Article March 5, 1927 ISSUE

Scattering

ELLA H. JOHNSON

"There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." In the religious thought in which the writer was reared, this passage from Proverbs was sealed. How could scattering increase and withholding diminish anything? The only way to acquire was to accumulate; and scattering and accumulating were clearly incompatible! There was no apparent connection between giving and receiving, and the reason was that the perception was entirely material. The words, "God loveth a cheerful giver," seemed to be demanding an impossibility. How could we surrender cheerfully for charity or religion any portion of our limited supply of material money, which we wanted so badly for material comforts and pleasures? It was frequently a dreadful wrench to drop something of it into the contribution box; and the only thing that claimed to save the situation was the glow of self-righteousness which often followed the act!

Mrs. Eddy's wonderful book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," has indeed unlocked the Bible and shown us the real or spiritual meaning of its statements of Truth. In scattering good of any sort,—loving thoughts, kindly deeds, charitable judgments, or even monetary aid,— our own store of good is increased. The more love we scatter, the more love comes to us, when we are loving for the sake of loving, and with no selfish motive. The more love we give, the more we are capable of giving; and the more returns to us. The scattering increases, but the withholding tends to the receiving of little love.

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