Article July 30, 1955 Issue

TITHING

ALICE WIRTH CALKINS

There are many admonitions in the Bible regarding tithing, but there is no more beautiful verse regarding it than the one found in Malachi (3:10): "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, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." To help us understand the true meaning of this verse, we have the spiritual definition of "tithe" as found in the Glossary of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. This definition in part is (p. 595): "Contribution; tenth part; homage; gratitude."

In further study of the verse from Malachi, let us consider it in three parts: first, the command to bring the tithes into the storehouse; second, the charge to test and to prove; and third, the benediction, the receiving of the great blessing, the opening of the very windows of heaven.

Turning to the spiritual definition of "tithe" in Science and Health, we learn that we are to bring into God's storehouse our contribution, our homage, our gratitude. Right here it should be pointed out that the concept of tithing as a tenth part is found only in the Old Testament and not at all in the New. Christ Jesus in his admonitions did not stop at the giving of a tenth part.

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