"Bring ye all the tithes"

When I received an invitation to serve on a committee for literature distribution, I gladly accepted it, although it seemed that my days were completely filled with work as a practitioner. In taking up the work of this committee, my first step was to examine my thought to learn how much the literature meant to me. I was indeed a subscriber to the Monitor and all the periodicals. I read them faithfully and distributed them all, but not until the thought of having to do without them was squarely faced, did I realize how great a need in my daily life they were supplying. I knew that I could not do without them. This led me to see that every one else in the world needed them just as much as I did, and that serving on this distribution committee was an opportunity to help supply that need in a larger way.

Then the question came, How much time can I give to this work? Here two aspects were to be considered: first, the relative value of my work as a practitioner and that of the work of distributing literature; second, the fact that while the first work apparently supplied my daily needs, the other was to be gratuitous. In settling the first question, I came to see that the wise distribution of our literature was one of the channels for healing, and in doing that work I was about "my Father's business" just as much as when I was in my office seeing patients. The second was disposed of by knowing that supply means ideas, not money, and that, as our Leader tells us (Science and Health, p. 79), "Giving does not impoverish us in the service of our Maker."

I began at once by taking one whole day in the week from my office, the afternoon of which was devoted to the distribution work, and gave besides on other days all my time outside of office hours. Money was needed to carry on the work. I must do my part in that, too, and was led to subscribe for an amount to be given monthly far exceeding anything I had felt able to give before. To the metaphysician the result is obvious and does not need to be touched upon; but to those just beginning their demonstration, let me say that not only have my needs been supplied in every way far in excess of anything I have had before, but a sense of peace and security has come to me which outweighs all else.

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