Editorial November 2, 1929 Issue

Righteous Giving

Albert F. Gilmore

How to give righteously, that giving may accomplish the worthy purpose of the giver, is a problem which continually confronts mankind. That one must give, and give according to the abundance of his supply, is the common belief of Christians. The metaphysical basis of right giving, however, is grasped by comparatively few; and it may not be extravagant to say that little was known of what may be termed scientific giving until Christian Science revealed it.

The time-honored admonition of the writer of Ecclesiastes, "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days," is, it seems, susceptible of an interpretation which borders upon the mercenary. To give with an eye to the return which may come from the giving does not precisely fulfill the highest purpose of giving. Moreover, since such giving is not scientifically done, it might tend to deplete one's supply; while righteous giving, that which is done with understanding of its true significance, could scarcely fail to increase one's comprehension of substance. Gifts rightly bestowed are made in the understanding that Spirit, the source of supply, is infinite; and niggardly giving, or that begrudgingly bestowed, is sure proof of lack of that understanding. Moreover, giving in a righteous cause and with the sure sense that supply is, in fact, infinite, cannot fail to bless the giver, since it furnishes proof of the right understanding of supply and its reflection. Mrs. Eddy sets this forth most appealingly on page 79 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "Giving does not impoverish us in the service of our Maker, neither does withholding enrich us." We are not made poorer by giving of our substance, of our service, of our loving-kindness, or of our right thinking; rather are we enriched by it, for by our charity we demonstrate our scientific understanding of Spirit as the infinite substance, of God as Life, and of Love as infinite. And such demonstration widens the channel through which the divine abundance blesses man.

Can we believe that the widow was impoverished by casting her mite into the treasury? Jesus' words would scarcely justify this conclusion. She cast in more than all the rest because she cast in "all her living," that is, all she had; while the rich givers gave much, vastly more in in trinsic value, yet they gave out of their abundance that which presumably constituted but a small part of their wealth. The widow in giving all proved her faith in God. She was so sure that divine Love would meet her needs that in gratitude she gave all. What sublime proof of her faith in the beneficence of God the Father! The rich young man, seeking the way of life of the Master, was advised to sell all his possessions and give to the poor. But, manifestly, he still believed his riches to be substance, for we read that "he went away sorrowful." He had not gained the sublime sense of substance as infinite, and to be brought into human experience in proportion to our right understanding.

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