Article January 24, 1925 Issue

Right giving

Charles Edwin Anderson

Christians understand that the pursuit of happiness consists quite as much in giving as in getting. But the question often arises as to how, what, and where to give in order that the gift may truly glorify the great Giver of all. What are the relation and the duty of the modern disciple of the Master in this respect to the vast intricate organism of the world as a whole? One thing is clear,—in order to exercise a healthful influence in a community, one must be free from ignorance and, what is still more important, from information that is perforated with lies or tainted with evil prejudice. This, as every Christian Scientist knows, is the raison d'etre of The Christian Science Monitor. But, as with every great truth, the bald fact is more fully appreciated and realized when viewed somewhat in its historical and spiritual significance. It is in a sense like the Indians whom Columbus took back with him from America to Spain. There they seemed strange, exotic, inexplicable creatures of a mystic realm; but in primitive America they were natural enough.

When Jesus came with his message to the people of Palestine, he did not present to them the Messiah whom most of them had expected. They had been looking for one who would cast off the Roman yoke and restore the Hebrew nation to glories surpassing even those of David and Solomon. Jesus came preaching the reign of God in the heart of the individual. He did not seek to overthrow the existing civil government or to set up one of his own, although with his understanding of the power of God he might easily have done so, as numerous examples throughout ancient and modern history bear ample witness,—because he knew that such a government, resting on the strength and wisdom of one person, could last but a day.

Christ Jesus perceived that government inheres in the individual and is build like a pyramid upon this bas. The Jews looked for the Messiah to establish in their nation the reign of God; but, like many other peoples before and since, they wanted and expected him to build the pyramid upside down. Our Saviour knew better. He saw that the reign of God must have its origin in the heart of the individual, who, then acting upon the divine will,—the impetus of Truth and Love—would reach the sincere hand of assistance to another. The recipient of this good would find the kingdom establishing itself within him so that he in turn would become the neighbor to still others, until every one would eventually be giving chief thought to the welfare of his fellows, performing momentary acts of kindness, unselfishly, as unto God. The more men thought about the nature of Love, and strove to practice it as the fundamental basis for expressing God’s will, the vaster would become the scale and the more far-reaching the effects of their unselfish thoughts and deeds, until finally the most genuine autocracy—that of God—would become one with the most genuine democracy,—that of true men.

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