,prize ,essay4  ,,the ,,faithful        
,,steward2  ,or ,systematic ,beneficence
 an ,essential of ,christian ,character4
  by  ,,rev4 ,,sereno ,d4 ,,clark4      
,,publisher',s ,,advertisement4  ,the   
following is from the ,circular of the  
,committee of ,award1 signed ,,thomas   
,s4 ,,williams1 ,,william ,r4           
,,williams1 ,r4 ,t4 ,,haines4  ,the     
committee selected to award a premium of
 #bej for 'the best approved treatise on
 the importance of ,systematic          
,beneficence1 and of statedly           
appropriating certain portions of income
 for benevolent objects1' report1 that  
they have examined one hundred and      
seventy-two manuscripts submitted to    
them1 several of which are large        
treatises1 and a number marked by       
distinguished merit4  ,they selected    
four1 as in their judgment superior to  
the rest4  ,of these four1 each was     
found to have its peculiar excellencies 
and adaptation to usefulness--this in   
one walk1 and that in another4          

,literary merit1 thoroughness of        
discussion1 and a spiritual and         
practical character1 each and all       
necessary1 in their measure1 to render a
 composition ',,the ,,best' in the sense
 of the original offer of the donor1 are
 to be found blended1 in various        
proportions1 in these several treatises1
 and rendered the task of decision the  
more embarrassing4  ,the committee were 
thus unable to select any one1 two1 or  
three1 as on the whole preferable to the
 remainder of these four4  ,they        
therefore awarded the premium1 which the
 benevolent donor has increased to #djj1
 to be divided equally among these four 
manuscripts2 one of which is here       
offered to the public4     ,,contents4  
,,part ,i4  ,introduction4--,systematic 
,beneficence argued4--,nature    of such
 a ,system1  ,,part ,,ii4  ,distinction 
between a ,general and ,particular      
,system4    --,two ,questions discussed4
  #a4 ,what is the proportional         
amount of property or income to be given

 individually    in charitable          
contributions2 together with the        
principle    on which the amount is to  
be ascertained8  #b4 ,how    frequently 
should stated contributions be made8    
--,the method of previous appropriations
 discussed1 and    the duty enforced1   
,,part ,,iii4  ,the ,general ,system    
given in detail4--#a4 ,it must consist  
of intellectual views1 their            
inculcation1 and harmonizing            
affections and desires4  #b4 ,of general
 purposes and    resolutions4  #c4 ,of  
correspondent actions4--,the adoption   
of the ,individual ,system              
urged4--,systematic    ,beneficence an  
essential of ,christian character1      
,,conclusion4  ,an ,address to professed
 ,christians4--,an ,address to the      
,rich4--,an ,address to the ,young1     
,,the ,,faithful ,,steward4  ,,part ,i4 
,,god ,,is ,,love4  ,perfectly blessed  
in ,himself1 he desired that other      
intelligences should participate in his 
own holy felicity4  ,this was his       

primary motive in creating moral beings4
  ,they were made in his own            
image--framed to resemble him in their  
intellectual and moral capacities1 and  
to imitate him in the spirit of their   
deportment4  ,whatever good they        
enjoyed1 like him1 they were to desire  
that others might enjoy it with them2   
and thus all were to be bound together  
by mutual sympathy1--linked to ,himself1
 and to one another2 otherwise1 they    
would not resemble their ,great         
,original1 either in feeling or conduct4
  ,but intelligent beings1 unlike       
,himself1 ,jehovah1 in consistency with 
his holy character1 could never purpose 
to create4  ,he thus must eternally     
abhor the covetous2 and hence1 with all 
the strength of his infinite nature1    
threaten them with everlasting death4   
,how glorious this idea of creation1 and
 how beautiful the universe             
produced6--the whole mantled in the     
effulgence of the eternal throne2 the   
,sovereign ,creator upholding all ranks 

of intelligences in the hollow of his   
hand1 and pouring into their bosoms the 
fullness of his own fruition2 while     
their hearts1 in turn1 rise to the      
,source of their being in sweetest      
incense of joy and praise2 each burning 
with a seraph's love to communicate his 
own overflowing enjoyments to those     
around him4  ,well might the morning    
stars have sung together when such a    
universe awoke to being4  ,the greatest 
good1 the richest possession1 then1 of  
an intelligent being1 is a  soul in     
harmony with this original design of    
creation--a oneness of principle1 of    
feeling1 and interest1 with ,god2 in    
other words1 disinterested benevolence4 
,truly1 ,it is more blessed to give than
 to receive2 for without the good will  
the generous deed implies1 whatever else
 we have1 we must have sorrow4  ,but how
 little of this spirit is evinced by man
 in his fallen state4 ,those ties of    
love1 that bound us to our ,creator and 
to one another1 are sundered2 as a race1

 severed from the governing ,centre of  
all1 each has chosen a centre for       
himself1 and is moving on in darkness   
and ruin2 selfishness the rule1         
self-interest the end4  ,benevolence is 
not1 therefore1 natural to man4  ,to    
practise it requires the greatest       
effort2 it is reascending to that lofty 
height whence we have fallen4  ,hence   
the importance of ,system in the great  
work of beneficence4  ,system in action 
implies a principle from which it       
proceeds4 ,fluctuating opinions and     
feelings produce fickleness of conduct2 
while settled convictions1 stability of 
affections1 and fixedness of purpose1   
give birth to persevering and methodical
 action4  ,a system of beneficence must 
be founded on abiding principles and    
dispositions4  ,i proceed to show in the
 first place1 the ,duty of ,systematic  
,beneficence thus founded4  ,i4  ,i     
argue the duty of systematic beneficence
 from the analogy of nature4  ,the      
,author of nature is the perfection of  

order4  ,whatever he does1 he does      
systematically4  ,he proceeded in the   
great work of creation with regularity4 
,order moulded the planets1 and every   
star that gems the evening sky2 it      
launched them forth in their orbits1 and
 guides their glorious way1 producing   
the music of the spheres4  ,order       
stretched the very layers of the        
everlasting rocks like ribs around the  
earth1 and shaped the crystals of the   
cavern4  ,there is order in the         
structure of every spire of grass1 of   
every flower and shrub1 of every tree   
and trembling leaf2 in the mechanism of 
every animal1 from man in his godlike   
attitude1 to the smallest microscopic   
tribes4  ,all organic existences are    
preserved in being1 nurtured1 grow and  
mature1 according to certain laws4      
,even the winds1 that stir the petals of
 the flowers1 breathing fragrance and   
health1 and the tornado1 that bows the  
forest and dashes navies1 obey          
established principles4  ,now1 shall    

there be order all around me1 and in my 
physical frame1 in the flowing blood1 in
 the heaving lungs1 and chiseled limbs1 
while the accountable actions of this   
finely-knit and symmetrical form1       
especially the loftiest actions for     
which it was made1 the diffusion of     
good1 are exempted from this universal  
law8  ,such an exception1 how           
incongruous6  ,it would be an           
excrescence on the very vitals of       
nature4  ,,ii4   ,from the              
characteristic of ,divine beneficence4  
,the supply of our physical necessities 
and comforts comes in the order of those
 natural laws already referred to4      
,social and civil blessings result from 
certain principles of mental1 moral1 and
 political science4  ,method is equally 
characteristic of our spiritual         
blessings4  ,no sooner had man fallen1  
than ,god began to unfold the remedial  
scheme4  ,but he is influenced by no    
impulses in accomplishing the wondrous  
plan4  ,he rushes not to the result with

 an impetuosity indicative of a zeal    
that flames along its course            
uncontrolled by reason4  ,but there is a
 steadiness of onward movement1 showing 
that unwavering principles of order     
preside over all his proceedings4  ,the 
world1 the intelligent universe1 must be
 prepared for such a stupendous event as
 the incarnation and death of the ,son  
of ,god2 prophecies1 promises1 types1   
and ritual institutions must gradually  
open the scheme1 ere the final          
development could be suitably made4     
,after forty centuries of preparation1  
,christ came2 and yet years must pass   
away1 before1 in that order of events   
which ,god had established1 the crowning
 event of all could occur1--the         
propitiatory sacrifice be offered up4   
,in extending the kingdom thus founded1 
the same order1 the same adaptation of  
means to ends1 is observable4  ,the word
 of ,god1 the ,sabbath1 the sanctuary1  
the workings of the ,holy ,spirit1 and  
the co-operation of the individual      

reason and conscience1 are all linked   
consecutively to each other1 or work in 
beautiful harmony together4  ,thus1     
throughout the entire scheme of         
spiritual blessings1 reaching from the  
opening promise of a ,saviour to the    
incarnation2 and from the incarnation to
 the judgment2 and onward to eternity1  
everything is done systematically4      
,this is the result of the unchanging   
principles of the ,divine ,mind4 ,they  
grow with a steady heat1 equally        
prompting him to activity at every      
moment4  ,hence1 like the sun shining in
 its strength1 ,god sends down          
unweariedly the rays of his love1 both  
on the evil and on the good1 crowning   
their days with loving-kindness and     
tender mercies4  ,indeed1 should the    
ardor of his love cool1 or the hand of  
his power or grace be withdrawn but for 
a single moment1 all our hopes would be 
dashed1 our very existence cease4  ,from
 this characteristic of the ,divine     
beneficence1 the inference is           

irresistible4  ,if man is bound by the  
condition of his being1 to imitate ,god 
in his moral character and conduct1 he  
must cherish the same abiding principles
 of benevolence1 and carry the same     
steady hand in diffusing good4  ,the    
ardor of his love may never cool2 his   
hand of charity never weary4  ,he must  
be god-like4  ,with permanency and      
uniformity of conduct1 imitative of his 
own1 our ,holy ,sovereign will be well  
pleased4  ,but with him who is wavering 
in his principles2 vacillating and      
impulsive in his purposes of good2 at   
one time toiling for others with the    
utmost earnestness1 and then1 forgetful 
of their wants and woes for months      
together1 he must be displeased4  ,how  
unlike our ,great ,exemplar4  ,he was   
always doing good4  ,the labor of his   
life was love4  ,reader1 would you      
please your compassionate ,savior8  ,go1
 and do likewise4  ,,iii4  ,from the    
necessity of system to success in any   
kind of business4 ,one cannot accumulate

 wealth1 acquire learning1 rise to      
distinction in any of the professions or
 trades without system4  ,even the      
pleasures of life depend much on        
regularity2 otherwise they cloy and     
become insipid4 ,he1 who is unsteady in 
his habits1 now indulging in ease1 and  
now straining every muscle2 who1 as some
 excitement arouses him1--such perhaps  
as the fresh inculcation of economy and 
industry1 flares up and bustles about1  
resolves that his business shall        
henceforth be prosecuted with vigor and 
managed with precision1 and in a few    
days relapses into his old1 careless1   
inefficient habits1 heedless alike of   
prudence and precept1 gives little      
promise of success in any department of 
life4  ,or should one be perseveringly  
industrious1 but suffer his affairs to  
lie in confusion1 like the material     
world at its birth1 he would be deemed  
at best but a busy-body4  ,if he intends
 to succeed1 he must have some          
established principles and a fixedness  

of purpose1 which will prompt to        
accuracy and method1 would be the       
universal decision of the wise4  ,this  
is reasoning correctly4  ,but must men  
practise on system in providing the     
means of personal supply and            
gratification2 while in the ,divine work
 of relieving the sorrows and wants of  
others1 all system is matter of         
indifference8  ,is order so important in
 the accumulation of property2 while the
 diffusion of it1 in obedience to ,god's
 commands1 may be safely left to the    
spontaneous impulses of feeling8  ,the  
more important any business becomes1 the
 more essential is precision in its     
management4 ,this is a universal maxim4 
,now1 as beneficence1 in its            
comprehensive import1 rises superior to 
all other employments1 so1 if it ever   
reaches its highest possible results1 it
 must be carried on systematically4     
,how often does benevolence to the poor 
fail of accomplishing all that it       
otherwise might1 were it not exerted    

irregularly2 whereas1 when proceeding in
 equable flow1 by encouraging frugality 
and economy1 it fills even the dwellings
 of poverty with comfort4  ,how much    
more efficient would our great          
benevolent societies become1 were the   
contributions of the churches uniform1  
or uniformly rising like the waters from
 the sanctuary in ,ezekiel's vision2 so 
that those who conduct them might have  
sufficient data on which to erect their 
schemes for the future4  ,it would      
infuse new life into all their          
operations2 elevate them to a loftier   
position1 from which they might stretch 
their arms around the world1 and kindle 
joys reaching to heaven4  ,besides1 is  
it not matter of personal experience1   
that when order enters into1 and        
pervades our worldly business1 we       
accomplish far more than when it is left
 to the driftings of fortune1 or to the 
mere suggestions of the mind8  ,and can 
any reason be assigned why the same     
practice should not be equally          

productive in carrying out the noblest  
work of our being8  ,thus personal      
experience in other matters observation1
 and theory1 alike teach us that the    
work of benevolence may not be left to  
the impulses of natural feeling--to the 
influence of lectures and appeals1 or   
casual stimulants4  ,it must be planted 
in principle1 and issue in regular      
contributions1 like the tree of life    
yielding her fruit every month1 if we   
would have the blessing of many ready to
 perish come upon us4  ,those who depend
 on intermittent springs are liable to  
suffer thirst4  ,,iv4  ,from the        
deep-seated depravity of the human      
heart4  ,depravity is supreme           
selfishness4  ,this1 in unregenerate    
men1 is the governing principle4        
,quick-sighted1 ever on the alert1 and  
lying1 as it does1 at the foundation of 
the active powers1 it becomes the       
propeller of the mind4  ,it leads to a  
series1 and thus substantially to a     
system1 of actions4  ,they may not      

always be rational2 yet1 as they spring 
from a fixed principle1 and proceed in  
an uninterrupted current1 they may      
properly be termed systematic4  ,hence  
the natural man feels a constant        
pressure of motives to conduct pleasing 
to himself2 and is thereby borne away on
 the maddening torrent of               
self-gratification4  ,there must be a   
counter-current2 billow must battle with
 billow4  ,the antagonist principle     
demanded is benevolence2 and antagonist 
principles1 coming in collision1 must   
press with equal force1 or one gradually
 gaining upon the other1 will eventually
 secure the victory4  ,the combatant1   
who is for a moment off his guard1 or   
ceases to struggle1 falls4  ,as         
selfishness is always awake1 benevolence
 must never slumber4  ,the latter must  
be as spirited and persevering as the   
former4  ,hence1 benevolence must be    
systematic in its operations1 or it will
 be overborne by the ever-stirring      
energies of its opponent4  ,its series  

of acts must be as continuous and       
energetic as that of selfishness1 in    
order simply to arrest the course of the
 latter2 and to make advances against   
its headlong current1 a strong          
additional force is requisite4  ,a      
system1 therefore1 one founded in the   
depths of the soul1 and bringing to its 
aid all the resources of reason and     
conscience1 is indispensable to         
efficiency in the angelic work of doing 
good4  ,system must be emblazoned on the
 banner of every benevolent society2 and
 inscribed on the brow of every man by  
nature selfish1 would he bless the world
 by his munificence4  ,especially is    
system necessary to encounter           
emergencies4  ,men of business not      
unfrequently meet with crises when their
 affairs are in a critical state4       
,numerous calls for money may come      
thronging in upon them almost           
simultaneously4  ,their nerves may      
become depressed1 and things may appear 
darker than they really are4  ,besides1 

,christians even may become             
worldly-minded1 and their religious     
affections low4  ,at such times         
benevolence will almost surely be       
submerged by the whelming tide of       
selfishness1 unless buoyed up by        
well-established system4  ,v4  ,from    
experience1 which shows the inefficiency
 of impulsive benevolence4  ,that       
liberality is sometimes the offspring of
 the kindly tendencies of our natures1  
is readily admitted4  ,god1 in making us
 social beings and helpers of each      
other's joy1 gave us susceptibilities to
 sympathetic emotions4  ,when objects of
 suffering are presented before us1 our 
sensibilities are moved1 tears flow1 and
 the hand is extended in relief4  ,but  
these emotions are short-lived4  ,the   
exciting object being removed1 they soon
 expire4  ,and though thousands have    
flowed into the treasuries of charity   
from this source1 when an accomplished  
agent1 with a soul heated to a glow with
 his theme1 has stirred the             

sensibilities of his hearers as the     
trees of the forest are rocked by the   
tempest1 or some other influence has    
violently swept the chords of the heart2
 yet it is a source of too little depth 
and durability to give vitality to the  
persevering work of beneficence1 in a   
world cankered to its center with       
corruption4  ,selfishness soon leads off
 the mind to other subjects2 so that    
contributions can be drawn from the     
natural sympathies only by the repeated 
and almost continued presentation of the
 suffering object4  ,but this course    
will ultimately defeat its own end2     
tending1 as it does1 to harden the      
heart1 and thereby to seal up the very  
fountains intended to be opened4        
,accordingly1 we find that those who    
have no plan of munificent effort1 but  
give merely as their sensibilities are  
moved1 usually contribute less and less 
as they advance in age2 their           
susceptibilities to sympathetic emotion 
becoming hardened like the road over    

which the crushing wheel has rolled for 
years4  ,hence1 though the product of   
impulsive benevolence may sometimes be  
bountiful1 yet when we contemplate its  
workings for any lengthened period1 its 
fruits are found neither uniform nor    
abundant4  ,the soil is too thin for    
enduring fertility4  ,we find this      
exemplified in our churches where no    
system of charity is adopted4  ,for want
 of stated times for contributions to   
the different objects1 they are apt to  
be forgotten or neglected4  ,they whose 
duty it is to make the appointments1 are
 engaged in other cares2 time whirls on2
 the year passes away1 and no collection
 is made4  ,or if a few objects receive 
occasional attention1 others are passed 
over for years altogether2 proving to a 
moral demonstration1 that what is done  
irregularly in the work of beneficence1 
is ill done4  ,to this1 the agents of   
our benevolent societies passing through
 our churches1 can bear sorrowful       
testimony4--,the same is true of the    

individual4  ,every one knows that what 
falls not into his regular routine of   
duties1 is apt to slide from the memory4
  ,this is peculiarly true of           
benevolence1 for selfishness helps us to
 forget2 and it the contribution come to
 our recollection1 we are not ready to  
give just then2 some debt must be first 
paid1 some convenience purchased1 or    
some other urgent call attended to4     
,thus he1 who has no system in the      
bestowment of his bounties1 is always   
finding excuses to turn off the edge of 
arguments and the force of appeals2     
though perhaps with the resolution of   
giving liberally at some future period4 
,here lies his greatest danger4  ,the   
resolution satisfies his conscience2 and
 while resting upon it1 the opportunity 
to contribute passes away1 and souls are
 lost2 whereas1 had he acted on         
principle1 the donation1 though         
inconvenient would have been made1 and  
souls saved4  ,such is not unfrequently 
the mournful termination of impulsive   

benevolence4  ,tears may be shed over   
the anguish wrought2 but tears cannot   
remedy the evil2 this must flow on in   
wailing and woe forever4 ,but it may be 
prevented by the timely admonitions of  
experience4  ,for that selfishness can  
be suppressed1 and benevolence          
sustained1 only by the strong hand of   
principle and systematic effort1 is the 
voice of ages4  ,,vi4  ,from ,scripture4
  ,all duties enjoined in the           
,scriptures1 if contemplated in their   
principles1 will be found subjected to  
the control of reason2 and1 if they lie 
under the control of reason1 they must  
be conducted methodically4  ,all acts of
 worship1 from the first requisition of 
,divine homage given in ,eden1 onward   
through the successive generations of   
the patriarchs1 were to be performed    
with decency and in order4  ,the ,mosaic
 economy was one of the most rigid      
exactness4  ,the ritual prescribed to   
the ,jews required the utmost method4   
,the same law held in regard to the     

payment of tithes and their multiplied  
gifts to the ,lord4  ,this precision1   
with which every one must be struck in  
reading the ,old ,testament1 is         
doubtless designed for the instruction  
of all succeeding times4  ,but what is  
its peculiar lesson to us8  ,it1 at     
least1 shows us that ,god is pleased    
with regularity in the conduct of his   
people2 and not less in their beneficent
 transactions than in the discharge of  
their other duties4  ,the same principle
 of order is transferred to ,gospel     
times4  ,here1 there may be liberty1 but
 there must be regularity4  ,this is    
taught in that general commendation of  
,paul to the ,colossian christians for  
the order and steadfastness that        
rejoiced him4  7,col4 ii4 #e47  ,but if 
regularity in other things is pleasing  
to ,god under the ,new ,dispensation1   
why is it not in this divinest work of  
an intelligent being8  ,this is         
specifically shown in the injunction of 
,paul to the ,corinthians199#a ,cor4    

,xvi4 #b4 for each one to lay by him in 
store on the first day of the week1 as  
,god had prospered him4  ,now1 without  
pushing this text to extremes1 and      
affirming that the ,holy ,ghost intended
 to require of all christians in all    
circumstances and in all ages1 to       
contribute a portion of their substance 
in charity every ,sabbath1 the passage  
most distinctly shows that ,god is      
pleased with systematic                 
benevolence--with stated appropriations 
of income to objects of munificence4    
,as order is nature's first law1 so it  
is of the ,scriptures4  ,system in our  
benefactions is thus clearly a duty     
devolving on all4  ,it is alike the     
voice within and the voice from heaven4 
,it cannot be neglected without imminent
 peril4  ,it is a subject of vital      
interest4 ,it must be deeply pondered4  
,it must be earnestly prayed over4  ,the
 great idea must enter1 like a consuming
 fire1 into the very heart's core1 and  
inflaming it with zeal1 bring forth     

fruit an hundred fold to the ,lord4     
,one thing more4  ,every man is bound to
 make the most of his being4  ,all his  
powers1 both of body and of mind1 are to
 be taxed to the utmost1 and exerted in 
the most effective manner4  ,each duty1 
without intrenching on others1 should be
 performed in such a way1 as best to    
secure the end aimed at in the          
obligation4  ,manner may not be         
disregarded4  ,if there is reason to    
believe that the end contemplated in the
 obligation to beneficence may be best  
reached by a course of systematic       
effort1 the very fact should lead to its
 immediate adoption4  ,at the close of  
the preceding arguments1 without        
reasoning in a circle1 this may be      
adduced as a consideration of no small  
force1 inducing every one to cast about 
him1 and solemnly consider whether he is
 conducting his charities in the most   
efficient method2 manner and spirit     
being as binding as the generous deed   
itself4  ,and on this principle1 every  

precept1 promise1 and example of        
revelation1 enforcing benevolence1 is   
really a precept1 promise1 and example1 
arousing to systematic benevolence4     
,the same is true of the various        
incentives to this glorious work1       
offered in the ensuing pages2 and in    
this light let the reader regard them4  
,in the second place1 what is the       
,nature of a ,scriptural ,system of     
,beneficence8  ,this is an important    
inquiry4  ,every system1 as we have     
seen1 must be founded in principle--a   
principle rooted in the active powers1  
resting down upon the main-springs of   
the soul1 so as to be moved forward by  
all the mental energies combined4  ,but 
it must not only rest on principle2 it  
must rest on right principle4  ,the     
moral character of a system depends on  
the character of the moral feelings from
 which it rises2 and it is the moral    
character of any scheme of action1      
which1 under the government of ,god1    
gives it permanent efficiency2 for to   

succeed1 it must have his co-operation  
and aid4  ,besides1 a system of         
benevolence is designed to combat the   
selfishness of the heart2 a principle1  
strong1 subtle1 insidious1 and          
developing itself in ten thousand       
different ways4  ,diametrical opposition
 to this1 therefore1 must be its leading
 characteristic4  ,the natural          
sympathies1 and conscience1 and reason1 
must1 indeed1 be enlisted in its        
service2 but all these united are       
insufficient to support enduringly a    
system of munificence against this      
formidable antagonist4  ,for selfishness
 may entirely submerge the sympathies1  
so that he who can weep with his        
bereaved neighbor at the grave of his   
child1 may1 with the malignity of a     
fiend1 be inwardly pleased at the death 
of an enemy4  ,selfishness may so       
control the conscience1 that it will    
utter no upbraiding accents2 and so     
bewilder the keen-sightedness of reason1
 that one may put darkness for light1   

and bitter for sweet1 and sin for       
holiness1 while complacently feeling    
that he is standing on the everlasting  
hills of truth4  ,neither the natural   
sympathies1 nor conscience1 nor reason1 
then1 can form the substantial basis of 
a system of action which is to battle   
with the selfishness of the human heart4
  ,it must be informed with a higher and
 nobler principle4  ,holy love is such a
 principle4 ,this1 in its very nature1  
is superior to all other affections of  
the soul4  ,the object on which it is   
fastened is the ,great ,supreme1 and all
 other objects disappear before it1 as  
the stars before the morning sun4 ,a    
system1 then1 inwrought with this       
heaven-born principle1 controlling1     
quickening1 inspiring all the moral     
energies of the soul1 may resist this   
mighty foe of the heart2 and it forms   
the only insuperable bulwark to his     
malignant inroads4  ,this position      
accords with the ,scriptures4 ,they     
approve of no external act1 only as it  

proceeds from a holy heart2 otherwise1  
they stamp it as self-righteousness or  
superstition4  ,a system of benevolent  
action1 resting on any other foundation1
 falls under the same condemnation2 it  
contains no element of life1 nothing    
truly pleasing to ,god4  ,men may       
endeavor to find other bases on which to
 rear schemes of charity2 they may bring
 to the task the most penetrating       
sagacity1 and traverse again and again  
the secret windings of the mind1 to find
 some other lurking principle which can 
resist and subdue the batteries of      
covetousness2 but all their efforts will
 be vain4  ,whatever they may erect will
 be built upon the sand2 the winds and  
floods will sweep it away4  ,there is no
 foundation which can withstand the     
underminings of the depraved heart1 and 
the shocks of a depraved world1 but the 
rock of holy love4    ,,part ,,ii4      
,systematic beneficence is capable of a 
twofold division4  ,there is a general  
or universal system1 binding            

indiscriminately and equally on all of  
every rank and condition2 and a         
particular system adapted alone to the  
circumstances of each individual4  ,the 
latter stands related to the former1 as 
the edifice to the foundation on which  
it rests4  ,this distinction must be    
kept clearly before mind1 if we would   
have definite views of our obligations  
relative to this important subject4  ,in
 the ensuing discussion1 ,i shall       
confine myself mainly to the general    
system2 believing that if ,god's people 
are correct in sentiment1 rooted and    
grounded in moral and christian         
principles1 they will be substantially  
correct in practise4  ,and as the       
particular or individual system grows1  
by a moral necessity1 out of the other  
when fully embraced1 being1 in fact1    
involved in the practical part of it1 ,i
 propose to give but occasional hints   
concerning it4   ,practically           
considered1 a system of beneficence     
consists in two things3 the amount of   

property bestowed1 and the frequency of 
stated gifts to the ,lord4  ,before     
detailing in full1 therefore1 the       
general system of beneficence1 these two
 questions must be thoroughly           
discussed--#a4  ,what is the            
proportional amount of property or      
income to be given in charitable        
contributions8  #b4  ,how frequently    
should stated contributions be made8    
,the first of these is a point the most 
difficult for the depraved heart to     
reach4  ,self-interest clamors most     
loudly for the smallest sum possible4   
,her whole strength must here be        
encountered4  ,but selfishness1 properly
 so called1 has nothing to do with the  
question4 ,the rule determining the     
amount must be fixed upon1 not only     
entirely without her aid1 but in direct 
opposition to her insidious suggestions4
 ,it must also be a rule growing out of 
those principles which take hold of1 and
 bind the conscience2 and therefore     
clearly taught in the ,bible4 ,this is a

 consideration which may not be         
overlooked4  ,if we endeavor to deduce a
 rule from principles not found nor     
recognized in the ,scriptures1 the      
influence will be disastrous2 we shall  
rather strengthen1 than weaken1 the     
covetous tendencies of the heart4  ,it  
has appeared to some of vast importance 
to fix upon a definite amount of income 
as each one's yearly contribution4  ,a  
tenth has been named as the proportion  
divinely approved1 in imitation of      
,jacob's vow to give a tenth to ,god of 
all that he should receive at his hand2 
and because the ,jews were required to  
pay a tithe of their yearly increase for
 the support of the ,levites4           
,arguments have been adduced to show    
that this ratio in charity is obligatory
 on all2 at the same time1 it has been  
acknowledged not to be enjoined in the  
,new ,testament4  ,we think1 however1   
the ground untenable2 and all efforts to
 designate this or any other fixed      
proportion as universally binding1 both 

inexpedient and unscriptural4  ,in the  
first place1 it would not be equal4  ,an
 alleged requisition1 not pressing      
equally upon all in its ordinary        
operations1 cannot rise out of the      
necessary relations of the spiritual    
universe1 and therefore is not essential
 to a moral government4  ,it can be made
 obligatory on the conscience only by a 
positive precept from the ,great        
,lawgiver himself4 ,but no ratio of     
income1 universally applicable can be   
assigned1 pressing equally upon all4    
,while one's income may be large1 his   
debts may likewise be large4  ,another's
 health may be feeble1 his family       
numerous1 and his expenses great2 while 
his neighbor's constitution may be      
vigorous1 his family small1 and his     
necessary expenditures few4  ,thus      
circumstances may render it a greater   
sacrifice for some to give a twentieth1 
a fiftieth1 or even an hundredth of     
their income1 than for others to bestow 
one half1 or indeed1 the whole of it1   

and thousands besides4  ,one's entire   
possessions must be taken into the      
calculation4  ,take a simple case4  ,two
 men start in business together2 both   
plan and toil for ten years4  ,one has  
an expensive family1 parents to         
maintain1 children to support and       
educate2 he has been withal unfortunate1
 and has laid up scarcely a thousand    
dollars4  ,the other has no family1 has 
prospered and accumulated ten thousand4 
,the eleventh year ,providence smiles   
upon both alike2 the income of each is a
 thousand dollars4  ,now1 would it be   
equal to require of both respectively a 
hundred in charity8  ,nor can any ratio 
of standing property and income combined
 be designated1 ensuring equality4      
,though this might approximate towards  
equalizing the burden1 still the same or
 similar causes would prevent a uniform 
pressure4  ,besides1 calls on our       
benevolence are not always equally loud 
or imperious2 and therefore1 with the   
same means1 more is demanded on some    

occasions than others4  ,undoubtedly    
there is a certain amount of property1  
which1 taking into view the whole circle
 of one's relations1 he ought to        
contribute in charity4  ,it is by no    
means contended that one cannot fix upon
 a definite amount for himself4  ,this  
he may and should do4  ,all that we aver
 is1 that no general rule can be made1  
assigning that amount1 because no       
general rule can meet the ten thousand  
circumstances that modify individual    
cases2 and1 therefore1 obligations to   
comply with it would not be universally 
felt4  ,besides1 no one thinks of       
specifying certain proportions of labor 
and attention which all are equally     
bound to bestow on others2 and yet1     
these are sometimes far more beneficial 
to the suffering than gifts of money4   
,to assign a certain number of external 
acts employed in charitably distributing
 property1 while we fix upon no definite
 amount of labor to be expended in      
beneficence1 is making a difference     

without a reason2 this being seen1 the  
conscience will not be holden1 unless   
some scripture precept can be found     
demanding the discrimination4  ,but     
could a ratio be found pressing equally 
upon all1 it would not be desirable4    
,man1 while under the influence of the  
natural heart1 if he tries to please his
 ,maker at all1 endeavors to do it by   
external acts merely2 when driven from  
this ground1 he seeks to please him by  
acting out some principle of natural    
sympathy1 conscience1 or reason2 when   
shown the fallacy of this1 he endeavors 
still to discharge his duties in some   
way without the entire consecration of  
the soul4  ,now1 does not the advocacy  
of a general ratio obviously fall in    
with this depraved inclination1 tend to 
flatter this pride of heart1 and to     
encourage this aversion to entire       
self-immolation8  ,indeed1 founded on   
this principle1 the work of benevolence 
is extremely liable to degenerate into  
sheer superstition4  ,the payment of the

 stipulated sum is soon thought to      
render one worthy of ,divine acceptance2
 and thus1 instead of gushing from the  
heart1 charity becomes a mere mercenary 
business1 scarcely rising to the dignity
 of a virtue4  ,this the experience of  
the religious world proves1 as is       
evidenced by the views and conduct of   
the ,jews respecting tithes in the time 
of ,christ2 and at the present period1  
by the payment of periodical            
contributions in the ,romish church4    
,besides1 as a general rule must apply  
to all classes and conditions           
indiscriminately1 the bestowment of the 
designated sum would satisfy the        
consciences1 not only of the poor1 but  
also of the rich1 who ought1            
unquestionably1 to contribute oftentimes
 far more than one tenth of their annual
 increase1 or any other proportion which
 the most generous philanthropy might   
appoint2 thus both rendering them deaf  
to extraordinary calls1 and1 when the   
truth1 so agonizing to the carnal heart1

 that our all belongs to ,god1 is       
pressed with vital intensity on the     
mind1 affording a secure retreat to the 
tortured conscience4  ,such an          
arrangement also would often fail to    
meet the yearnings of the ,christian    
heart4  ,the sympathy of the true       
,christian is as deep and far-reaching  
as human suffering4  ,neither one1 nor  
two1 nor three tenths1 would be regarded
 as sufficient on particular            
emergencies4  ,such was the case with   
the ,macedonians of whom ,paul says1    
,that in a great trial of affliction1   
the abundance of their joy1 and their   
deep poverty abounded unto the riches of
 their liberality4  ,for to their power1
 yea1 and beyond their power1 they were 
willing of themselves2 praying us with  
much entreaty1 that we would receive the
 gift1 and take upon us the fellowship  
of the ministering to the saints4  ,the 
,christian king of the ,friendly        
,islands felt the same burstings of a   
,christian heart4  ,the missionary says 

of him3 ,he had not often gold or silver
 to give4  ,but one time he had obtained
 ten pounds from the ship for food he   
had sold4 ,how much do you think he gave
 to the missionary society8  ,one pound8
 ,five pounds8  ,this would have been a 
great deal4  ,but he did more2 he gave  
the whole6  ,it would not meet the      
requisitions of the command1 ,thou shalt
 love they neighbor as thyself4  ,would 
an ,irish lord1 amidst the scenes       
recently experienced in his unhappy     
country1 surrounded by hundreds and     
thousands of miserable beings1 starving1
 sick1 and dying1 be justified in view  
of this law1 by contributing to their   
relief a bare tenth of his income8      
,every noble heart will answer in the   
negative4  ,these times of agony        
demanded far greater sacrifices4  ,thus 
all efforts to fix upon a definite ratio
 of income or property of universal     
obligation1 will give constant ground   
for questions of casuistry inevitably   
tending rather to screen the conscience1

 than to stimulate to generous activity4
  ,but what does the ,gospel teach us on
 the subject8  ,the religion of the     
,gospel begins in the heart4  ,son1 give
 me the heart1 is its fundamental       
precept4  ,in the ,gospel scheme1 every 
individual stands by himself1 on his own
 responsibility2 he is bound by a       
personal tie to his ,maker4  ,the       
conduct it prescribes is entirely       
spiritual4  ,it requires a burning      
heart1 shedding its light and heat on   
all around4  ,according to its code1    
every act must gush from holy love4  ,it
 does not prescribe just the amount of  
action to be put forth1 in any one      
direction2 but the heart and conscience 
of each1 guided by wisdom from above1   
are to direct him4  ,it is thus with    
,angels and the redeemed about the      
throne4  ,a holy heart1 bathed in the   
truth of heaven1 is all the general rule
 they need to enable them to discharge  
their duties1 and to adapt themselves to
 the various circumstances in which they

 may be placed to eternity4  ,such is   
their moral state1 that the least       
intimation of ,jehovah's will sends them
 speeding on wings of fire to do his    
pleasure4  ,the ,gospel places man on   
earth in the same relation to him1 and  
intends that he shall act on the same   
general principles4  ,it teaches us that
 all we have belongs to ,god1 and that  
all we do must be done to his glory4  ,a
 soul1 permeated by this heavenly       
spirit1 would find a knowledge of the   
destitution and woes of others1 and an  
ability to relieve them1 a sufficient   
stimulant and guide4  ,angel-like1 it   
would send forth spontaneously the      
felicitating streams which the ,gospel  
appoints4  ,this is the source and      
spirit of all ,gospel benevolence4      
,says ,paul1 ,every man according as he 
purposeth 7desireth or chooseth7 in his 
heart1 so let him give4  ,there is to be
 no constraint4  ,the working of        
individual good-will is to be the       
measure of individual bounty2 for ,god  

loveth a cheerful giver499,this         
principle does not apply to the support 
of a pastor4  ,paul does not put charity
 and the support of the pastor on the   
same ground4  ,compare #b ,cor4 ,viii4  
and ix4 ,with #a ,cor4 ix4  ,other      
elements come in1 modifying the result  
in the latter case4  #a4 ,the idea of   
wages4  #b4 ,the idea of copartnership4 
,each member of the church1 on          
principles of common honesty1 is bound  
to bear his share of the common         
expenses4  ,but though no given         
proportion of property is definitely    
enjoined1 there are certain general     
principles laid down1 by which we may   
make approximations towards a           
proportionate amount1 and never be at a 
loss respecting individual gifts in     
specific instances when the heart is    
right4  ,the following are such4  ,the  
great truth that ,god has a supreme and 
inalienable right in us and in all that 
we possess4  ,the silver is mine1 and   
the gold is mine1 saith the ,lord of    

,hosts4  ,for every beast of the field  
is mine1 and the cattle upon a thousand 
hills4  ,behold1 all souls are mine2 as 
the soul of the father1 so also the soul
 of the son is mine4--,the injunction to
 dedicate ourselves to ,god4  ,i beseech
 you1 brethren1 by the mercies of ,god1 
that ye present your bodies a living    
sacrifice1 holy1 acceptable unto ,god1  
which is your reasonable service4--,the 
requirement to love ,god and his cause  
and interest more devotedly than the    
dearest worldly possession4  ,if any man
 come to me1 and hate not his father1   
and mother1 and wife and children1 and  
brethren1 and sisters1 yea1 and his own 
life also1 he cannot be my disciple4    
,whosoever he be of you that forsaketh  
not all that he hath cannot be my       
disciple4--,the command to love our     
neighbor as ourselves2 that we are to   
supply his necessities1 and relieve his 
sufferings1 so far as lies in our power1
 with the same willingness that we do   
our own4--,the intimation that our gifts

 should be such as to call into exercise
 our faith and self-denial4  ,the poor  
widow cast into the treasury of the     
,lord all that she had1 even all her    
living2 with which generous sacrifice   
,christ was well pleased2 and ,paul     
commends the ,macedonian ,christians1   
because they gave not only according to 
their power1 but beyond their power4--  
,the promises to the benevolent4  ,the  
liberal soul shall be made fat4 ,he that
 watereth shall be watered himself4  ,it
 is more blessed to give than to        
receive4--,the duty of imitating        
,christ1 who suffered for us1 leaving us
 an example1 that we should follow in   
his steps2 that we should walk even as  
he also walked4  ,also1 the very large  
amount of their income1 7which has been 
estimated at not less than one fifth7   
required of the ,jews to be given for   
the support of religion1 and in charity1
 was intended to convey to us similar   
instruction4  ,for though the law of    
tithes or double tithes is not binding  

upon us1 the great sacrifices which they
 were required to make1 are designed to 
have a moral influence on succeeding    
generations4  ,it is not the idle record
 of a bygone race1 or of a dispensation 
that has vanished away2 it utters a     
voice to us2 it is the living           
exemplification of a principle which we 
are bound to adopt4  ,if even the poor  
among the ,jews could give so much1 the 
poor can still give bountifully in      
proportion to their means1--and1 were   
they disposed1 how profusely might the  
rich lavish their munificence4  ,with   
the fact before us of the great         
sacrifices the ,jews were commanded to  
make for the support of religion in     
their own narrow bounds2 when we        
consider the breadth of the field we are
 called to cultivate1--the spiritual    
necessities of the perishing millions of
 our race1 the opportunities to reach   
them1 the worth of the undying soul1 the
 revenue of glory its salvation will    
yield the ,saviour1 what sacrifices     

ought the poor1 at the present day1 to  
make in their penury1 and the rich in   
their abundance1 to promote the glory of
 ,christ in the salvation of souls2 and 
how terrible the doom of those who      
refuse4  ,these principles1             
requisitions1 promises1 and examples1   
show us that our sacrifices should be   
great1 and the amount of our            
contributions large1 when either the    
worldly or spiritual necessities of     
others demand our aid2 while they leave 
the treasuries of benevolence to be     
filled by the spontaneous flow of each  
individual soul4  ,the desire1          
therefore1 to fasten on the consciences 
of men the obligation to contribute     
periodically a certain portion of their 
income or property1 as universally      
binding1 is not to be gratified by      
arguments drawn either from reason or   
revelation4  ,we may resort to no       
artificial means4  ,we may trust in no  
machinery which does not work and glow  
with the living fires of the heart4     

,love1 conscience1 and reason1 must be  
the originating and guiding forces4  ,we
 must fall back upon1 and confide in1   
these vital principles of holy conduct4 
,first the heart1 and then the act1 is  
the ,gospel scheme1 and we may not      
reverse the process4  ,to attempt it1   
and to say1 ,what we seek in a system of
 beneficence1 is not a benevolent heart1
 but benevolent actions2 is to come in  
open collision with the spirit of the   
,gospel4  ,it is apparently a lurking   
disposition to induce men to discharge  
the duties of beneficence1 without      
laying their hearts on the altar of     
,god1 and keeping them perpetually      
burning there2 whereas ,christ requires 
the heart1 and the heart always2 and    
then that conduct which inevitably      
bursts from a consecrated soul4  ,as    
,paul says of the ,macedonian           
,christians1 ,they first gave their own 
selves to the ,lord2 and then their     
wealth1 to be used as he should direct4 
,indeed1 the process necessarily gone   

through in determining1 from general    
principles1 the particular amount it    
becomes our duty individually to bestow 
in charity1 ,christ evidently intended  
should be a means of moral discipline1  
which we cannot safely dispense with4   
,its influence1 though not generally    
realized1 is far-reaching1 almost       
magical4  ,it strengthens the intellect1
 elevates to a noble independence and   
disinterestedness of feeling1 gives     
stability to character and energy to    
purpose1 leading on to thoroughness of  
self-inspection1 earnestness of         
investigation as to the personal claims 
of ,god1 and childlike simplicity in    
submitting to their authority4  ,just   
glance at its workings in the present   
instance4  ,as ,christ has told us1 in  
order to know his doctrine we must do   
his will1 so in order to ascertain the  
exact sum we are to contribute in       
benevolence1 we must cherish a heart in 
sympathy with his own4  ,holy love must 
perpetually glow in our bosoms2         

otherwise1 we shall sometimes fail in   
the correctness of our conclusions4     
,thus the first impulse of benevolent   
feelings puts us in the way to increase 
them2 for every desire to give must be  
attended with a scrutinizing estimate of
 our motives1 and a constant struggle   
with selfishness1 lest the latter gain  
the ascendency1 and mar the beauty of   
the deed4  ,the legitimate result of the
 process1 therefore1 is a deep and      
watchful piety2 while the works of      
beneficence1 thus determined1 never     
degenerate into superstition or         
self-righteousness2 and its obligations 
will seize at once and unrelaxingly the 
conscience of all4  ,the conclusion1    
therefore1 at which we arrive touching  
the amount of our charities is this3 it 
should be such as our means1 a distinct 
knowledge of the wants of others1 and a 
heart of overflowing love1 shall        
prescribe2 leaving each one to his own  
solemn convictions of duty1 amenable to 
the bar of ,god4  ,but it may be        

objected1 if beneficence is thus left   
without the specification of some stated
 amount1 selfish1 or but partially      
sanctified men1 will not give as        
liberally as they ought4  ,perhaps they 
will not4  ,but all we can so is to     
press on their attention the commands of
 ,jehovah1 and the claims of a dying    
world--claims1 as strong and affecting  
as those which brought the ,saviour from
 the throne to the cross2 and telling   
them what the ,apostle1 enforcing also  
sparingly2 and he who soweth            
bountifully1 shall reap also            
bountifully1 leave them to settle the   
matter of their covetousness with their 
,final ,judge4  ,we may pray and weep   
over them2 but we may use no efforts to 
move a single individual from that moral
 basis--his own conscience--on which    
,god has placed him4  ,here he must     
stand2 and here we must be willing he   
should stand2 while he himself is under 
infinite obligation to lay bare his     
bosom to the energizing influences of   

truth1 and cheerfully yield to its sway4
  #b4  ,how frequently should stated    
contributions be made8  ,system implies 
order1 regularity4  ,systematic         
beneficence implies regularity of       
contributions1 or of stated periods for 
appropriating property to the ,lord4    
,in regard to the frequency of these    
statedly recurring periods1 there are   
different opinions4  ,owing to the      
variety1 extent1 and complexity of men's
 avocations1 some find it convenient to 
make consecrations accurately           
proportionate to prosperity1 much more  
frequently than others4  ,hence some    
advocate the weekly period1 some the    
monthly1 while others plead for still   
longer intervals4  ,indeed1 to fix upon 
a definite rule of universal application
 determining the frequency of periodical
 contributions1 will be found nearly as 
difficult as to ascertain the precise   
ratio of property to be bestowed4       
,there are1 however1 certain leading    
principles1 which1 if contemplated with 

rectitude of heart1 will enable us to   
please ,god by the wisdom of our        
benefactions1 no less in this respect   
than the last4  #ast4  ,as a            
stepping-stone to a series of more      
important considerations1 showing that  
these periods of consecrations should   
very frequently recur1 ,i remark that   
most may set apart some portion of      
income without inconvenience as often at
 least as capital or labor makes        
returns4 ,these are the occasions when  
,providence pours his treasures into our
 bosoms2 when alone we can determine    
precisely how the ,lord has prospered   
us1 and consequently how much we are    
able to bestow4  ,hence if no           
designations of income to charity have  
been previously made1 or if they have   
not been sufficiently large1 these      
opportunities of coming to some definite
 decision with reference to the         
proportion of the bounties of           
,providence we shall devote to purposes 
of beneficence1 may not be passed over2 

and the consecration1 not to say the    
disbursement1 should be made            
immediately1 while the idea that our    
possession are from ,god is fresh in our
 minds1 and before selfishness shall    
seize them as her own4 ,procrastination 
is often but giving heed to her         
treacherous voice1 and ere we are aware1
 she carries us captive4  ,as we receive
 our increase from the hand of ,god1    
like faithful stewards1 we should set   
apart the portion belonging to others   
without delay4  ,to indulge ourselves by
 holding them up before us1 and doating 
upon them as our own1 will but inflame  
our covetousness2 and we shall be       
tempted to rob the needy of their       
portion4  ,this is not hypothesis2 facts
 prove that money is contributed far    
more cheerfully when in a loose state   
than after it becomes fixed property4   
,this rule1 directing frequency of      
consecrations1 conforming itself to     
individual circumstances1 is oppressive 
to none4  ,but the capital of some makes

 returns only once a year2 of others1   
only once in a series of years4  ,to    
such this rule can be by no means       
applicable2 for the wants and sufferings
 of those whom ,god has made it our duty
 to relieve1 often demand far more      
frequent distributions2 while1 in a     
variety of instances1 it calls into     
exercise our benevolence too rarely to  
suppress the selfish tendencies of the  
heart1--a point1 which1 in rearing a    
system of beneficence1 may never be     
overlooked4 ,other principles must      
therefore be noticed4  #b;d4  ,our      
contributions should be so frequent as  
will tend to repress the selfish1 and   
keep alive the benevolent affections4   
,we should give so frequently as to     
impress and nurture the conviction that 
we were made not only for ourselves1 but
 for others2 and that the noblest use of
 property is its distribution to the    
needy4  ,this conviction it is difficult
 to engender1 and harder to keep alive1 
but it is best produced and quickened to

 energy by frequently engaging in the   
duties of charity4 ,benevolence1 to     
become strong1 must be cultivated2 and  
it is so much of an exotic in the human 
breast1 that it needs the most earnest  
and assiduous care2 while selfishness1  
such is its strength and tenacity of    
life1 can be deadened and kept in       
abeyance only by repeated and vigorous  
assaults4  ,as a general rule1 that     
system1 as to frequency1 should be      
chosen1 which comes most strongly in    
collision1 and wrestles most powerfully 
with the selfishness of the heart4      
,some1 ,i know1 would deal gently with  
this obnoxious principle2 rather humor  
than goad it2 and on this ground urge   
the importance of frequent1 and1 of     
course1 small contributions1 which will 
scarcely be felt2 maintaining that on   
the whole a larger amount will be       
collected4  ,but ,i would not urge      
frequency of donations on this account4 
,i would advocate benevolence only on   
those principles which will give it life

 and vigor for eternity4  ,the ,bible   
says nothing about humoring the         
selfishness of the heart1 of adopting   
plans of beneficence that will be       
scarcely felt4  ,its language is1       
,crucify the flesh with the affections  
and lusts4  ,it directs us to die unto  
sin or self4  ,it makes no compromise   
with covetousness4  ,it bids us not rock
 it to sleep1 but slay it4  ,let every  
one then stand up in the lofty sternness
 of his spirit1 and adopt that system as
 to frequency in giving1 which1 other   
things being equal1 is most crucifying  
to the carnal heart4  ,but a system of  
almost continued contributions will not 
be peculiarly crossing to our avaricious
 desires1 if trifling sums are given1 or
 those greatly disproportionate to      
property4  ,in this case1 selfishness1  
instead of being disturbed1 may be      
rather cajoled into a species of        
benevolence2 though a species as sickly 
and unsubstantial as the vine that grows
 amid the damps of a vault1 never       

aspiring to heaven as the place of its  
nativity4  ,but when the sums are so    
large as to demand personal sacrifice1  
the self-appropriating principle feels  
it keenly4 ,the uninterrupted repetition
 of such gifts is a continued draught on
 its life-blood4  ,its remains even in  
the ,christian's breast are galled and  
lacerated by the repeated attacks1 and  
sometimes writhe as in the dying strife4
  ,especially is this the case with one 
who has amassed his property by almost  
daily additions2--by sums1 perhaps1     
smaller in amount than those which the  
calls of humanity now claim almost as   
frequently at his hand4  ,he sees his   
wealth going nearly the same way in     
which he acquired it1 and he feels that 
its very pillars are giving way4  ,thus 
frequency in contributions1 if          
sufficiently large1 is usually most     
crossing to selfishness1 and most       
destructive to avarice2 and as a system 
of beneficence is instituted mainly to  
combat these evil principles1 we should 

allow but short intervals between our   
deeds of charity4  #c;d4  ,we should    
give so frequently as to form a habit of
 giving4 ,jeremiah says1 ,can the       
,ethiopian change his skin1 or the      
leopard his spots8 then may ye also do  
good that are accustomed to do evil4    
,this shows the susceptibility of our   
natures to the formation of habits2 and 
their controlling power over us4  ,the  
injunction of ,solomon1 ,train up a     
child in the way he should go1 and when 
he is old he will not depart from it1 is
 founded on the same mental tendency4   
,habit1 indeed1 governs half the world2 
it is like a self-moving machine1 when  
once started1 continuing1 of its own    
accord1 in the same direction and with  
the same velocity4  ,let one accustom   
himself to harden his heart in view of  
genuine objects of sympathy1 and it will
 be exceedingly difficult to unlock his 
bosom to the loudest calls of           
benevolence4  ,on the contrary1 he1 who 
accustoms himself to spend his money as 

fast as he acquires it1 will never be   
likely to hoard for future supplies4  ,a
 habit of giving would follow the same  
law1 and greatly assist us in the duties
 of charity4  ,but infrequency of       
beneficence1 giving only once in six    
months or a year1 or at irregular       
intervals1 will never form an efficient 
habit of giving4  ,it must be a regular 
and oft-repeated act2 for it is a       
frequency of the same acts in succession
 alone1 which creates habit4 ,our       
benevolence1 therefore1 should go forth 
in reiterated acts1 like the monthly1   
flowering and shedding its fragrance as 
regularly as its seasons recur4  ,the   
spirit of benevolence must thus be      
wrought into the very texture of our    
being2 so that we shall move forward1   
scattering our alms about us as         
naturally as we perform the common      
duties of life4 ,this thought is of     
immense importance to the young1 and to 
those engaged in the pursuits of wealth4
  ,for the latter1 especially1 from the 

very nature of their employments1 and   
their necessary trains of thought1 are  
inevitably acquiring habits of          
accumulation2 and1 unless counteracting 
habits of benevolence are also acquired1
 their desires of gain will assume the  
tyrant1 and the ,divine curse1          
threatened against the covetous1 will   
rest upon them forever4  ,they are      
hanging over an abyss1 and their only   
safety1 under ,god1 is in winding around
 their hearts the iron cords of habit in
 beneficence1 and1 therefore1 in giving 
frequently4  #dth4  ,the ,scriptures    
favor the idea of frequency in giving4  
,christ says1 ,give to him that asketh  
of thee4  ,the duty of charity is here  
clearly founded on our calls and        
ability4  ,but in this world1 where we  
have the poor always with us1 calls on  
our benevolence cannot be otherwise than
 frequent4  ,again ,christ says1 ,freely
 ye have received1 freely give4 ,we     
frequently receive1 we should therefore 
frequently give4  ,paul directs the     

,corinthian ,christians1 ,upon the first
 day of the week1 let every one of you  
lay by him in store as ,god has         
prospered him4  ,this suggestion of the 
,apostle may probably be adopted a      
general rule by a majority of           
,christians at the present day2 and     
every one should make it a matter of    
solemn consideration and earnest prayer 
whether it is not his individual duty2  
for all must conform to it in spirit4   
,but without maintaining that every one1
 under whatever circumstances1 is       
required to lay by something weekly for 
charitable purposes1 the principle here 
taught us most unequivocally binds us to
 great frequency of stated              
contributions4  ,from this decision of  
the ,holy ,spirit1 according1 as it     
does1 with the teachings of reason1     
there can be no appeal4  #eth4  ,the    
experience of practical men1 as to the  
best means of acquiring property1       
evinces the same principle4  ,the       
experience of the world on this point   

has been embodied in maxims such as     
these3  ,take care of your cents1 and   
dollars will take care of themselves2   
,save your ninepences1 c4  ,men of      
wealth have often remarked that they    
acquired their property by frequently   
storing away small sums as they could   
spare them4  ,i knew a man lay up       
several dollars by making it a rule to  
put into a bag kept for the purpose1    
every fifty cent piece that came into   
his possession4  ,we have here the      
development of a principle in           
accumulating a fund to meet the         
contingencies of life4  ,we may apply it
 to benevolence1 and take men of        
business and opulence on their own      
ground4  ,if this principle will fill   
one's own treasuries1 it will fill the  
treasuries of the ,lord4  ,let it then  
be regarded4  ,i would sound it in the  
ears of the million who are delving the 
earth for gold1 and startle them from   
their delusive dreams4  ,i would that it
 might echo and re-echo till its solemn 

utterances should make every votary of  
,mammon tremble4  ,hear1 ye rich men2   
give ear1 ye who are pursuing the       
bubbles of wealth6 is it christian1 is  
it right1 to adopt principles of        
prudence and self-denial in filling your
 own coffers1 while you refuse to act   
upon the same principles in replenishing
 the streams of mercy8  ,no4 ,conscience
 and ,god answer1 ,no4  ,the perishing  
heathen1 the dying pillow1 the          
judgment-seat1 the wailings of hell1 all
 answer1 ,no4  ,then let every one1     
whether indigent or affluent1 frequently
 lay by in store sums for charity as    
,god shall prosper him1 though they are 
but small2 and let him do it with the   
same whole-heartedness1 earnestness1 and
 perseverance1 as he would to increase  
his own wealth2 and rarely will he be   
unable to relieve the cries of misery4  
,he will have no occasion to offer the  
excuse1 ,i have no change4  ,he will    
have dollars in store4  ,the history of 
benevolence proves this4  ,i have know a

 sabbath-school class1 by each member's 
giving #aj1 #ae1 or #be cents a month1  
contribute an amount during the year1   
which previously they would have thought
 impossible to raise4  ,this is only one
 instance among a thousand4  ,let the   
principle be acted upon2 a trial is     
easy4  ,scriptures and reason cannot    
both be wrong4  ,but how shall these    
frequent contributions be made by those 
whose capital yields returns only at    
long intervals8  ,according to the      
proverb1 ,where there's a will1 there's 
a way--it can be either actually or     
virtually done4  #ast4  ,by saving      
expenses4  ,water1 running into a vessel
 no faster at a given orifice than it   
flows out at another1 will retain a     
constant level2 and if with the same    
influx we would have it issue at a      
higher orifice1 we have only to stop or 
lessen the lower one4  ,thus1 if we     
would have our possessions rise to the  
giving point1 we have only to stop the  
leakage--check expenses4  ,this hint may

 be of service to the poor1 and not     
inappropriate to the rich4  ,many expend
 their ready money as rapidly as they   
receive it2 making their calculations to
 do so2 and thus1 during the interval   
between one return of capital and       
another1 plead their inability to meet  
the frequent calls of benevolence4  ,but
 is this a valid excuse8  ,could they   
not be met by sacrificing some social   
pleasure1 some luxury in drink1 in food1
 in dress1 in furniture1 in display8 or 
by foregoing some convenience1 the      
expense of which is equivalent to the   
pledged sum8  ,vast multitudes are      
deprived of these luxuries1 and even of 
what we deem necessaries1 during their  
whole lives2 and cannot we forego the   
gratification of them occasionally1 that
 we may thereby relieve the suffering1  
or save the deathless soul8 ,true1 this 
will require self-denial2 but has not   
,god demanded of us self-denial8  ,dare 
any one offer this as an excuse8  #b4   
,every on engaged in regular business   

knows1 or ought to know1 what1 taking   
one year with another1 have been the    
annual proceeds of his labor or         
investment4  ,now1 on the supposition   
that the ,lord will prosper him as      
heretofore1 he can form some reasonable 
estimate of the amount1 7extraordinaries
 excepted7 which he ought to contribute 
to charitable purposes weekly or monthly
 during the period his capital is making
 another revolution4  ,this amount may  
be appropriated in actual donations by  
most business men1 as they usually have 
more or less loose money on hand4  ,by  
those who cannot do this1 it may be     
charged in a book kept for the purpose  
at the close of each week or specified  
period for appropriation--one1 five1    
ten1 or fifty dollars due to            
charity1--and on the return of their    
capital1 pay this debt as               
conscientiously as they pay any other4  
,then1 if on the reception of their     
entire product1 they find they have not 
given as much as the claims of the      

destitute demand1 they can easily make  
up the deficit4  ,this scheme will of   
course call into exercise our faith2 for
 it is acting on the belief that the    
,wise ,disposer of events will be as    
merciful to us in the future1 as he has 
been in the past4   ,but ought not his  
past goodness to strengthen our         
confidence in his willingness to        
continue that goodness8  ,christ        
requires us to live by faith on him1 and
 ought we not to give by faith on him8  
,to refuse to exercise this faith in the
 circumstances1 partakes of ingratitude4
  ,besides1 to decline making any1 or   
but such appropriations as are          
exceedingly disproportionate to our     
property1 until we have actually        
received the return of our investments1 
is to act on the principle1 that we will
 not give to others until we are certain
 how much ,god will bestow upon us2 in  
other words1 that we will not trust     
him1--whose loving-kindness1 as the     
brightest star of our destiny1 has shone

 upon us in darkness and storm1--for a  
single blessing which is not actually in
 our hands4  ,must not such conduct be  
exceedingly provoking to ,unwearied     
,love8  ,or this process of previous    
consecrations may be varied thus4  ,the 
proportion consecrated may be a certain 
ratio of income fixed on a sliding      
scale1 on the principle that the greater
 the profits1 the greater the proportion
 which me be spared4  ,for instance1 on 
the first day of each week1 or month1 or
 quarter1 or year1 one may consecrate a 
certain proportion of his profits of    
that week1 month1 quarter1 or year to   
the ,lord1 say five1 eight1 or ten per  
cent41 in case they rise to a specified 
amount2 and if they rise to a certain   
sum beyond this1 he may fix upon a still
 greater proportion1 say twelve or      
fifteen per cent42 if they rise to an   
amount still higher1 the proportion     
appropriated may be still larger1 say   
eighteen or twenty per cent41 so that   
his benefactions to the destitute shall 

be in some degree commensurate to the   
goodness of the ,lord to him4  ,in these
 last suggestions1 a vital principle in 
systematic beneficence is developed1    
which challenges our special attention4 
,it is1 the duty of making provision for
 the dissemination of charity previous  
to the reception of our income4  ,this  
is a point of immense importance1 and   
may by no means be overlooked2 though it
 is a point which ,christians have too  
much lost sight of4  ,they have been    
awake neither to the enjoyment nor      
obligations growing out of it4  ,it is  
time that its solemn utterances should  
pierce the heart1 and arouse the        
conscience of every follower of the     
,lamb1 and startle him from his         
slumbers4  ,they should reverberate     
through every dwelling in ,zion4  ,it is
 a principle of universal application4  
,all1 whether rich or poor1 should make 
it an abiding rule of conduct4  ,there  
is no difficulty in the way4  ,while1 of
 course1 the rich should fix upon a     

higher proportion of income than the    
indigent1 each one can decide upon some 
percentage adapted to his peculiar      
circumstances1 and at stated periods lay
 up in store as the ,lord prospers him4 
,every one1 as ,st4 ,paul clearly taught
 the ,corinthians1 should have a        
savings-bank for charity4  ,the results 
of this principle would indeed be most  
happy1 on whatever ground the previous  
arrangements should be made4  ,in the   
first place1 it would greatly increase  
the sum total of our contributions to   
the ,lord4 ,it would be acting on an    
acknowledged maxim in the acquisition of
 wealth4  ,we know if we have a debt of 
ten dollars1 an hundred dollars1 or any 
sum within our possible ability to pay1 
the money will be by some means         
obtained2 whereas1 otherwise it will be 
extremely liable to be consumed in the  
ordinary flow of expenses4  ,thriving   
men1 sometimes on this principle1 keep  
constantly a little debt by the purchase
 of valuable property1 knowing that it  

will stimulate their industry and       
frugality to meet the anticipated       
payment4  ,here men are not afraid to   
trust the past goodness of the ,lord2   
why will they not be equally wise and   
confiding in the godlike work of        
benevolence8  ,it would also deepen our 
sense of personal devotement to ,christ2
 leading us constantly to feel that our 
minds employed in planning1 and our     
hands engaged in labor1 are the ,lord's1
 and must be used in his service4  ,it  
would likewise promote the ease and     
cheerfulness with which our             
appropriations would be made1 and       
materially enhance our enjoyment1 in a  
work which1 though self-denying1 brings 
us into intimate fellowship and         
cooperation with our blessed ,lord4     
,even when engaged in our most ordinary 
avocations1 it would induce the         
impression that we are laboring for     
,christ as well as for ourselves2 and   
thus procuring the means of extending   
the glorious gospel1 whose precious     

promises are our daily support and joy1 
and which opens to our view1 beyond the 
skies1 the crown and the harp1 with     
which we hope to bow before the throne1 
when our bodies are crumbling in the    
grave4  ,what greater happiness can the 
,christian experience on earth than the 
continued consciousness of co-working   
with his ,saviour in diffusing through  
the world these richest enjoyments of   
our being1 and kindling anthems whose   
enrapturing notes shall never falter8   
,thus1 if we would make antecedent      
provisions for charity2 if we would     
exercise suitable self-denial1          
forethought1 and confidence in ,god2 if 
we would contrive as earnestly to save  
something for munificence1 as we do to  
hoard1 our sources of charity would be  
replenished2 we should seldom be unable 
to make1 at frequently recurring        
periods1 either actual or pledged       
appropriations1 and be happy in our     
work4  ,an ,inference4--,if that degree 
of frequency should be adopted which is 

best calculated to curb the selfish     
inclinations1 then the more deeply we   
are engaged in worldly pursuits1--the   
stronger and more riotous the avaricious
 desires become1 the oftener should the 
appointed period of our benefactions    
recur2 and not only so1 but the greater 
the necessity that our gifts be         
commensurate with our means2 for        
otherwise1 although we may give         
frequently1 and perhaps congratulate    
ourselves on our generous liberality1   
the curse of ,god may be hanging over us
 for our parsimony4    ,,part ,,iii4    
,we are now prepared to present in      
detail that general system of           
beneficence1 demanded alike by          
,scripture and reason1 and best fitted  
to secure permanent and ever-growing    
results4  ,while universal1 it must be a
 system in its nature adapted to each   
individual1 and binding on the          
individual conscience2 one founded on1  
and embracing1 the entire man1--his     
reason1 his heart and will1 including   

views and principles1 feelings and      
affections1 with their inculcation1     
general purposes and resolutions1 with  
corresponding action4  ,the tree must be
 symmetrical from its roots to its      
topmost bough4  ,beneficence may not    
stand alone2 it must spring out of a    
consistent character1 must be a branch  
of activity1 harmonizing with other     
shoots from the common stock4  ,else1 it
 will be like a verdant twig on a rotten
 trunk1 growing up amid broken and      
withered limbs1 the sighing monitors of 
its own decay4  ,some1 ,i know1 would   
advocate a system of beneficent actions 
without the heart2 others would direct  
it merely to one or a few favorite      
objects4 ,but these are views neither   
broad nor deep enough4  ,it is grafting 
consistency on inconsistency4  ,true    
benevolence is a spirit of universality1
 and hence1 of harmony1 gushing forth in
 streams numerous as our relations4  ,no
 reason can be assigned why one should  
contribute of his property to save the  

souls of others1 while he neglects his  
own2 or spend his substance for the     
spiritual benefit of those at a         
distance1 while he neither puts forth   
personal efforts1 nor manifests a holy  
example1 to rescue perishing immortals  
immediately around him4  ,a system thus 
partial has a worm at the root2 its     
protecting shadow will be as transient  
as ,jonah's gourd4  ,i4  ,there must be 
a system of intellectual views1 and a   
harmonizing train of desires and        
affections flowing naturally from them4 
,i will1 therefore1 present a series of 
principles1 sentiments1 and obligations1
 which1 by being lodged in the          
intellect1 and quickened by the ,spirit1
 warm the heart1 and awaken appropriate 
feelings2 thus forming not only the     
basis1 but a constituent part1 of an    
efficient system of benevolence4  ,i    
would premise1 however1 that these      
intellectual views may also be regarded 
as inducements to munificence1 and thus 
to the adoption of an individual system1

 fitted to each one's peculiar          
relations2 for they will thus operate   
from the nature of the case2 the very   
object of fastening them systematically 
in the understanding being1 that        
penetrating to the heart1 and binding   
themselves on the conscience1 they may  
lead on to rational activity4  #a4  ,we 
should bear in mind that we were not    
made for ourselves1 but for the service 
of ,god4  ,let the truth1 ,thou art     
,god's1 be written with fire on the     
heart1 as well as its legitimate        
consequence1 that all that appertains to
 our being is his2--our strength1 our   
health1 our powers of reason and love1  
our capacities of acquisition1 our      
property1 our time1 our all1 so that its
 thrilling accents1 ,all that thou hast 
is ,god's1 will ring in our ears at     
every turn4  ,as ,jehovah created us for
 himself1 has preserved us for himself1 
and redeemed us for himself1 we ought at
 once to acknowledge his claim and      
devote ourselves to his service4  ,this 

self-surrender is the true foundation of
 all giving to the ,lord4  ,any system  
of beneficence not built on this must   
crumble4  ,giving one's self is an      
earnest and pledge that everything else 
will be given2 on the contrary1 while   
self is withheld1 there is no warrant   
that our possessions will be yielded1   
much less that ,god will accept the     
offering4 ,but self being surrendered1  
all is virtually conveyed over to the   
,lord and sealed forever his4  #b4 ,that
 all right feeling is feeling as ,god   
does in the same circumstances1 and in  
respect to the same objects4  ,there    
must be a holy sympathy of soul with    
him1--a oneness of affection1 of desire1
 of will1 of purpose4  ,we must feel    
concerning ourselves as ,god does1 who  
desires to see our hearts burning with  
the same hallowed love that fills his   
own4  ,we must feel concerning sinners  
as the ,father does1 who so loved the   
world that he gave his only-begotten    
,son1 that whosoever believeth in him   

should not perish1 but have everlasting 
life2--as the ,son1 who exchanged the   
abodes of peace for the abasement of    
flesh and the agonies of the cross2--as 
the ,holy ,ghost1 who is willing to     
dwell in our polluted hearts1 consuming 
the dross with his own vital energies4  
,we must imitate the angels1 who1       
sympathizing with the ,triune ,jehovah1 
strike their lyres with new and more    
rapturous hallelujahs at the repentance 
of the returning sinner4  ,no other     
feelings in kind or strength1 in        
proportion to our capacities1 are right 
feelings4  ,the sacrifices of ,christ   
were1 indeed1 stupendous2 but we must be
 willing to make as disinterested       
sacrifices for a perishing world2 else  
we are not in sympathy with our         
crucified ,lord4  ,let us often visit   
the scenes of his sufferings1 hear the  
groans of ,gethsemane1 and witness the  
blood and agony of the cross1 and there 
learn what it means to have the same    
mind which was also in ,christ ,jesus4  

,let us make this love the great        
standard of feeling and action1 and     
cultivate the habit of trying ourselves 
by this1 and this alone2 inquiring      
daily1 ,oh1 am ,i benevolent as ,christ8
  ,do ,i sympathize with him over a     
ruined world8  #c4  ,that ,god created  
us to occupy a position near himself4   
,as all our springs are in him1         
communion with him was to be our life   
and joy4  ,we were to be full of ,god2  
to see him everywhere and in everything1
 and to value nothing only as the work  
of his power1 the fruit of his love1 or 
as showing forth his praise4  ,we were  
to dwell so far up the mount1 that      
earthly objects would appear            
insignificant2 approach continually its 
lofty summit1 till our views of the     
world and the glory of it should        
harmonize with ,god's views of them2 for
 not only were our feelings to accord   
with ,jehovah's2 but also our sentiments
 concerning sublunary things were to be 
in unison with his own4  ,so familiar   

were we to be with the glories of our   
spiritual existence2 our tastes and     
moral sensibilities were designed1 by   
intercourse with ,infinite ,purity1 to  
become so elevated and refined1 that the
 glitterings of gold1 and the           
fascinations of wealth1 would fail to   
charm4  ,our home was to be so near the 
throne1 that its light would perpetually
 shine in upon our souls2 its spirit    
always bathe our spirits2 so that       
seraph-like1 possessing the benevolence 
of heaven1 we should breathe the love of
 heaven on all around4  #d4  ,that      
merely becoming rich is not the great   
object for which we were sent into the  
world4  ,man's being aims at a higher   
goal4  ,this is a point which should be 
distinctly understood2 and to bring out 
the thought clearly1 ,i will make two   
distinctions4  #a4 ,the very obvious    
difference between benevolence and      
indifference to property or its         
acquisition4  ,benevolence means wishing
 well1 and beneficence doing well1 to   

others4  ,benevolence1 then1 bears no   
resemblance to undervaluing money4  ,i  
know that the gentleman who used to skip
 his silver dollars on the fair bosom of
 the ,connecticut for the amusement of  
his friends1 and he who freely tosses   
around the social glass to his boon     
companions1 may be pronounced generous  
fellows4  ,but such may be as entirely  
destitute of all true benevolence as the
 most determined miser1 and1 what is    
more deplorable1 as offensive to        
,infinite ,love4  ,property is ,god's   
gift1 and he does not require us to     
undervalue his gifts1 but to use them   
with his own good-will to men4  ,to be  
willing that our labor or capital should
 be unproductive is no indication of a  
faithful steward4  #b4 ,there is a      
difference between the design of        
becoming rich1 and that of acquiring    
property4  ,the latter1 under certain   
restrictions1 is a duty incumbent on    
all4  ,one may have a peculiar talent in
 this direction2--a turn for business1 a

 sagacity to lay plans1 to foresee the  
favorable changes in the commercial     
world1 and all that shrewdness so       
essential to success in the career of   
opulence4  ,it is an endowment of       
heaven1 and should be used in such a way
 as heaven will approve4  ,while        
regulated strictly by the principles of 
,revelation1 it should be employed in   
the acquisition of property1 as a means 
of usefulness4  ,but it is a common     
opinion1 that money may be made solely  
for the sake of accumulation4  ,parents 
instil the idea into the minds of       
children1 so that they grow up with the 
conviction1 that the great end of life  
is the procuring of wealth4  ,implanted 
in the tender mind1 and nurtured with   
its strength1 it assumes the tenacity of
 a first principle4  ,but it is         
altogether erroneous4  ,it is the       
product of the selfish heart4  ,no      
sentiment is more fertile in            
covetousness1 or more blighting to that 
generous humanity1 which it is the first

 object of the ,christian to cherish4   
,it is a sentiment grovelling in its    
tendency1 bowing multitudes1 it is      
feared1 even of professedly good men1 to
 a species of slavery1 over which devils
 smile1 and angels weep2 knowing that it
 obstructs the flow of thousands into   
the treasury of the ,lord4  ,a sentiment
 so hurtful should be eradicated from   
the public mind4  ,it should be         
discarded from the individual breast4   
,the toils of pecuniary gain must be    
pervaded by a loftier motive4  ,it      
should be sought1 not as a gratification
 to avarice2 but1 in the fear of the    
,lord1 by industry1 by economy1 by      
frugality1 by forecast1 by the most     
profitable investments of capital1 and  
with a heart full of mercy1 as an       
instrument to enlighten the ignorant1   
and relieve the sorrows of human-kind4  
,this idea has not taken so firm a hold 
of the christian public as its          
importance deserves4  ,how useful might 
some1 who have little talent either for 

learning or public speaking1 become1    
would they disinterestedly devote their 
lives to the acquisition of money for   
purposes of beneficence4  ,wealth1      
pursued with this spirit1 will never    
beget avaricious desires1 and thus      
acquired1 will be a treasury of         
blessings to multitudes here1 and a     
source of enjoyment to the pious owner  
forever4  ,its worth will survive the   
grave4  ,let it be an abiding           
thought--money may be invested where it 
will yield an eternally increasing      
revenue4  #e4  ,that in laying our      
pecuniary plans1 we should be governed  
by a single view to the glory of ,god4  
,the plans we adopt must be chosen      
because1 in our deliberate judgment1 we 
can do more to advance ,christ's        
interests by prosecuting them than in   
any other way4  ,every act sustains     
relations of moral influence4  ,every   
kind of business or method of carrying  
it on1 has certain relations which will 
modify its results1 and1 perhaps1 its   

moral bearings1 either on own           
usefulness1 or the spiritual well-being 
of the community at large4  ,now we are 
bound to engage in that business1 and   
adopt those schemes1 whose results1     
considering these wide-spreading        
relations1 will be most favorable to the
 kingdom of ,christ4  ,if we lay our    
plans recklessly1 without regard to     
their moral tendencies1 or shrink from  
these moral discriminations respecting  
them1 we evince anything but a will in  
harmony with the ,divine will4  ,i know 
some fondly cherish the opinion1 that   
their sagacity or peculiar tact for     
money-making at least is their own2 and 
that they may employ it in devising such
 pecuniary schemes as they please1      
provided they are strictly honest1 and  
do not interfere with the privileges of 
others4  ,but this is not true4  ,this  
reference to the ,divine glory sheds the
 sunshine of heaven over all our        
employments1 and must be the guiding    
principle of all our enterprises4  ,it  

is also indispensable to any sustained  
system of munificence4  ,if our schemes 
have ultimate reference to self1 we     
shall be likely to use their proceeds as
 selfishness shall dictate2 whereas1 if 
our plans are laid with a view to the   
honor of ,god1 we shall be disposed to  
use their results for the promotion of  
the same great end4  ,this is a truth of
 incalculable importance to our present 
subject4  ,it should be bound to the    
conscience of every ,christian1 and burn
 there with such intensity that it can  
never be forgotten4  #f4  ,that ,god    
made us to be almoners of his bounty to 
others4 ,reciprocity is the pillar of   
every social system2 it is of the human 
family4  ,this principle was practically
 developed in ,eden4  ,on this ground1  
,paul argued that there should be       
equality between those who are in want  
and those who have abundance4  7#c ,cor4
 viii4 #ad47  ,every man was designed to
 stand like a conductor of the electric 
fluid1 to convey the influences of      

heaven to those around him4  ,our       
,creator has made the duty of           
benevolence as obligatory as that of    
justice4  ,one is as much bound to help 
other1 and thus1 unless in very extreme 
cases1 to contribute of his substance   
for the benefit of the needy1 as to be  
honest4  ,when1 therefore1 we pass a    
portion of the good things of life to   
others as they are conveyed to us1 we   
are fulfilling the great end of our     
social being2 when we grudgingly retain 
it1 we are defeating that end4  ,this   
sentiment must be riveted in our minds4 
,it is a hard lesson for selfish men to 
receive2 yet it must be learnt4  ,it is 
indeed the noblest idea of our natures2 
the link that unites us to purer        
intelligences4  #g4  ,a lively          
remembrance of the ,source of our       
blessings2 realizing that they are all  
streams from the ,father of mercies4    
,had he been other than ,jehovah1 they  
would long ere this have been stayed4   
,for how have we sinned1 and forfeited  

every claim to good2 and yet he has     
continued to uphold and refresh us4  ,we
 have repeated the sin1 and under       
aggravated form1--abused his bounties1  
despised his ,son1 grieved his ,spirit1 
disregarded his warnings1 and slighted  
his entreaties2 and still his blessings 
have continued to flow as if nothing    
could provoke him to withhold them4     
,what unutterable goodness6  ,what      
exhaustless mercy6 ,surely the gifts of 
such mercy should be devoted to the     
works of mercy2 and how more            
appropriately than in aid of that       
wondrous scheme which the agonized      
,jesus died to accomplish8  ,while we   
enjoy our blessings1 let us turn our    
eyes upward to the overflowing ,source1 
and while we gaze1 let the streams of   
gratitude gush forth4  ,as we have      
freely received1 freely let us give4    
#h4 ,the importance of praying over the 
gifts of ,providence1 and the varied    
calls of charity4  ,as the reception of 
our income should be one of the special 

occasions of consecrating a portion to  
the ,lord1 so in the gladness of the    
moment of its reception1 we should make 
it our rule to decide as to the amount  
to be thus consecrated on our knees     
before ,god4  ,also1 when the claims of 
the destitute are presented1 let the    
amount of our contributions be fixed    
upon so far as practicable in the same  
way2 determining1 at whatever sacrifice 
to our own feelings1 to give just what  
,god requires4  ,prayer1 while a        
privilege at all times of doubt and     
perplexity1 is a special duty on such   
occasions2--first1 because1 when alone  
with the ,searcher of hearts1 brought   
up1 as it were1 into the full blaze of  
his presence1 our consciences will be   
quickened1 and speak truthfully2 while  
the humble attitude of the suppliant is 
peculiarly fitted to inspire gratitude1 
and render it effective2-- secondly1    
because such are hours of special       
temptations2 the adversary of all good  
and our wicked hearts combining their   

efforts to prevent a generous           
liberality2 and there is great danger   
that selfishness1 rather than mercy1    
will gain the ascendency1 and1 under    
artful guises1 control our              
determinations2--thirdly1 because our   
decisions on such occasions are some of 
the most influential in their           
consequences1 both upon ourselves and   
others1 which we are ever called to make
 in the common routine of duties4  ,take
 a simple instance4  ,the question      
whether we give to the ,bible ,society  
one dollar or ten1 fifteen dollars or   
twenty-five1 is virtually whether we    
will send forth for the enlightening and
 felicitating of this dark and wretched 
world1 four or forty1 sixty or a        
hundred1 volumes of the ,word of ,life4 
,and when1 aside from all the distorting
 and hardening influences exerted on our
 own moral natures by a grudging refusal
 to meet the calls of benevolence1 we   
consider the civil and social           
melioration which has attended the      

pathway of this heavenly light1 together
 with its refining and sanctifying      
influences of the individual soul2 when 
we stretch our thoughts into the eternal
 world1 and catch the songs of joy1     
unuttered and unutterable by mortal     
tongues1 which will thrill forever the  
souls of the redeemed1 what acts of life
 can the thoughtful mind contemplate1   
demanding more solemn consideration1    
more fervent prayer1 than such          
decisions8  ,thus the practice of coming
 to our determinations of charity with  
prayer1 a practice involving1 as it     
does1 both mental and moral principles  
of the first importance1 and even       
leading on to interminable consequences1
 may not be neglected4  ,we should      
cultivate1 therefore1 a docile temper1 a
 simple1 child-like spirit towards      
,christ4  ,we should cherish such vital 
nearness to our ,lord1 that we may      
commune as freely with him as friend    
communes with friend2 feeling that we   
can and would do nothing1 even in the   

common affairs of life1 without his aid 
and guidance4  ,it is said of a lady in 
one of our cities1 whom an intimate     
acquaintance urged to spend a few days  
with her in the country1 that she       
replied1 ,i should like to1 but ,i don't
 know1 it may not be best2 and added    
with great simplicity1 and in agreement 
with the spirit of her life1 ,i will go 
and ask my ,saviour4  ,thus1 on the     
reception of worldly treasures1 or in   
determining beforehand what  proportion 
of our expected increase we shall       
appropriate to the ,lord1 we should go  
to ,jesus with the same sweet simplicity
 and earnestness1 crying1 ,lord1 what   
proportion of these thy bounties shall  
,i share with the destitute8 failing not
 to devote that portion which our       
consciences1 enlightened by scripture1  
shall dictate when kneeling before the  
mercy-seat4  #i4  ,the responsibility of
 maintaining a healthful and enlightened
 conscience in respect to benevolence4  
,the ,bible is the great teacher and    

rectifier of the conscience4  ,we must  
in the first place1 then1 take fair1    
impartial1 disinterested views of all   
the precepts1 examples1 promises1 and   
teachings of the ,scriptures on this    
point4  ,we must investigate them       
thoroughly1 and be sure that we obtain  
precisely the mind of the ,spirit4  ,dim
 or distorted views either cripple the  
springs of action1 or give them wrong   
direction4  ,true1 the scriptural       
standard towers high1 and shines        
brightly4  ,some would obscure its      
brightness2 would wrest those passages  
most vividly presenting it2 would       
convince themselves that so great       
sacrifices as some1 in their zeal1 have 
prescribed1 are not required2 that we   
are permitted to enjoy our own          
interests1 and1 to a great extent1 seek 
our own happiness2 and if we barely obey
 the suggestions of natural sympathy1   
and manifest common generosity1 it is   
enough4  ,they would bring down this    
exalted standard to our own diminutive  

stature1 so that we can measure         
ourselves by it without inconvenience4  
,but all such efforts are high-handed   
rebellion1 and will prove utterly vain4 
,god has placed it on a pedestal high as
 the eternal throne1 and there it will  
stand and burn forever4  ,we must bind  
our consciences to this standard2 they  
must rise to its height1 and shine with 
its radiance4  ,if to our selfish hearts
 it appear a blood-stained cross1 we    
must nail them to it1 and let them bleed
 and agonize there4  ,to gratify our    
selfish desires1 ,god will never lower  
his claims4  ,we must come up to them4  
,if unwilling to do it in time1 we shall
 meet them in all their solemn realities
 at the final bar2 if we have been      
obedient1 there receiving the smile of  
our ,judge2 if not1 his everlasting     
frown4  ,secondly1 we should keep       
ourselves informed of the spiritual     
wants of our race4  ,every one is bound 
to be in earnest in this work4  ,he     
should strive to enstamp on his heart a 

full-drawn image of the world scathed by
 sin4  ,we should realize how great a   
portion of our globe is yet untouched by
 the vivifying light of the ,cross2 that
 the desolating systems of idolatry1 of 
,mohammedism1 of ,romanism1 and other   
false religions1 are now overshadowing  
and blasting the nations4  ,we should   
search for distinct knowledge of the    
intellectual degradation1 of the moral  
corruption1 of the oppression1          
wretchedness1 and woe1 of the groans    
uttered1 and the tears shed1 by the     
millions now subject to their galling   
sway1 as for hid treasures4  ,ignorance 
on these topics1 at the present day1    
cannot be excusable4  ,the organs of the
 various benevolent societies come      
weekly or monthly to our doors1         
detailing scenes of sottish ignorance1  
of pollutions and misery1 which cause   
philanthropy to weep4  ,they are indeed 
distressing to the feeling heart2 and ,i
 have sometimes thought there were      
those1 who shrink from the affecting    

view of a world ravaged1 enslaved1 and  
tortured by sin1 lest it should work too
 strongly on their sympathies1 and thus 
forcing the guards of covetousness1 open
 their treasures against their more     
settled purposes2 while others have been
 too heartless in their investigations4 
,but this is treason to the ,divine     
government2 it is an unwillingness to   
know exactly our relations1 and thus the
 claims of the human family on our      
regards4  ,such treachery and           
indifference cannot go unpunished4  ,did
 ,christ shrink from contemplating the  
loathsomeness and woe of our outcast    
race8  ,he not only contemplated1 he    
shared our sorrows4  ,let every one then
 survey the world as it is1 and let its 
appalling scenes glare on his           
conscience4  ,in the third place1 we    
should hold up before our minds striking
 examples of benevolence4  ,god has     
raised up some with great hearts1 who   
have given bountifully in proportion to 
their means1 to promote his cause4 ,such

 were the poor widow1 who gave all that 
she had1 the ,macedonian ,christians1   
whose liberality exceeded their means1  
and the ,king of the ,friendly ,islands 
already mentioned4  ,such was the late  
,mr4 ,goodell of ,vermont1 who1 with a  
house and farm not estimated at over    
#a1jjj1 contrived by labor1 frugality1  
and self-denial1 to pour his hundreds   
and tens of hundreds into the treasury  
of the ,lord4  ,such were the late ,mr4 
,smith of ,hartford and ,mr4 ,cobb of   
,boston1 the sweet savor of whose names 
awakens the kindliest associations1 and 
whom ,god sustained1 made cheerful and  
happy in all their sacrifices for him4  
,such was the aged ,african of ,jamaica4
  ,he had earned1 while a slave1        
ninety-six dollars4 ,being afterward    
emancipated1 he came to the missionary1 
and offered the whole for the service of
 ,christ2 and when told it was too much1
 replied1 with the most generous        
devotion1 ,no1 ,i want to give it all4  
,such was the poor colored woman1 who1  

while she had no dependence for support 
but the labor of her hands1 gave #fj at 
one time to educate pious young men for 
the ,gospel ministry4  ,when she offered
 the above sum1 the agent refused to    
receive it all1 until pressed by the    
humble donor1 who said that she had     
reserved five dollars2 and that she     
hoped to earn enough to provide for her 
wants in her last sickness1 and for her 
funeral4  ,this is said to be but a     
specimen of her liberality2 and her     
hopes in regard to her earthly wants    
were not disappointed4  ,perhaps in the 
small circle of our personal            
acquaintance1 we can number some few1   
who1 with souls more elevated and       
spiritually refined by grace1 have      
bestowed in benefactions all their      
income2 peradventure1 even common       
farmers and mechanics--such as have     
fallen under the notice of the          
writer--who1 after frugally supplying   
the wants of their families1 have       
generously given the remaining proceeds 

of their labor to the ,lord4  ,on these1
 and such as these1 we should fix our   
eyes2 they are stars of the first       
magnitude which ,god has fixed in the   
dark canopy of time as guides4  ,we may 
not be able to give as they did2 but the
 sacrifices they made1 we can and ought 
to make4  ,if we seek to ward off the   
force of their example by arguing that  
they gave too much1 or by referring at  
once to professedly good men who have   
given far less1 we may reasonably       
conclude that covetousness is still     
grasping and palsying our christian     
sympathies4  ,such efforts are clearly  
but the struggles of selfishness1 to    
ease the conscience of the dart4  ,for1 
from such generous deeds1 the voice     
does1 and will come inevitably1 ,go1 and
 do likewise4  #aj4  ,the felicity of   
beneficence4  ,that it is more blessed  
to give than to receive1 is the voice of
 inspiration4  ,jehovah's felicity flows
 mainly from that fundamental element of
 his being1 disinterested or holy love1 

and its infinitely diversified and      
glorious workings4  ,he created us in   
his own image2 and when this love has   
possession of our hearts1 and our       
conduct is in obedience to its laws1 the
 mental machine works in harmony1 and   
the result is enjoyment2 but when the   
opposite principle controls1 its        
movements are obstructed1 and the result
 is sorrow4  ,it is a law of our being1 
as fixed as the ordinances of heaven1   
that we drink the richest draughts when 
holding the cup of enjoyment to         
another's lips4  ,happiness eludes the  
grasp of the pursuer2 while like a      
flower that sheds its sweetest fragrance
 when crushed1 only tread it under foot 
in the eager pursuit of another's good1 
and its subtle influence vibrates       
through all our frame4  ,the blessedness
 of self-denying efforts for the        
salvation of souls cannot be estimated4 
,it is god-like2 it is harmonizing with 
our dying ,lord2 co-working with him in 
carrying out the redemptive scheme2     

wakening a joy which the harps of       
eternity alone can utter4  ,they that   
turn many to righteousness shall shine  
as the stars forever and ever4  ,what a 
revenue of glory will forever flow into 
the enraptured souls of such men as     
,baxter and ,doddridge1 and ,swartz and 
,martyn1 and ,goodell and ,norman       
,smith1 as they cast their crowns at the
 feet of the ,saviour2 for it is the    
highest fruition of the redeemed that   
all their glory is ultimately ,christ's4
  ,who1 as he contemplates the          
perpetually increasing joy and          
brightening exaltation of a soul        
restored to the image of ,god1 becoming 
through unnumbered years more and more  
assimilated to its glorious ,head1 would
 not participate in a work so           
transporting in its results8  ,perhaps  
you have had some feeble conception of  
its blessedness1 some half-waking       
desires to become a standard-bearer in  
the hottest of the fight with the foes  
of ,god1--a minister or missionary of   

the ,cross1 so as to labor more         
efficiently in saving souls4  ,but in   
your circumstances you find it an idle  
wish4  ,do you hence smother these      
kindling emotions and fold your hands in
 despair8  ,the ,gospel may be preached 
by your alms4  ,there are many links in 
the chain of influences which ,god      
employs in rescuing sinners from death2 
and one of the most effectual at the    
present period1 is the bestowment of    
funds to send forth the heralds of      
salvation4  ,these desires1 therefore1  
that feebly burn in your breast1 may be 
gratified4 ,in an important sense1 you  
may preach the unsearchable riches of   
,christ to the nations1 thereby becoming
 a coadjutor in a work1 the sublimest of
 heaven and the most felicitating to    
man4  ,this is an interesting truth4    
,let it blaze quenchlessly before the   
mind1 warming the heart to mercy4  #aa4 
,the sin and danger of covetousness4    
,covetousness is unlikeness to ,god1 to 
our compassionate ,saviour1 to the      

blessed spirits before the throne1 whose
 only symphonies are love4  ,when       
indulged1 the frown of the holy universe
 is fastened upon us4  ,it is violating 
the laws of our mental frame1--an       
instrument so exquisitely attuned that  
the slightest vibration of its delicate 
chords awakens notes of joy or wailings 
of sorrow2 and it thus becomes the      
source of irritation and remorse here1  
and of disquieting premonitions of the  
most appalling woes in the world to     
come4  ,hear what ,god hath spoken3 ,but
 fornication and all uncleanness or     
covetousness1 let it not be once named  
among you4  ,for no whoremonger1 nor    
unclean person1 nor covetous man1 who is
 an idolater1 hath any inheritance in   
the kingdom of ,christ and of ,god4 ,let
 no man deceive you2 for because of     
these things cometh the wrath of ,god   
upon the children of disobedience4      
,this is terrible language1 and explicit
 as terrible4  ,according to the        
plainest principles of interpretation1  

covetousness is here put in the same    
category with some of the worst vices   
that degrade man and provoke the wrath  
of heaven4 ,indeed1 if benevolence is   
required equally with justice1 then     
covetousness is as distinctly a         
violation of the divine law as          
injustice2 and he who hoards as the     
expense of the suffering poor1 is as    
guilty in the sight of ,god as he who   
rifles another's goods4  ,and is it     
strange that he who nurtures a principle
 thus pernicious in its tendencies1     
should be excluded from heaven8  ,no4   
,let us not flatter ourselves2 we cannot
 indulge in covetousness without        
imminent peril4 ,who will dare thus     
offend his gracious ,sovereign1 and     
incur his wrath8 ,let this bright1 but  
awful truth1 flash in our faces1        
deterring us from the fearful sin1 and  
inducing a sleepless vigilance over our 
selfish propensities1 lest they grow    
with our growth1 and strengthen with our
 increasing wealth4  #ab4  ,the dignity 

and responsibilities growing out of the 
fundamental truth before partially      
unfolded1 that ,god1 under the gospel1  
having given us general principles and  
laws touching benevolence1 has left the 
amount and frequency or our             
contributions to our own decision4  ,the
 position we occupy under the new       
dispensation is full of interest and    
solemnity4  ,as it is one of peculiar   
dignity1 it is one of peculiar peril4   
,god has now raised us to the true      
platform of intelligent and moral       
beings2 given our reason and consciences
 free scope to exercise their own       
energetic and controlling powers4  ,he  
has1 indeed1 always given man this      
prerogative1 but in a higher sense under
 the ,gospel than before2 in other      
words1 placed him in a position better  
fitted for the development of his whole 
being4  ,he has thrown him more entirely
 on his personal responsibility and the 
decisions of individual judgment1 by    
laying down general principles from     

which he is to ascertain his every-day  
duties4  ,all the noble powers of the   
soul1 directed by the ,spirit's         
influences1 are to be brought into full 
operation and work in concert2 the      
heart1 without impediment1 concurring   
with the reason2 the purposes1 with the 
affections4  ,this is the liberty       
wherewith ,christ hath made us free4    
,paul has beautifully illustrated this  
subject by comparing the condition of a 
son before and after becoming of        
age499,gal4 iv4  ,while a minor1 he is  
kept in subordination to his father2    
under tutors and governors1 his judgment
 in the management of affairs is under  
the control of another4  ,while a minor1
 he is kept in subordination to his     
father2 under tutors and governors1 his 
judgment in the management of affairs is
 under the control of another4  ,but    
when he comes of age1 he is elevated to 
a new position1 assumes new interests   
and new responsibilities4  ,he must then
 reason1 judge1 and act for himself4    

,so under the ,jewish dispensation1 ,god
 dealt with our race as minors2 left    
them not to the direction of their own  
individual wisdom--to form specific     
rules from general principles2 but led  
them by definite precepts2 not such     
always as rise out of the nature of     
things2 but such as he saw best fitted1 
by a sort of foreshadowing1 to prepare  
them for the more glorious state to     
which they were approaching4  ,hence all
 those positive laws1 rites1 and solemn 
festivals--appointed days1 and months1  
and times1 and years1 tithes and double 
tithes to which they were in bondage4   
,but when ,christ came1 this bondage was
 broken4  ,we were emancipated from this
 system of tutelage2 henceforth1        
breathing the spirit of adoption and    
enjoying the freedom of sons1 we were to
 act according to the dictates of our   
sanctified hearts and enlightened       
judgments1 like beatified spirits1 who1 
swayed alone by reason1 conscience1 and 
love1 in the highest sense free and     

intelligent1 speed on their course in   
harmony with ,jehovah4  ,so1 under the  
dispensation of grace1 every act must   
spring voluntarily from the mind1       
enlightened by comprehensive views of   
,scripture principles4  ,charged with   
obligations inalienable as our very     
being1 we are sent forth on the career  
of probationary existence1 amenable     
alone to our own consciences and the bar
 of final awards4  ,god1 so to speak1   
has reposed confidence in us1 and it may
 not be abused4  ,this is true in       
relation to charity1 as well as to other
 duties4  ,for the free discharge of    
this duty is one of our most solemn     
trusts4  ,each one1 enlightened by the  
great principles of disinterested       
benevolence1 is left to the decisions of
 his own mind in shaping his conduct and
 alms to its requisitions4  ,to be      
permitted to judge for ourselves in     
matters of such high and solemn import  
is an exalted dignity4  ,but to every   
degree of dignity and privilege1 there  

is attached an increase of              
responsibility4  ,such is our present   
attitude in relation to the work of     
benevolence4 ,now shall we abuse this   
confidence1 despise our privileges1 and 
show ourselves unworthy of our almost   
angelic exaltation8  ,shall we make this
 liberation from the specific           
requisition of tithes an occasion to the
 flesh1 an excuse for less pecuniary    
sacrifices than the ,jews were subjected
 to8  ,what ingratitude6  ,how          
displeasing to our ,heavenly ,father who
 has raised us thus high6  ,hence1      
exemption from tithes1 instead of       
relaxing our obligations to beneficence1
 rather strengthens them4  ,as charity  
is purely a matter of voluntariness1 the
 whole soul must be enlisted in it4  ,we
 must not only guard against a betrayal 
of our trust1 but against dispositions  
in the least at variance with its       
duties4  ,we must keep our hearts in    
sympathy with ,christ2 lest1 failing in 
sympathy with him1 we fail to imitate   

him4  ,let these responsibilities1      
together with the ingratitude and       
contempt of ,god's favor implied in the 
non-fulfilment1 be earnestly            
contemplated4 ,let us tremble lest we   
make the privilege of a more spiritual  
beneficence1 and excuse for withholding 
more than is meet1 and turn the blessing
 into a curse4  #ac4  ,that benevolence 
is the measure of personal piety4       
,personal piety is personal resemblance 
to ,christ4  ,let this mind be in you1  
which was also in ,christ ,jesus4       
,christ's character is essentially love4
  ,this induced him to die for lost man4
  ,now just so far as we resemble       
,christ we shall imitate him1 and1      
therefore1 feel for those on whom the   
wrath of ,god is still abiding4  ,and   
just so far as we feel for them1 we     
shall be willing to do for them2 and    
just so far as we are willing to do for 
them1 we shall contribute of our        
substance in proportion to our means to 
relieve their spiritual necessities4    

,so that our beneficence or sacrifices  
for the extension of the ,redeemer's    
kingdom1 will be the just measure of our
 love to him4  ,this truth we should    
wear in our hearts4 ,we should make it a
 principle to give that amount which we 
shall be satisfied to recognize as the  
exponent of our piety1 and be content   
that others should thus regard it2 such 
as we shall be willing to pen down and  
hang up in our bed-chambers1 so that we 
can contemplate it every evening and    
morning as our full estimation of       
,christ's dying love2--such that after  
counting our herds and flocks1 examining
 our barns and granaries1 surveying our 
merchandise1 and reckoning up our dues1 
we can enter our closets and pray for   
the conversion of the world without     
blushing before ,god4  ,does any one    
shrink from this criterion of his piety8
  ,i fear he will shrink away from the  
presence of his final ,judge1 and bury  
himself in the darkness of hell2 his    
works and conscience alike testifying   

his unfitness for the world of light4   
#ad4  ,that the true mission of the     
church in the present age is            
beneficence4  ,though the gospel has    
been preached nearly #bjjj years1 yet a 
deep night of spiritual darkness is     
still brooding over the greatest portion
 of the world4  ,millions on millions   
have no knowledge of the ,saviour1 and  
other millions have no right            
appreciation of his truth and grace2    
while1 blinded by sin and fascinated by 
its treacherous charms1 they are        
treading their way1 rank after rank1 to 
woes everlasting4 ,god's providence     
seems now to be moving upon the         
spiritual chaos1 preparing it for the   
reception of light4  ,obstacles to the  
introduction of the gospel into         
benighted regions are fast giving way4  
,the kingdoms spread beneath the sun1   
from north to south1 from ,china to the 
farthest verge of the west1 are         
seemingly in the posture of waiting for 
evangelical instruction4  ,the          

,macedonian cry is coming up from the   
four winds4  ,it is made to the church1 
the sacramental host of ,god's elect2   
and they must answer it4  ,god appoints1
 in some respects1 special duties to    
different ages and nations4  ,it was the
 peculiar mission of ,european          
,christians in the sixteenth century to 
break the yoke of papal supremacy2 of   
,england in the time of ,cromwell to    
waken those notes of ecclesiastical and 
civil freedom which are still           
reverberating among the mountains of    
,europe1 and shakings dynasties2 of our 
fathers to achieve the political        
independence of the ,united ,states1--to
 plant the genial tree of liberty1 and  
water it with their blood4  ,now what   
does the providence of ,god indicate as 
the special ministry of the church in   
the present age8  ,it is written all    
over the face of the world4  ,we learn  
it in the awakened condition of heathen1
 barbarous1 and half-civilized          
countries2 in the stir of intellectual  

energy which is sweeping over the       
kingdoms1 jostling thrones and alarming 
monarchs2 in the tottering pillars of   
corrupt religions1 and of               
long-established institutions of        
iniquity2 in the progress of            
governmental science in connection with 
political liberty1 and the extension of 
the arts of civilization2 in augmented  
facilities for traveling1 together with 
increased efforts for education1 and the
 consequent quickening of mind2 in the  
degradation of those who know not ,god1 
the wants of seamen1 of the oppressed1  
of the spiritually destitute both in our
 own and other lands1 and in the        
charitable movements of the times4  ,all
 these seem to declare unequivocally    
that the special work of the church in  
this age is benevolence--to toil1 to    
endure privations1 to make sacrifices of
 ease and of property to evangelize the 
nations4  ,god has opened channels      
flowing past almost every man's door1   
ready to convey his donations to distant

 regions of the globe1 carrying light   
and salvation wherever they go4  ,the   
appalling condition of the heathen in   
bygone ages has been as great and       
pitiable as now2 but never have there   
been so many available opportunities to 
reach them4  ,these opportunities impose
 new obligations4  ,we have seen in a   
preceding part of this essay1 that our  
bounties should be in a compound        
proportion to calls and ability4  ,this 
is a principle which the present        
generation would do well to consider2   
letting it penetrate the very heart's   
core4  ,to meet such emergencies as are 
now transpiring on the moral stage1     
perhaps1 was one reason why ,christ     
designated no specific ratio of income  
for charity4  ,he foresaw there would be
 crises when no proportion would be     
adequate1 and when the christian heart  
would yearn to give more than his       
income1 even all his living4  ,and may  
not the present be such a crisis8       
,indeed1 the multiplied opportunities   

afforded us of invading the dominions of
 the prince of darkness plainly intimate
 that the present is a crisis demanding 
the most generous sacrifices for ,god4  
,the sigh of every breeze that sweeps   
over the blood-stained regions of       
idolatry declares it4  ,the cries and   
outstretched arms of millions sinking   
into the everlasting gulf declare it4   
,then let it be laid up in the mind as a
 settled truth1 that it is our peculiar 
ministry to break the chains of         
ignorance and superstition1 to demolish 
the habitations of cruelty1 to crush the
 thrones of intellectual and moral      
enthralment1 to overthrow the temples of
 idolatry1 and bring up man from his    
long degradation to reunion with ,god   
through the blood of the ,lamb4  ,there 
has probably been no age since the      
foundation of the world1 which has      
demanded so great contributions as this1
 and1 perhaps1 no subsequent age will1  
till the desert shall rejoice and       
blossom as the rose4  ,at least in a few

 generations we trust the ,gospel light 
shall illumine every shore4  ,then there
 will be no such urgent calls on our    
charities2 certainly none pressing with 
such undying interests4  ,this1         
therefore1 is emphatically the age of   
giving2 for the bulk of the church can  
aid effectually in bringing about the   
happy consummation of millennial glory  
in no other way4  ,would that           
,christians of the present generation   
could be induced to look at this truth  
in its intense application to themselves
 individually4  ,would that its accents 
could be made to ring over every hill   
top1 and echo through every valley in   
,christendom2 startling the soldiers of 
the cross to deeds of love1 as the voice
 of ,peter the hermit once bristled with
 arms the plains of ,europe to shed the 
blood of infidels4  ,not long since1    
thousands were starving and dying in    
,ireland4  ,a cry of anguish came up1   
and thousands of generous ,american     
hearts responded to the call4  ,this was

 noble4  ,it was thought to be an       
especial occasion for benevolence4  ,who
 did not feel that every ,irish         
landholder should have shared his       
abundance with the suffering and dying  
poor around him8 ,but what is the death 
of the body to the death of the soul6   
,what is the temporal destruction of a  
few thousands to the eternal damnation  
of hundreds of millions6  ,was it the   
duty of the wealthy ,irish to feed their
 starving neighbors8  ,and since the    
providence of ,god has made the remotest
 of earth's dwellers who are perishing  
for lack of vision our neighbors1 should
 we not supply them with the bread of   
heaven1 and thus prevent untold agonies8
  ,i ask every candid reader1 is not the
 present a special occasion for         
benevolence8 and if the church is to be 
the instrument by which ,god has        
determined to work in restoring the     
kingdoms to his ,son1 will it not be    
such an occasion till that blessed      
period arrives1 when there shall be     

nothing to hurt or destroy in all ,god's
 holy mountain8  #ae4  ,the duties      
growing out of the possession of        
property in view of death1 judgment1 and
 eternity4  ,the obligations imposed    
upon us by the possession of wealth may 
be irksome1 but we cannot escape them2  
we must bear them to the judgment4  ,in 
our pride we may resolve that we will   
use our money as we please2 but ,god    
commands us to use it as he pleases4  ,a
 vivid sense1 then1 of the tremendous   
scenes before us should be ever         
associated in our minds with ideas of   
property4  ,we should realize how our   
wealth will appear in the final hour1 as
 its pleasures and enchanting illusions 
begin to fade from the dying eye1 and as
 we reflect how short and               
unsatisfactory1 like a dream when one   
awaketh1 all these enjoyments have been4
  ,rioting amid the luxuries of         
affluence1 and giddy with its           
bewildering joys1 these may be          
unpleasant thoughts4  ,but why regard   

thoughts of that which we cannot avoid1 
unpleasant8  ,we must not only think of 
these dread realities1 we must meet     
them1 and experience all their joy or   
woe4  ,then let us realize1 now and     
always1 how all our uses of property    
will appear at the bar of ,god1 where   
the thought of every misimprovement will
 be sharper than a serpent's fang2 how1 
in eternity1 as we contemplate those who
 might have been saved by our liberality
 in undying misery2 how1 if we are      
lifting up our eyes with them in        
torments2 how1 if1 while we ourselves   
shall be saved as by fire1 we behold    
them excluded from those blissful seats 
by our covetousness4  ,let each one put 
these searching questions to his own    
conscience2 and let him take heed that  
his gifts be such1 that their           
remembrance will not only sweeten his   
dying moments1 but diffuse a fragrance  
over all his future being4  #af4  ,the  
worth of money hoarded or spent         
unnecessarily1 contrasted with the worth

 of souls as gems in the ,saviour's     
crown4  ,the true value of wealth as a  
worldly good we fully appreciate4  ,it  
contains no hidden excellence which the 
circumstances of life conceal4  ,but the
 true glory of a soul redeemed the mists
 of time obscure4  ,our attachment to   
the world and the hallucinations growing
 out of it1 prevent its full            
appreciation4  ,but soon all this       
illusion will vanish4  ,both will stand 
before us in their true light4  ,one    
will be seen to be vanity as it is2 the 
other to possess a worth which no       
language can express3--a worth          
consisting not merely of the endless    
blessedness and glory it is itself      
capable of enjoying1 but also of the    
glory that will redound to the adorable 
,trinity through its redemption4  ,take 
a position most favorable for its true  
estimation4  ,transplant yourself into  
the heavenly state2 contemplate a       
blood-washed soul in all its peace1 its 
joy1 it ravishment1 as it circulates    

about the throne of love1 approaching   
nearer and nearer to its blissful       
centre1 constantly increasing in        
capacities1 and more and more joyful in 
its high hallelujahs1 till it shall     
enjoy more blessedness in a single hour1
 than ,gabriel has enjoyed since the    
moment of his creation4  ,behold it1 as 
it shines1 a star1 in the ,saviour's    
diadem2 gaze upon it purifying and      
brightening there as revolutions of     
eternity's time move on1 till it shall  
attract the admiration of the heavenly  
throngs1 and call forth from their      
wondering harps symphonies louder and   
more rapturous than have yet been heard 
in that world of sweetest hosannahs4    
,the comparative worth of money hoarded 
or wasted1 and the of the ransomed soul 
to itself1 to the ,saviour who redeemed 
it1 to the adoring hosts whose fruitions
 are enhanced by the displays of grace  
evinced in its redemption1 will be then 
clearly seen4  ,oh1 how trifling will   
that money which has been squandered or 

grudgingly withheld from charity then   
appear1 contrasted with the results in  
glorified souls of what was cheerfully  
and prayerfully bestowed4  ,the         
condition of the churl and the liberal1 
how different then6  ,he who hoarded    
most will then be found the poorest2 and
 he who gave most with the greatest     
sacrifices1 the richest4  #ag4  ,the    
brevity of the period allotted us to    
labor and to make sacrifices for the    
salvation of men4  ,a point of time1 a  
moment's space1 is all we have4  ,what  
we do in charity1 the labors we perform1
 the privations we suffer1 must all be  
accomplished or endured soon4  ,the     
distress we relieve1 the souls we save1 
the joys we inspire1 must feel the      
quickening hand of mercy without delay4 
,time is on his rapid wing4 ,thousands  
who need our help are perishing daily2  
the entire generation now occupying this
 stage of toil and probation1 the great 
,destroyer will speedily sweep from the 
scene4  ,almost in the twinkling of an  

eye we shall stand together before the  
judgment throne4  ,he who died to save  
the poor as well as the rich1 the       
heathen as well as the evangelized1 is  
now speaking from heaven2 whatsoever thy
 hand findeth to do1 do it with thy     
might4  ,these are some of the          
intellectual views and obligations which
 should be systematized in the mind1    
forming both inducements to1 and a      
constituent part of1 systematic         
beneficence4  ,they should lie like     
blazing fuel on the heart1 kindling     
their appropriate feelings and          
affections4  ,i have briefly unfolded   
them1 as a specimen of that process of  
reasoning and personal application1     
which1 according to our mental laws1    
when attended by the ,holy ,spirit1 is  
fitted to soften and harmonize the mind 
preparatory to benevolent action2 a     
process which all1 as rational beings1  
are bound to engage in and carry out4   
,i know this part of the system requires
 unpleasant work4  ,most are willing to 

feel1 but they would feel without       
principle2 and if they act1 they would  
act only from the impulse of the moment4
  ,they shrink from introspection2 from 
working on their own hearts through the 
laborious operations of the intellect1  
so that the affections may be at once   
both right and rational4  ,but if we    
would see the gorgeous palace towering  
in symmetry and grandeur1 unpleasant    
work must be done2 the rubbish must be  
removed1 the soil excavated1 the marble 
chiselled into form1 and the unsightly  
timbers erected4  ,without these1 though
 it might glitter in the sunbeams1 it   
would be but a gossamer tissue4  ,so    
this mental part is the bone and sinew1 
the life1 of a system of beneficence4   
,confined to resolutions and conduct1   
its movements would be like the effects 
of galvanism on the muscles of the      
dead--unnatural and spasmodic4  ,the    
truth is1 there can be no system of     
action without some system both of      
intellectual views and of the moral     

sensibilities4  ,all inconsistency among
 ,christians arises from defects in one 
or other of these respects4 ,the        
fountain is not invariably at the same  
height1 and therefore the stream        
alternately swells and sinks4           
,resolutions are proverbially frail2 and
 they are so1 because they rest not on a
 mind consolidated by principles1 and a 
heart glowing like a furnace with       
corresponding feelings4  ,when resting  
on such a mind and heart1 resolutions   
are not frail2 but invincible as        
adamant4  ,our purposes of charity1     
therefore1 must rest on an unshaken     
foundation2 and in order to this1 the   
principles and considerations fitted to 
promote benevolent sentiments and       
feelings must be pressed on the mind1   
till in view of them the bosom warms1   
and throbs1 and swells1 and bursts forth
 in high and determined resolves4  ,it  
is not enough that they pass like a     
burning ray across the mind1 producing a
 single flash of benevolence4  ,what is 

needed is a continuation of the same    
effect2 and for this1 the same cause    
must continue to operate4  ,it is       
important1 therefore1 that these truths 
be systematically applied4  ,seasons    
should be set apart for daily meditating
 and reasoning upon them1 attended by   
earnest supplication for the impressing 
influences of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,the   
mind must thus be drilled to reflection 
upon them till they become principles of
 action1 so vital and permanent1 that a 
shape and inflexibility shall be given  
to the moral sensibilities1 which no    
wear of time or circumstances shall     
change or efface4  ,this is the only    
process by which the soul can be brought
 into1 and kept in1 that state of unity 
implied in volition2 especially of that 
abiding unity implied in a general      
purpose1 without which no scheme of     
action can be long sustained4  ,this1   
too1 is the only method by which unhappy
 influences exerted on the heart by the 
pursuits of gain can be counteracted4   

,as one engages in active business1 and 
his property accumulates1 his thoughts  
usually become more engrossed1 and his  
love of money increases4  ,why is it8   
,precisely on the principle recognized  
by the ,psalmist1 ,while ,i was musing1 
the fire burned4  ,it is a law of our   
mental nature1 that the more we think of
 any subject naturally pleasing1 the    
greater interest we feel respecting it4 
,now the management1 the proper         
investment1 and safe keeping of         
property1 must engage1 more or less1 the
 attention2 and owing to the extreme    
selfishness of the heart1 are very      
liable to awaken a lively interest4     
,hence1 the more people are employed in 
the acquisition of affluence or         
competence1 the more covetous they      
usually become4  ,this influence1 so    
chilling to the generous affections1 can
 be resisted only by a counter process  
of reflection4  ,the truth that         
ourselves and all we have belong to     
,god2 the extreme selfishness of the    

natural man2 the insufficiency of       
worldly good to satisfy the cravings of 
the soul2 the dangers attending         
acquisition2 the obligations and        
privilege of giving2 the benevolent     
mission of the age2 the spiritual wants 
of the world2 the worth of a soul       
redeemed2 and all those great and solemn
 considerations fitted to incite to     
munificence1 must be presented before   
the mind as frequently at least as ideas
 of property1 in order to counterbalance
 the influence of the latter2 and1      
indeed1 more frequently1 so as to       
repress the strong tendencies of the    
selfish heart1 which the avocations of  
gain are so well calculated to          
invigorate4  ,this can be done by no    
merely external system of benevolent    
action1 any farther than such a system  
has a reflex influence on the moral     
feelings4  ,farther than this1 the      
effort would be like attempting to stop 
the floods of the ,amazon with a        
bulrush4  ,the great work1 therefore1 in

 erecting a system of beneficence1 must 
be wrought in the soul1--in impressing  
views and regulating affections4 ,for   
this there can be no substitute4  ,this 
deep and steady current of truth and    
thought1 is to the mind in connection   
with the ,spirit's operations1 what     
showers are to the earth4  ,if there are
 none1 it soon becomes parched1 and     
verdure withers2 if they descend        
frequently and copiously1 the ground is 
filled with moisture1 vegetation blooms1
 and fruits ripen2 springs burst forth1 
the streams dash along the valleys1     
sweep through the meadows1 and pouring  
into the ocean1 roll their mountain     
waves around the world4  ,,ii4          
,standing on this high ground of        
established principles and correspondent
 affections1 we are prepared to take the
 second step in a universal system of   
beneficence2 consisting in the exercises
 of the will in the formation of general
 purposes and resolutions4  ,these      
should be made with a solemn sense of   

the responsibilities of our being2 of   
our relations to the world and to the   
judgment-seat2 and with a full          
conviction of our own weakness and      
entire dependence on the grace of ,god  
to assist us in their fulfilment4       
,reader1 with this humble reliance on   
,divine aid1 will you now make the      
following resolutions your own8  #a4    
,as a foundation to all others1 ,i      
solemnly consecrate myself1 soul and    
body1 to ,god in an everlasting         
covenant4  #b4  ,i will prayerfully     
endeavor to keep my heart in sympathy   
with the great principles and duties    
above unfolded4  #c4  ,i will make the  
benevolence of ,jesus ,christ1 in its   
spirit and design1 the pattern of my    
own1 constantly carrying about the      
conviction1 that ,i must practise great 
self-denial1 and make continued         
sacrifices in imitation of my dying     
,lord4  #d4  ,i will make unremitting   
war on the selfishness of my heart1     
knowing it to be the worst of evils2 and

 fully purposing that it shall never    
influence my decision1 either in regard 
to a general scheme1 or a particular    
act1 of beneficence4  #e4  ,i will      
thoroughly and candidly consider the    
spiritual destitutions of our country   
and the world2 the peculiar mission of  
the church in the present age2 and      
manfully1 and with a whole heart1 make  
the renunciations thereby demanded4  #f4
  ,i will regard my health1 strength1   
life1 and property1 as valuable only as 
instruments of advancing the kingdom of 
,christ2 and therefore hold them all    
without reserve at the call of ,god4    
#g4  ,i will seize every opportunity for
 doing good by example1 by conversation1
 by labor1 and by contribution4  #h4  ,i
 will daily and prayerfully consider    
whether the circumstances of the age in 
which ,i live do not require of me as   
great sacrifices in alms-giving as were 
made by the ,jews in contributing two   
tenths of their income to the service of
 the ,lord4   #i4 ,in laying all my     

pecuniary plans1 and in all my labors to
 carry them into effect1 ,i will have   
the glory of ,god uppermost in view1 and
 therefore make it one of my leading    
objects to acquire property for         
distribution2 being thus1 according to  
the injunction of ,paul1 not slothful in
 business1 fervent in spirit1 serving   
the ,lord4  #aj4  ,to give to charitable
 purposes such portion of my property as
 ,god1 by his ,word and providences1    
seems to demand1 ,i will deem as        
sacredly incumbent upon me as to make an
 economical expenditure of it in the    
support of myself and family4  #aa4     
,for the sake of strengthening the      
benevolent tendencies of the soul1 ,i   
will perseveringly cherish all its      
generous impulses by doing or giving as 
they shall dictate1 so far as scripture 
and ability prescribe4  #ab4  ,i will   
fix upon a system of giving which shall 
be made solemnly and prayerfully in view
 of my circumstances and calls2 in the  
clear light of ,god's ,word and of the  

awful retributions of the last tribunal4
  ,as to amount and frequency of        
donations1 ,i will endeavor to make them
 such as ,i shall wish they had been1   
when1 bowing before the great white     
throne1 ,i shall gaze into the face of  
my crucified and exalted ,saviour2      
actually participating in the fruits of 
his unutterable sacrifices for me4  #ac4
  ,cherishing1 amid the toils of gain1  
an abiding sense of the strength of the 
selfishness of the human heart1 and the 
consequent dangers of acquisition1 ,i   
will daily pray and strive for          
disinterested benevolence as the        
greatest good2 also for direction as to 
the amount of sacrifices ,i ought to    
make2 and then agreeably to my prayers1 
act according to the dictates of        
conscience uttered in the presence of   
,god4  #ad4  ,i will frequently and at  
stated periods solemnly renew these or  
similar resolutions4  ,now1 if you      
refuse to make these solemn resolutions 
your own1 can you assign any reason for 

such refusal1 which you will be willing 
to utter in self-justification when     
facing your ,final ,judge8  ,whatever   
theories we may adopt concerning        
volition1 or the governing              
determinations of the mind1 all will    
agree in the fact1 that the energies of 
the human soul1 when aroused1 may be    
strung like fibres of steel1 giving and 
adamantine firmness and indomitable     
force to the will4 ,we have seen this   
exemplified in the fortitude with which 
one sometimes endures surgical          
operation2 in the heated courage of the 
soldier1 rushing with the loud huzza    
into the very face of the engulphing    
battery2 in the cool1 calculating       
resolution which carries the unflinching
 column with steady tread into the very 
centre of bristling squares4  ,all this 
is but the strength of will when the    
energies of the soul are stirred4  ,now 
one's resolution may and should become  
thus iron-like in the war with his own  
covetousness4  ,he should determine in  

the strength of grace to break it down1 
however much it may cost4  ,god has     
given us this power of will1 and to him 
we are responsible for its proper       
exercise2 ever remembering that it is   
strengthened by cultivation of          
reiterated effort4  ,the raw recruit    
cannot be trusted at the post of danger 
like the veteran1 who has repeatedly    
nerved up his spirit1 till by habit it  
has become as unyielding as a rock4     
,the latter has learnt to be brave4  ,so
 we should learn to be soldiers in the  
war with selfishness1 by perseveringly  
girding our minds to the deadly         
conflict4--,has depraved man such energy
 of will in spreading devastation and   
death2 and shall not ,christians exhibit
 as great force of resolution in        
diffusing the blessings of salvation8   
,who dare say1 ,i cannot1 or will not1  
exercise it8  ,let us be mindful of our 
obligations4  ,if our minds may be      
wrought up to such invincible firmness  
and energy of resolution to do evil2    

surely1 ,god assisting1 they may not    
only be inspired with a lofty enthusiasm
 to resist the solicitations of         
selfishness1 but also roused to a       
sublimity of generous emotions1 to      
engage1 like a ,mills or a ,howard1 in  
disinterested and self-denying efforts  
for the good of others4  ,,iii4  ,we are
 now ready to take the last step in     
erecting a general system of            
beneficence1 viz43 the carrying into    
effect right principles and             
well-directed resolutions4  ,while1 on  
the one hand1 the intellectual and      
emotional qualities of the mind give    
character and vitality to action2 on the
 other hand our conduct exerts a        
powerful reflex influence on the        
affections and purposes4  ,nothing tends
 more to give strength and spirit to a  
mental principle than accordant action2 
and nothing tends more to obliterate an 
emotion from the breast1 or to paralyze 
a resolution1 than the neglect of its   
appropriate manifestations4  ,however   

deeply the one may be engraven on the   
soul1 or however solid the texture or   
vigorous the life of the other1 a few   
instances of neglect or violation will  
strike them with the chills of death4   
,principles and resolutions1 then1 are  
of little avail without corresponding   
efforts4  ,the well of water must not   
only spring up in the soul1 it must flow
 out in the life4  ,we must act as well 
as think and resolve2 and act1 as if we 
felt that ourselves and all that we have
 belong to ,god by the twofold right of 
creation and redemption2 act1 as if     
selfishness were our deadliest foe1 and 
as if it were our great business to     
attain its mortification and overthrow2 
act1 as if disinterested love1 a soul   
like angels1 like ,god1 were the        
greatest good to be possessed by an     
intelligent being2 act1 as if we were   
prayerfully watching the calls of       
,christ on our generosity1 and were     
ready and determined manfully to meet   
them2 act1 in laying our pecuniary      

plans1 as if the highest object of      
acquisition were the means of diffusing 
good2 act1 as if self-denial were the   
main condition of our being on earth1   
and as if the circumstances of the age  
were requiring of us peculiar sacrifices
 in order to rescue millions1 perishing 
in mental thraldom1 whose souls are as  
precious as our own2 act1 as if we were 
in earnest1 as if the whole soul were   
kindled to a blaze of zeal1 and bent on 
the most determined efforts for the     
exaltation of ,christ in the salvation  
of men2 knowing that the time allotted  
for the accomplishment of a task eternal
 in its consequences1 is but a          
hand-breadth4  ,act with forecast4      
,this is a point of unspeakable         
importance4  ,i would reiterate and     
enforce the thought1 till it shall be   
wrought into the very web of all our    
benevolent purposes4  ,there must be    
contrivance to give4  ,worldly men make 
previous arrangements to increase their 
stores4  ,lovers of pleasure contrive to

 support their follies4  ,why should not
 lovers of ,christ be equally wise to   
fill the world with light1 and heaven   
with anthems8  ,act systematically4     
,with a mind illumined with knowledge1 a
 conscience impressed with obligation1  
and a heart glowing with love of ,god   
and man1 form an individual system of   
beneficence2 and let it be one you will 
not blush to review in heaven4  ,be     
particularly careful1 therefore1 that it
 be such as will come most strongly in  
collision with the selfishness of the   
heart1 and yield the richest revenue to 
the ,lord2 requiring as generous and    
frequent contributions as circumstances 
will allow1 agreeably to the ,divine    
injunction3 ,every man shall give as he 
is able1 according to the blessing of   
the ,lord thy ,god1 which he hath given 
thee2 in a word1 let it be such as      
system as you will be willing to hand in
 at the judgment-seat1 as decisive      
testimony that you have loved your      
neighbor as yourself4  ,and when it is  

formed1 never violate its rules by      
giving less1 except impelled by         
imperative necessity2 though ever stand 
ready to deviate from it1 when          
,providence commands1 by giving more4   
,let benevolence be ever operative1 like
 the sun ever shining4  ,wait not for   
the modest poor1 or heedlessly          
perishing1 to ask for aid2 but go forth 
in search of objects appropriate for    
philanthropy to relieve1 to enlighten1  
to cheer4  ,obey the voice from heaven3 
,open thy hand wide unto thy brother2   
,sow beside all waters2 scattering a    
little here and a little there1 and     
thus1 to the extent of ability1 aid in  
bringing back the state of ,eden's      
bloom1 and planting trees of            
righteousness all over the world4  ,let 
deeds of charity be consistent one with 
another1 and harmonize with a general   
deportment1 elevated to the true ,gospel
 standard of self-consecration2 so that 
they may exert an influence1 not only in
 relieving the wants of the needy and   

forlorn1 but as examples of heartfelt   
beneficence1 inciting others to the     
glorious work4  ,let ,christ1 therefore1
 be the pattern of all charitable       
efforts4  ,let the love that moved him  
to endure a life of privation and a     
death of agony1 take full possession of 
the soul1 prompting to the same         
unwearied and self-denying activity in  
doing good4  ,with a constancy and vigor
 based on this life-giving principle1   
let each one endeavor to make his       
influence felt throughout the world2    
becoming1 in his sphere1 like one of    
those fixed stars that sparkle in the   
midnight sky--a blazing sun to those    
that are near1 a gem of sweetest ray to 
those afar4  ,such is the system1 and1  
as we believe1 substantially the only   
universal system of beneficence1 with   
which ,god will be well pleased4  ,it   
grows out of our relations to him as    
intellectual and moral beings4  ,its    
life-spring is in the heart4  ,it is    
purely spiritual or moral in its        

character4  ,it rejects all machinery1  
and can be permanently helped forward by
 no scheme of merely external actions4  
,it occupies the whole soul2 with its   
roots winding round every intellectual  
and virtuous principle1 it shoots up its
 stately trunk1 sending forth its       
far-reaching branches1 whose leaves are 
for the healing of the nations4  ,it is 
a system forming an essential part of   
,christian character4  ,it requires that
 the great themes of our meditation be  
spiritual and eternal1 that the mind be 
so imbued with thoughts of ,god1 his    
government and law1 of ,christ1 his     
love1 his sufferings and death1 of the  
restorative scheme thereby wrought out1 
of its relation to this apostate world1 
of our responsibilities as co-workers   
with ,christ in spreading the knowledge 
of his name1 and of the consequences    
both to ourselves and others of fidelity
 to our trust--it requires that these   
thoughts be so thoroughly impressed1 and
 the heart so permeated1 warmed1 and    

animated by their influence1 that they  
shall become1 as it were1 inherent      
elements of moral action1 involuntarily 
suggesting themselves as often as       
occasions for their operation arise4    
,but all this is but another process of 
thought and emotion descriptive of the  
spiritually minded4 ,it also requires   
the same intellectual and moral         
discipline which is essential to the    
formation of the benevolent character4  
,this does not consist in a single act1 
a single out-gushing of generous        
activity1 but in a series of generous   
actions1 flowing from an established    
principle2 a principle pervading the    
whole soul1 never wavering1 never       
succumbing to the biddings of           
selfishness4  ,but the benevolent       
character thus deeply laid is the       
,christian character4  ,the scheme      
further requires consistency of moral   
and religious conduct4  ,while it no    
more demands regular and persevering    
beneficent action than it demands other 

,christian duties1 it imperiously       
demands regular and persevering         
beneficent action as an essential branch
 of ,christian conduct1 inevitably      
resulting from those immutable          
principles which form the basis of the  
,christ-like character4  ,thus the      
particular or individual system grows1  
by a moral necessity1 out of the general
 system of thoughts1 affections1 and    
volitions1 here unfolded2 it being a    
moral impossibility for one cordially to
 adopt the latter1 in all its length and
 breadth1 without determining upon such 
a private system of beneficence as his  
means1 his relations to ,god and to the 
wants and woes of our species1 demand4  
,to refuse this system of benevolent    
principles and correspondent actions1   
therefore1 is to refuse to be           
spiritually minded2 is to refuse to     
exhibit consistency of holy conduct2 is 
to refuse to exert all our powers and   
embrace all opportunities to do good2 in
 a word1 it is to wear a blot on our    

,christian name which many waters can   
never wash out4  ,hence the beauty of   
the system1--general and                
particular--here presented1 is that1    
resting down on the eternal and         
changeless foundations of the spiritual 
universe1 and consequently harmonizing  
with the spirit of ,revelation and with 
the laws of mind1 it rises up and       
expands into a beautiful exhibition of  
the fruits of the ,gospel1 the          
legitimate product of its holy precepts4
  ,it gives no encouragement to the idea
 that ,god's favor may be secured1 or   
duty done1 by any mere external system  
of munificence1 any farther than the    
external system proceeds from right     
affections and sound principles4  ,it   
must originate in the renewed heart1 be 
nourished by the life of grace1 and     
increase its productiveness as light and
 holiness increase in the soul4  ,in its
 perfect development1 it is the full and
 symmetrical development of the         
,christian character4  ,thus it is a    

system equal in its pressure1 and       
therefore adapted to fasten on the      
conscience of every one1 whatever his   
age or circumstances4  ,no one can      
justly plead exemption from its claims4 
,none can reasonably propose questions  
of casuistry to shield his bosom from   
its shafts4  ,none can shake off the    
convictions of duty it impresses1 but by
 shutting its principles from the mind1 
or by rousing the heart to resistance4  
,in short1 it leaves every man to       
himself1 facing his ,god1 his conscience
 laid bare to the quenchless rays of    
truth4   ,,conclusion4  ,who will refuse
 thus systematically to reflect1 to     
feel1 to resolve1 to give8  ,will you1  
professed follower of the self-denying  
,jesus8  ,can you1 bought with blood    
divine1 when looking around on the      
possessions ,god has bestowed1 have a   
heart to deny that aid which undying    
millions demand8  ,is it not beyond     
expression inconsistent to profess to   
give yourself to ,christ1 and then      

withhold your property from him8--,but  
what are your relations to him as       
implied in this profession8 and what are
 his claims upon you1 as growing out of 
it8  ,with the last tribunal and the    
sorrows of ,calvary in view1 will you   
give these a moment's prayerful         
reflection8  ,go back with me to those  
delightful scenes so full of gentle joy1
 of ineffable sweetness1 and hallowed   
peace1 when first you cast your all on  
,jesus1 and felt       ,the ,saviour's  
pard'ning blood1      ,applied to       
cleanse your soul from guilt      ,and  
bring you home to ,god4  ,then1 calm and
 trustful in spirit1 transported in the 
freshness of a new-born life1 you could 
sing with a ravished heart1       ,i am 
my ,lord's1 and he is mine3      ,he    
drew me--and ,i followed on--           
,charm'd to confess the voice divine4   
,these were precious seasons4  ,how     
sweet their mem'ry still6  ,then came an
 hour of tender1 impressive1 and almost 
awful interest4  ,you entered the       

sanctuary of ,god1 and in the presence  
of men1 of angels1 and your adored      
,saviour1 avouched the ,lord ,jehovah1  
,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 to be  
your ,god1 consecrating yourself and all
 your possessions1 unreservedly1 to his 
service4  ,was this an unmeaning        
ceremony8  ,no4  ,you remember the      
occasion1 the hopes and fears of your   
trembling faith1 those sweet            
experiences1 those glimpses of your     
,redeemer's smiles1 which forced the    
tear to your eye2 the solemn and        
faltering accents of your beloved       
pastor2 and the weeping sympathy of a   
dear father and mother-- now1 perhaps1  
gone to their rest--who had long yearned
 over a thoughtless child4  ,or you may 
remember your soul's peaceful trust in  
,god1 as you stood alone1 with no       
sympathizing kindred2 and felt1 as you  
tasted the cup1--the emblem of your     
,saviour's blood1 and the pledge of the 
eternal sacrifice of yourself to        
him1--that you could cheerfully forsake 

brother and sister1 father and mother1  
all1 for ,christ4  ,it was a touching   
scene2 and you thought you should never 
forget it4  ,and1 ah6 it never has been 
forgotten in heaven4  ,the eternal      
,judge1 and those blest spirits who     
affectionately stooped to sustain and   
strengthen you for the irrevocable vow1 
remember it4  ,now have you acted up to 
this surrender of your all to ,christ1  
especially in relation to the duty of   
beneficence8  ,in that impressive hour1 
did you make a mental reservation1      
withholding certain sources of private  
gratification1--the privilege of using  
your property as you pleased1 of seeing 
yourself and family supplied with the   
conveniences1 the comforts1 and even the
 luxuries of life1 ere you attended to  
the cries of the myriads sinking to woes
 unutterable for the want of ,gospel    
light8  ,were you thus unfeeling8  ,did 
you think to deceive the heart-searching
 ,jesus8  ,oh1 no6  ,i cannot believe   
it2 and you are appalled at the         

suspicion4  ,but what did you mean by   
those all-surrendering vows8  ,what do  
you mean1 often as you renew them at the
 sacramental board8  ,let the question  
come home to your conscience2 what do   
you mean8  ,if they lead you not to hold
 your property at the call of ,god1     
ought you not to tremble lest you never 
gave yourself away1 and are1 therefore1 
with all your professions an heir of    
hell8  ,did ,christ once weep over      
covenant-breaking ,jerusalem8  ,does he 
not now weep over you1 as he thinks of  
all his agonies to rescue you from      
unquenchable fire2 of your voluntary    
vows2 your unfaithfulness2 and your     
mockery1 as perhaps you have prayed that
 the kingdoms of the world might        
speedily become his2 while amid your    
numerous comforts1 you have refused to  
deny yourself scarce a convenience1 or  
even superfluity1 for the salvation of  
those whom he died to redeem8  ,how     
inconsistent6  ,well might tears still  
bathe the ,saviour's cheeks4  ,oh think1

 are these the kind returns you owe for 
pardoning love8  ,it is unreasonable    
that you spend your worldly goods for   
him1 who shed his blood for you8  ,go1  
,i beseech you1 to your closet1 and     
there plead1 till from the heart you can
 say3 ,lord1 here ,i am and all ,i have4
  ,take the worthless sacrifice1 now and
 forever4  ,will the rich1 they who have
 enough and abound1 reject this rational
 scheme of principles1 feelings1        
actions8  ,what treatment is this of the
 compassionate ,giver of your abundance8
  ,do you not owe to him alike your     
being and possessions8  ,perhaps you    
refuse to give even yourselves to him2  
and employ to private ends those bodily 
and mental powers with which you are    
endowed for his service4  ,is not this  
robbing ,god8  ,and how is it with the  
favors of his hand8  ,have not the      
crucibles of your selfish hearts melted 
and moulded them into household gods8   
,as the streams of ,providence have     
poured in upon you to overflowing1      

instead of dispersing abroad as ,god    
intended1 have you not carefully        
enlarged your own reservoirs so as to   
retain the whole8  ,thus grasping all   
that lies within your reach of that     
wealth which ,god has created for the   
advancement of his kingdom1 have you not
 withheld it from its appropriate       
channel1 and thus become doubly guilty  
of robbing ,god8  ,what a spectacle do  
you present to holy intelligences6      
,they behold you rational and           
accountable beings like themselves2     
upheld in existence by ,jehovah's mercy1
 partaking freely of his bounties1 and  
treasuring up future supplies2 but      
resolutely refusing to share your       
abundance with the perishing1 even when 
the generosity required would but       
enhance your personal enjoyment4  ,and  
yet1 perchance1 you are the professed   
followers of the compassionate ,jesus4  
,dare you compare your spirit and       
conduct with his8  ,truly1 you1 who have
 redundant stores1 sustain tremendous   

responsibilities2 would that you might  
realize them4  ,you enjoy glorious      
privileges2 will you slight them8  ,with
 the power1 under ,god1 of relieving the
 sorrowful1 enlightening the ignorant1  
elevating the degraded1 and diffusing a 
vital energy through every pore of this 
suffering world1 will you stand like    
some bleak ,alpine cliff1 breathing     
perpetual frost1 merely an object for   
the curious to gaze upon8  so live that 
your selfish heirs shall rejoice at your
 death1 and the judgment-day clothe you 
with eternal shame8  ,do you say1 ,my   
money is my own2 ,i may use it as ,i    
please8  ,hark6  ,god thunders1 ,thy    
gold and thy silver is mine4  ,will you 
trifle with ,jehovah's voice1 and incur 
his righteous wrath8  ,hear the terrible
 denunciations of ,james3 ,go to1 now1  
ye rich men1 weep1 and howl for your    
miseries that shall come upon you4      
,your riches are corrupted1 and your    
garments are moth-eaten4  ,your gold and
 silver is cankered2 and the rust of    

them shall be a witness against you1 and
 shall eat your flesh as it were fire4  
,absorbed in the pursuits of gain1 or   
whirling on your glittering rounds of   
pleasure1 you may heedlessly disregard  
the appeals of distressed humanity1 and 
proudly congratulate yourselves on your 
exalted positions1 your honors and      
flatteries2 but1 rely upon it1 you are  
only heaping treasure together for the  
last day4  ,every call of charity from  
which you turn coldly away will be a    
drop of anguish to your undying soul4   
,how trifling your gifts to the ,lord1  
compared with the vastly greater        
sacrifices of many far poorer than      
yourself1 and whom1 perhaps1 you now    
despise4  ,when these shall shine forth 
as the sun in the kingdom of their      
,father1 where1 ,o1 where will you be   
found8  ,o1 how will all that affluence 
in which you have garnered up your hopes
 appear1 when hearing the voice of your 
,final ,judge1 ,inasmuch as you did it  
not to one of the least of these my     

brethren1 ye did it not to me2 and      
bereft of your treasures and your hopes 
together1 you find the prison of despair
 a dread reality1 where covetousness    
will eternally work without restraint1  
and unrelieved2 a fire shut up in the   
soul1 agonizing it evermore8  ,will the 
young refuse to enter upon this         
systematic course of doing good8--,you  
who are in the warm glow of youthful    
affections and sympathies1 ,i presume   
are not prepared to answer in the       
negative4  ,you feel that it would be   
delightful1 the highest grade of human  
excellence1 to go about scattering      
charities--feeding the hungry1 relieving
 distress1 smoothing the dying pillow1  
and sending the light of salvation to   
those on whom the dayspring of the      
,saviour's mercy has never dawned4      
,this1 perhaps1 you intend to do at some
 future time2 but you cannot now2 you   
have not the ability2 you must first    
amass the means4  ,but let me warn you2 
here lies the treacherous pitfall4  ,you

 have within a subtle and malignant     
principle1 whose maturity is utterly    
destructive of benevolence4  ,this the  
very employment of acquiring the means  
of charity will fan to a flame1 unless1 
in all your plans and avocations1 you   
carry along with you the spirit of      
,christ's good-will to men4  ,the work  
of charity must be begun in the infancy 
of the selfish tendencies4  ,a small    
blaze among the withered leaves of      
autumn a child may extinguish2 but when 
the winds have hurled it1 and the wild  
fire is running and leaping from point  
to point1 streaming up trees and        
wrapping the forest in sheets of flame1 
it will take the energies of thousands  
to quench it4 ,so it is with the        
principle of avarice4  ,it must be      
repressed early1 before its giant coils 
wind around the entire heart1 crushing  
its better purposes4  ,hence1 as the    
morning of life is peculiarly favorable 
to the formation and fixing of habits1  
the importance of inuring yourself to   

battle with this inward foe1 in this    
flexible season4  ,put on the armor at  
once1 and learn to wield it2 for victory
 is as much dependent on skill as on    
strength4  ,let the spirit of           
benevolence be the warmest aspiration of
 the youthful breast4  ,let it be the   
early1 the earnest1 the daily inquiry1  
,what can ,i do for my race8  ,good to  
others should be your aim when means are
 small4  ,true1 its light at first may  
be no more than the feeble glimmerings  
of the glow-warm by the pathway of the  
benighted traveller2 yet it will be     
genial1 soothing many a sad and torn    
heart4  ,in the very commencement of    
business1 then1 cherish a ,christ-like  
spirit2 and1 adopting a system of       
accordant action1 maintain it all along 
the path of life2 so that when you      
arrive at its close1 it will be seen1 a 
line of light stretching around the     
world1 with many a flower of ,paradise  
blooming on its borders4  ,but wait till
 you obtain the means before you begin  

to seek in earnest the benefit of       
others1 and1 unless ,divine ,grace      
powerfully interpose1 by the time1 in   
your own judgments1 the means are       
procured1 your hearts will have become  
like the nether millstone4  ,be         
persuaded1 then1 to lay your youth a    
victim on the altar of charity4 ,let    
your whole being burn there till life is
 extinct2 and when you enter upon the   
peaceful rest of heaven1 you will find  
multitudes there1 aided thither by your 
timely munificence1 with whom you may   
unite in transporting hallelujahs       
forever4  ,finally1 let me entreat      
readers of every class deeply to ponder 
the subject here unfolded4  ,no rational
 being1 with any sense of his           
responsibilities1 can treat it with     
indifference4  ,i beseech you1 pass not 
over these pages with a hasty glance1   
and then throw them aside4 ,meditate    
upon them till your hearts burn within  
you4  ,pray over them till you feel a   
harmony of soul with ,christ2 and1 in   

this spirit1 come to a solemn           
determination whether you will adopt or 
reject this system of views1 of         
affections1 of resolutions1 and of      
accordant actions4  ,do one or the      
other4  ,no other course is either      
rational or christian4  ,and while you  
deliberately decide1 realize that the   
eye of the ,triune ,jehovah is fixed    
upon you1 and that that dread ,judge1   
before whose face the earth and the     
heavens shall flee away1 will review the
 transaction4 ,how solemn your position6
  ,what amazing consequences are        
depending on your present determination6
  ,it will affect your usefulness here1 
and your relations in eternity4  ,you   
are striking a chord of the mighty harp 
of the universe1 which will tremble with
 the songs of the redeemed1 or the      
moanings of the damned4  ,can you touch 
it heedlessly8