A Steward of His Lord's Bounty

An aged benevolent friend in a western city, states some interesting facts respecting his own experience in giving systematically as the Lord prospered him. He says, "Our country and professors of religion in it have become 'rich and increased in goods,' but I fear that a due proportion is not returned to the Giver of every good.

"I commenced business in 1809 with $600, and united with the 'Northern Missionary Society No. 2,' which met monthly for prayer, and required the payment of two dollars a year from each member. That year I married, and the next united with the Christian church. No definite system of giving 'as the Lord had prospered' me, was fully made until the close of the year 1841.

The previous fourteen years had been assiduously devoted to the interests of Sabbath-schools and the temperance enterprise, when I found both my physical and pecuniary energies diminished, the latter being less than $30,000.

"After days and nights of close examination into my affairs, with meditation and prayer, I promised the Lord of all, I would try at the close of every year to see what was the value of my property, and the one-quarter of the increase I would return to him in such way as my judgment, aided by his word and providence, might direct.

"For more than fifteen years I have lived up to this resolve, and though most of the time I have been unable to attend to active business, the investments I have made have more than quadrupled the value of my property, and in that time enabled me to return to Him 'from whom all blessings flow,' $11,739.61."