, writes as follows:
The last time I was in Boston, in passing down Hanover, below Fleet-street, I saw a son of Africa sitting on a pile of wood just sawed, and eating, apparently with a keen relish, some fragments of bread which had just been given him for his work. I should probably have passed him without further notice, had I not been struck with the appearance of a woman who was standing a little distance from him, and watching his operations with eager interest. She was a white woman, dressed in the thin garb of poverty, who, in spite of her emaciated and care-worn countenance, looked like one who had seen better days. Curious to know what interest she could take in his movements,
I stopped a moment to watch them.
The wood-sawyer, noticing her fixed look, asked her what she wanted.
Pointing to his meal, spread upon the log, she replied, "I have not eaten so much as that in two weeks."
"Well, sit down here, and take a bite," said the kind-hearted negro;
"although I ain't rich, I am generous."
With tears in her eyes, that seemed just before already sealed up from weeping, she drew near the humble table.
I did not interfere to deprive the woodsawyer of the pleasure of completing his generous act (for generous it was in him to share his only meal with another), but after privately slipping a piece of money into the poor woman's hand, I continued my walk.
But I could not shut out the scene from my thoughts, and the words of the
African, "not rich but generous," kept ringing in my ears. If riches consist in the means of happiness, what a fund of wealth has a man, whom God has blessed with a sympathizing heart: for where is there greater happiness than in blessing another! Many a man that prefaced his sumptuous dinner with a long grace, found no richer blessings at his table, that day, than did the wood-sawyer upon his log.
A sick, poor couple sacrificially gave money to support a mission despite their needs.
The Rev. Mr. Holmes, at a Home Missionary meeting in New-York, related the following circumstance:—
Being appointed an agent of this society, I visited one of the towns of
Massachusetts, and was accompanied by the minister to a wretched hovel a some distance from the village. It appeared scarcely habitable. We entered, and my name and message were announced to an old and very feeble man, who was lying on a bed of sickness, and, as it proved, of death. His aged wife was also bowing down over the grave. "Before you speak of the agency," said the old man, "I wish you to pray with me; for I am very feeble and full of pain." His request was granted, and the agency afterwards introduced. "My wife," said the aged Christian, "I think we cannot do much, but we must do something for this object. How much shall we give?" The feeble woman replied, "I shall approve of whatever you think proper." "Then go," said the dying saint, "and bring ten dollars." She went, returned, and stooping down over the wretched, hard bed, said, "Mr. Well, I've brought fifteen dollars, and there's enough left to pay for the flour and those other little things." O sir, said Mr. Holmes, that I could bring the hovel and the bed, and the man and his wife, and place them here before the eyes of this vast assembly, and we should never scarcely need to ask for more money.
Slaves joyfully gave small gifts to support gospel missions despite their poverty.
In the year 1813, says the Rev. J. Campbell, after having visited several nations in the interior of Africa, beyond the colony of the Cape of Good Hope, when returning, I halted at the town of Paarl, within thirty-six miles of Cape Town. Here I was requested by friends to relate publicly the state of the nations in the interior of Africa. About one hundred free persons, with some slaves, attended. At the close, several hundred rixdollars were contributed by the white friends present for the Missionary Society.
After the whites had all left the house, a slave woman and her daughter called upon me, and said, "Sir, will you take any thing from a poor slave, to help to send the gospel to the poor things beyond us?" On my saying, "Most certainly I will," she gave me eight pence, and her daughter fourpence. Having done so, they hastily went out clapping their hands, and ran to some slave men who were waiting to hear the result. On hearing from her that cheerfully took subscriptions from slaves, they rushed into my room, and every one threw down all that he had, to send the gospel to the poor things beyond them!
The immediate cause of this was—
their masters had lately built a place of worship for them, where missionaries, when they happened to be in the town, preached to them; and some of their masters would at times read a sermon to them. These tastes of instruction made them desirous that the nations beyond should be favored with the same advantage.
A poor African slave gave a handmade broom to support spreading the gospel.
MAKER.—Mr. Hooper, one of the assistant missionaries to the Choctaw Nation, relates in his journal the following affecting instance of benevolence while at Steubenville:—"What most of all affected our hearts was, that a poor African, who, it is believed, is a devout servant of God, came forward, and gave a coat, obtained by making brooms after performing his task in the field. Mr.
M'Curdy informed us, that both that man and his wife are praying souls. They are slaves. O! is it not truly animating, is it not enough to touch the tenderest sensibilities of the soul, to see an Ethiopian in such circumstances, thus moved at hearing the Macedonian cry, and thus extending the hand of charity?
Should every professed disciple of Christ make such sacrifices as did this poor
African, at no distant period would the precious gospel be preached to all nations.
Greenland natives gave valuable items to aid persecuted Christian Indians in America.
In a very early period of the Moravian mission in Greenland, the
Christian natives of that country were told of the demolition of the Indian congregation at Guadenhutten, in Pennsylvania; they wept bitterly, and at once commenced efforts for their relief. One said, "I have a fine reindeer skin, which I will give." Another, "And I a pair of new reindeer boots, which I will send." "And I," said a third,
"will send them a seal, that they may have something to eat and to burn."
Their contributions were accepted and sent. Their hearts had been shut by avarice, but the grace of Christ opened them.
A minister's wife sacrificed a tombstone purchase to fund a missionary school.
A minister in Illinois, on receiving the sad news that the Ceylon missionaries had been obliged, in consequence of the curtailment of funds, to dismiss five thousand scholars from their schools, and that twenty-five dollars would resuscitate a school, resolved to try and raise that sum in his society.
They were a little band, and had already done what they thought they could for Foreign Missions.
He went before his people, related the melancholy intelligence, and told them that he would give five dollars, if they could raise the remaining twenty. The sum was contributed in a few minutes. He then went home and informed his partner of the result. He found that she, too, had been revolving in her mind how she could raise a similar sum. "Well," said her husband, "if you will give up one gratification, you may." It seems they had recently lost a child, and had sent on an order to New-York for a tombstone, which would cost twenty-five dollars. He proposed to dispense with it. Trying though this was to her maternal feelings, she immediately consented, saying that the living children demanded her money more than the one that was dead.
The order was countermanded, and a school in Ceylon was, of course, resuscitated.
Skelton gave away his books and money to help the poor despite personal inconvenience.
The salary of the Rev. Philip Skelton, an Irish clergyman, arising from the discharge of his ministerial duties and from tuition, was very small; and yet he gave the larger part of it away, scarcely allowing himself to appear in decent clothing. Returning one Lord's day from public worship, he came to a cabin where an awful fire had occurred. Two children had been burnt to death, and a third showed but faint signs of life. Seeing the poor people had no linen with which to dress the child's sores, he tore his linen from his back piece by piece for their use; and cheerfully submitted to the inconvenience to which it exposed him. Some time after this, when a scarcity of food was felt around him, he sold his library, though his books were the only companions of his solitude, and spent the money in the purchase of provisions for the poor. Some ladies hearing of this, sent him fifty pounds, that he might again obtain several of his most valued works; but while he gratefully acknowledged their kindness, he said he had dedicated the books to God, and then applied the fifty pounds also to the relief of the poor.
A widow gave her deceased daughter's saved portion to help others in need.
The Rev. Mr. Rogers, of this country, attended by an officer of the church, called one morning at the house of an excellent woman a widow, who had recently lost, by death, a pious and beloved daughter. As her circumstances were narrow, little was expected from her. Indeed they called upon her chiefly to testify their respect, and to avoid the imputation of either forgetting her person, or despising her mite. To their great surprise, however, when their errand was made known, she presented to them, with much promptness and cordiality, a sum which, for her, was very large—so large, indeed, that they felt and expressed some scruples about accepting it it. She put an end to the difficulty, by saying, with much decision, "You must take it all: I had laid it up as a portion for my daughter; and I am determined that He who has my daughter shall have her portion too."
John Wesley refused to keep silver plate, giving all he had to feed the hungry.
HIS BENEVOLENCE.—In the year 1776, the Rev. John Wesley received the following letter, in consequence of a recent resolution of the government, that circulars should be sent to all persons who were suspected of having plate, on which they had not paid duty:—
"Reverend Sir,—As the commissioners cannot doubt that you have plate for which you have hitherto neglected to make an entry, they have directed me to send you a copy of the lords' order, and to inform you that they expect that you forthwith make the entry of all your plate, such entry to bear date from the commencement of the plate duty, or from such time as you have owned, used, had, or kept any quantity of silver plate, chargeable by the act of parliament; as in default thereof, the board will be obliged to signify your refusal to their lordships.
"N. B. An immediate answer is desired."
Mr. Wesley replied as follows:—
"Sir,—I have two silver tea-spoons at London, and two at Bristol: this is all the plate which I have at present; and I shall not buy any more while so many around me want bread. I am, sir, your most humble servant,
"JOHN WESLEY."
Perhaps there never was a more charitable man than Mr. Wesley. His liberality knew no bounds, but an empty pocket. He gave away not merely a certain part of his income, but all that he had: his own wants being provided for, he devoted all the rest to the necessities of others. He entered upon this good work at a very early period. We are told, that when he had thirty pounds a year, he lived on twenty-eight, and gave away forty shillings. The next year, receiving sixty pounds, he still lived on twenty-eight, and gave away two-and-thirty. The third year he received ninety pounds, and gave away sixty-two. The fourth year he received one hundred and twenty pounds. Still he lived on twenty-eight, and gave to the poor ninety-two. During the rest of his life he lived economically; and, in the course of fifty years, it has been supposed, he gave away more than thirty thousand pounds.
John Fox gave all he had to the poor, dying with no money left.
John Fox, the celebrated author of the "Book of Martyrs," was remarkable for his liberality to the poor. What was sometimes offered him by the rich, (for he was himself sometimes distressed,) he accepted, but immediately gave it to those who had less than himself. So entirely did he give of his goods to the poor, that when he died, he possessed no ready money. This benevolence was maintained by a sense of the love of Christ, and was shown with a view to his glory. A friend once inquiring of him, if he recollected a poor man, whom he was accustomed to
39. 40 relieve, he replied, "Yes, I remember him well, and would willingly forget lords and ladies to remember such as him."
# 40. Beneficence with Rule and System.
Oberlin faithfully gave three tithes of all he had to God and the poor.
John Frederic Oberlin, a minister of the Gospel in France, happening to read one day, with more attention than usual, the accounts of the tithes in the Books of Moses, was so struck with some of them, as to resolve from that moment to devote three tithes of all he possessed to the service of God and the poor. The resolution was no sooner made than put into execution, for whatever Oberlin conceived it to be his duty to do, he conscientiously and without delay set about it. From that period till the end of his life, even during the most calamitous seasons of the Revolution, he always scrupulously adhered to the plan, and often said that he abounded in wealth.
Mrs. Graham promptly gave a tenth of unexpected profit to charitable causes.
Mrs. Graham, of New-York, made it a rule to appropriate a tenth part of her earnings to be expended for pious and charitable purposes; she had taken a lease of two lots of ground, in Greenwich-street, from the Corporation of Trinity Church, with the view of building a house on them for her own accommodation: the building, however, she never commenced: by a sale which her son-in-law, Mr. Bethune, made of the lease in 1795, for her, she got an advance of one thousand pounds. So large a profit was new to her. "Quick, quick," said she, "let me appropriate the tenth before my heart grows hard." What fidelity in duty! What distrust of herself! Fifty pounds of this money she sent to Mr. Mason, in aid of the funds he was collecting for the establishment of a theological seminary.
Mr. Cobb vowed to give increasing portions of his profits to charity as wealth grew.
Nathaniel Ripley Cobb, of Boston, displayed the character of a Christian merchant in all its varieties of excellence. He was one of the few noble-hearted men of wealth whose affluence is constantly proved by their munificence. Yet it was not always from what is strictly denominated affluence that he was so benevolent, inasmuch as the vows of God were upon him that he would never become rich; and he redeemed the holy pledge which he had given, by consecrating his gains to the Lord. In November, 1821, he drew up the following remarkable document:—
"By the grace of God, I will never be worth more than fifty thousand dollars.
"By the grace of God I will give one-fourth of the nett profits of my business to charitable and religious uses.
"If I am ever worth twenty thousand dollars, I will give one half of my nett profits; and if I am ever worth thirty thousand, I will give three-fourths; and the whole after fifty thousand dollars.
"So help me God; or give to a more faithful steward, and set me aside. N. R. Cobb, Nov. 1821."
He adhered to this covenant with strict fidelity. At one time, finding his property had increased beyond fifty thousand dollars, he at once devoted the surplus, seven thousand five hundred, as a foundation for a professorship in the Newton Institution for the education of Christian ministers, to which, on various occasions during his short life, he gave at least twice that amount. He was a generous friend to many young men, whom he assisted in establishing themselves in business, and to many who were unfortunate.
