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THE WIDOW'S MITE.

bent on boarding more, we see the objects, or the representation of the great ruling passion.

And, it may help to illustrate the character of that passion, if we remark at the outset, that when men begin to think of employing some fraction of their money as they should employ it all, it is not uncommon to hear them call their contribution their mite. Either from the affectation of humility, or by a strange perversion of the poor widow's gift as described in the gospels, that name is bestowed upon what we give in charity to the destitute, or in knowledge to the ignorant, especially the knowledge of Christ to them that are ignorant unto death. To escape from the clamour of some applicant for aid, we dole out some nameless trifle, and call it our mite. Or when the cause of man's conversion is pressed upon our notice with more than usual power, we bestow some fragment upon that cause, and once more we modestly call it our mite. We are ashamed of the dole ourselves, and, to silence the inward monitor, we hold out the hand amid expressions of mock humility; yet surely if the owner of thousands will speak of his mite, he might at least comply with the terms of the history, and make it two.

It is strange, however, that the incident in Scripture which has given rise to that phrase, does not undeceive us while we use it. It was a picturesque scene. The wealthy were giving out of their abundance to their God, as they crowded past the treasury. But one approached, un-: noticed, perhaps, by most of those who were there, though not by Him who looks upon the heart. That

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poor widow gave two mites, which make a farthing, and the Supreme Proprietor recognised it as the greatest gift of all-in truth "it was all her living." Perhaps she knew where to earn more; perhaps she did not; but that did not trouble her. She laid her all upon the altar, and trusted in him who feeds the young lions when they roar, and the young ravens when they cry.

It was from that incident, then, that the practice arose of speaking of our mite. Men forget, however, that in the widow's case, all that she had in the world was dedicated to God; and would they but consider her example, they would soon discover, that were they to act in the munificent spirit of that devoted woman, their whole conduct must be changed. God would be recognised as having a right to "all their living"-even all that they possess. In short, that example believed and imitated, would soon revolutionize all the habits of men, and instead of giving some nameless trifle as a quit-rent to conscience, or like a composition to an unbending creditor, they would consecrate their all to God, and, moreover, crown the pile with themselves. No man would give his all to any single object; but all men would consecrate their substance, and not merely a mite, to the Supreme.

But the whole word of God is constructed on the principle upon which that devoted widow acted. We repeat it for it is a radical, and an impregnable principle, not to be denied, unless we deny that " of God, and through God, and to God are all things." The whole word of God, as regards our possessions, is constructed

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THE GREAT PROPRIETOR RECOGNISED.

on the principle on which that poor widow acted. It recognises Him as the owner of all. He gives for his own purposes. He directs in the use of his gift. He recalls it at his pleasure. From birth to death, and for ever, man is thus dependent upon God, whose teachings to that effect are so plain that the man may run who reads them.

When David said, for example, "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein," he sounded the true key-note upon this subject. By right of creation-the most indefeasible right of all—the universe with all its plenitude of riches is God's. That is our starting point, and whatever opposes that first principle is necessarily wrong. To deny it is to deny the claims or the rights of the Highest. It is to forget what is written, "All that is in the heaven and the earth is thine."*

Again, when the great Jewish king had made munificent provision for building a temple to his God, such as the hand of man had never reared before, he used these memorable words concerning the collected stores: "All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee." And there again he recognised the truth which underlies all that can be said upon the subject of wealth. The piles of gold and silver which lay before the monarch in glittering heaps, were all the property of God. For once, the merchandize and the hire of men

* An Indian chief, in making a grant of land to a Moravian missionary, in his own unsophisticated language, once beautifully recognised this principle. He said, "This ground has God given to me. . . . As I have not created it, and thou canst use it, I deliver it over to thee freely."

THF LAW AND THE TESTIMONY.

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were holiness to the Lord, and when they used his own creature in his own cause, they did not feel as if they had conferred a favour, had made a sacrifice, or had alienated a part of their property. The steward did not there assume that he was a proprietor. The man who

held in loan did not act as if he were not a debtor. Nay, men remembered the words, "both riches and honour come of thee," and gave honour to Him to whom honour was due, and tribute to whom tribute. Riches thus became like links to heaven; the root of all evil was so transformed that it bore "fruit unto holiness;" and instead of forming, as riches often do, a ground for antipathy to the Bible, the righteous claims of God were honoured and obeyed by the rich and by all.

These two examples, then, may be viewed as regulating man's tenure of all that he possesses, and the language of all Scripture is in unbroken harmony with them. Down to the instinctive acts of eating and drinking, God is to regulate all. "Honour the Lord with thy substance, and the first-fruits of all thine increase;" "Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy ;" "The silver is mine and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts;" "The Lord thy God, it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth;" "The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich," these, and countless other texts, trace all property up to God. It can never be alienated from him, seeing that "He made all things for himself;" and we never forget his righteous claims, we never encroach

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upon them without taking our place among those who would dethrone God, or would rob him of what is rightfully his. "Ye have robbed me, even this whole nation," is his own verdict upon such encroachments.

Farther, as God is thus the Creator, and therefore the Owner of all, he has the right of regulating all. We have already heard him say, "Honour the Lord with thy substance," and that clause embodies the spirit of a hundred others. "It is more blessed to give than to receive" is another governing maxim-it shews that God's mind is utterly the reverse of man's. "If riches increase set not your hearts upon them," points in the same direction. "Break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy;" "He hath dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness endureth for ever;" "Seek judgment; relieve the oppressed,. ."-all these indicate, as if in sunlight, the mind of the Eternal. On the other hand, his warnings against the abuse of riches are loud, and deep, and startling; he who can read them unmoved does not yet feel that God is in the Scriptures of a truth. "Riches profit not in the day of wrath ;"" He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent (or unpunished);"* "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple, and fared sumptuously every day. . . . He died and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torment;" "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of

*It has been observed that even heathens mark this

Ουδεις ἐπλόυτησε τάχεως δίκαιος ῶν.—Menander.

Quis motus aut pudor est unquam properantis avari?—Juvenal.