Article March 6, 1926 Issue

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse"

ELMO BAKER WHITMORE

To receive blessing is the great desire of all mankind. Many methods are employed to attain it; but, generally speaking, people seem still to be unsatisfied. So often it is seen that the thing which promised a blessing, when won, fails to measure up to its promise and oftentimes proves a burden rather than a comfort.

Christians to-day are turning more and more to the Bible for help in everyday affairs, and it is gratifying to who many who are ready to testify to the great profit in doing so. One of the practical rules given in the Bible for obtaining blessing is found in the tenth verse of the third chapter of Malachi, which reads, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, thatthere shall not be room enough to receive it." How wonderful the promise! Is it possible of fulfillment?

In order to receive this great overflowing blessing it is required that something be first done on our part; for are we not specifically commanded to "bring" in and to "prove"? Like the Scriptures, Christian Science comes to illumine the way. In the Glossary of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 595), its author, Mary Baker Eddy, gives in part the following metaphysical definition of the word "tithe": "Contribution; tenth part; homage; gratitude." Do we sometimes wonder why our lives seem so barren of blessings and full of lack, limitation, stagnation—things which none of us really want? How much, then, are we bringing into this great storehouse of Love? One tenth—one tithe? or ten tenths—"all the tithes"? Remember, the command is, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse;" and then the blessings are to come. But, some one may say, I do not see how I can contribute all I have to the Cause of Christian Science. How would I live if I gave all? The answer is that we do indeed have to give up all material beliefs in a selfhood apart from God; and this must be done before we can approach the overflowing blessings coming from the "windows of heaven." On page 141 of Science and Health we read: "More than profession is requisite for Christian demonstration. Few understand or adhere to Jesus' divine precepts for living and healing. Why? Because his precepts require the disciple to cut off the right hand and pluck out the right eye,—that is, to set aside even the most cherished beliefs and practices, to leave all for Christ."

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