Represent God in Benevolence

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«Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?» Let us give earnest consideration to this question, «Where are the nine?» Why is it that we feel such great obligation for human favors, and so little for the divine? Why do we praise and glorify man, and leave God out of our reckoning? What human agent could or would have done one thousandth part of that which God has done for his heritage? Could a human agent do even a fraction of what God has done, it would be done only by the grace which God supplies. Man is so ungrateful, so forgetful of God, whose mercy sustains him every hour and every moment! All we have received in the past, and all we are now receiving, comes from One who «so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.» «And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.» «He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things.»

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Satan works to interpose himself between God and man, so that the affections, the gifts and offerings of human agents, shall be turned into human channels rather than into the divine. The enemy has been especially alive upon this point, and shall those who profess to be the followers of Christ unite with him in this branch of Satanic work? For Christ’s sake let not the world give a better example in works of benevolence than do those who claim to love God with all their heart, and their neighbors as themselves. Let Christ be represented in tender compassion and love for suffering humanity. Let the condition of helpless little ones appeal to every mother’s heart, that she may put into exercise a mother’s love for homeless orphan children. Their helplessness appeals to every God-given attribute in human nature.

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There is a large field for missionary labor in caring for homeless orphan children. Shall not the love of Christ constrain my brethren and sisters to use the capital intrusted for the purpose of blessing others, in providing for destitute and homeless children? Shall Christmas and New Year’s find you enriching yourselves by accepting gifts that you do not need, or will you tell your friends and relatives that you will regard it as a great favor to yourself if they will bestow their gifts on the Orphans’ Home, that needy, homeless little children may thus be cared for, clothed, and fed as God would have them? The blessing of the Lord will surely be bestowed upon all who will deny self, using the means he has lent them in an economical way in providing for themselves, in order that they may provide for those also who are destitute and afflicted. God is testing and proving every soul in this probationary time, that it may be made manifest whether or not his attributes of character are formed within.

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God chooses to work through human agents in relieving the necessities of suffering humanity; but how inconsistent it is for those who profess to be Christ’s followers to spend their means in buying expensive presents for those who need not their offerings! How many poor and suffering families might be supplied with healthful, simple food and comfortable clothing if the gifts and offerings formerly devoted to friends and relatives, should be bestowed upon the needy. Let the gifts that have hitherto been given without a thought as to the misapplication of God’s entrusted goods, be recognized as his talents to be applied to the necessities of the poor and suffering. In this way thanksgiving will redound to God; for the poor will be blessed with the thought that the Lord has moved upon his agents and has caused them to remember the hungry, the naked, and the destitute. Will those who have a good supply of the Lord’s goods, misapply their gifts in giving to those who are not in need, simply because it is fashionable to do so, and take no thought of the poverty-stricken homes where such gifts would be greatly appreciated?

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The Haskell Home has been erected in Battle Creek, Mich., through the gift of a large-hearted woman who wished to invest a portion of her earthly treasure in providing an asylum for poor orphan children. Will not those who love our Lord enlarge the mantle of charity to take in this benevolent institution of God? Shall we not do our duty to the poor? We have long been waiting and halting, and neglecting Christ in the person of suffering ones who have been purchased by his blood. Shall we not now redeem the past? Shall we not now make restitution to God by our earnest zeal, our tender compassion, and take to our hearts the homeless little ones?

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The children of God on earth must cooperate with heavenly intelligencies, working in harmony with the light and truth revealed in his word, and thus represent the attributes of his character. Every Christian is to represent Christ in self-denial, in living not to please and glorify self. The followers of Christ are to reach that condition which is spoken of in the sacred record, «For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.» And again he says, «God is not ashamed to be called their God.» What evidence does he present to verify this assurance? The answer is, «He hath prepared for them a city.» But those who are thus honored are doers of the word of God. They love God with all the heart, and their neighbors as themselves, and are living epistles, known and read of all men. By their character they say to the world that they are strangers and pilgrims on the earth. «For they that say such things declare plainly [to the world] that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city.»

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Let every one closely investigate his expenditures, and see how he can deny himself and help the needy. There is a home in preparation for the aged poor. This is a precious object to which to give a portion of God’s entrusted goods. «Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not of covetousness.» Now hear the words of inspiration, «But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.» Do we believe God? I believe every word spoken by the prophets and apostles inspired by the Holy Spirit. «Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.» Now hear the assurance that God has given to those who would follow out his instruction: «God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work (as it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth forever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower [which is our heavenly Father] both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness): being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; while by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men: and by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.»

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It is through the blessing of God bestowed upon the unselfish and benevolent soul, that he has wherewith to bestow gifts to help the needy, and to bring tithes and offerings to carry the gospel into regions beyond. Nothing can be given that has not first been received from our heavenly Father. Will the Christian world ever learn that the soul must be refined from the dross of selfishness before Christ can be represented in character? Can anything be withheld by those who know the blessedness of giving? Shall it be said of professed believers in Jesus Christ that he is ashamed to call them brethren? Selfishness, covetousness, pride, and vanity misrepresent Christ to the world. The name of Christian is applied by the world to men and women who are not so named in the books of heaven. On the record above it is written of them, «Weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, and found wanting.» The worldly spirit that leads the professed people of God to misappropriate their Lord’s goods, causes them to bring reproach upon the name of him who has exercised boundless beneficence toward the sons of men. The character of God is falsified before the world by those who withhold their Lord’s intrusted means from benevolent purposes; for they do not represent him who «so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.» Melbourne, Australia.