God's rule for Christian giving, a practical essay on the science of Christian economy

Preface

THIS volume is the offspring of practical necessities, connected with the labors of a commission and ordination similar to that which Paul, when the time of his departure was at hand, bestowed upon Timothy: "Watch thou in all things; endure afflictions; do the •work of an evangelist; make full proof of thy ministry."

" To do the work of an evangelist," the writer was sent to China in the year 1846. He spent several years there amidst the pro tracted scenes of that horrible war by which Christian nations, for money, succeeded at length in compelling the government of a great and peaceful heathen empire to legalize a traffic which was deliber ately poisoning with opium, year by year, millions of its people.

In the year 1852 he was sent to California to preach Christ to the Chinese whom the power of money brought there, amidst the tens of thousands from all the nations of the habitable globe. He wit nessed the strange, frantic intoxication of those multitudes; and saw the crimes which men were willing to commit for money. In 1857 he was obliged to leave his work, exhausted and expected to die, partly because, amidst the boundless and most important work to be done in that field, the Christians of our country enabled the Board of Foreign Missions to grant but a minor part of what the work demanded, and he was forced to add to his infinitely more important labors those Af begging and working to get money, for building, for the printing of a newspaper in Chinese and English, and for supplies of medicine and books, and other evangelistic necessities.

In eight years spent in the great and most interesting home mis sion fields of the far South and of the upper Mississippi valley, and in ttie years since 1865, amidst the toils of an office whose end is to raise up and qualify laborers for all the immense harvests which have been referred to, the experience has been the same. The greater and more important work, the preaching of the gospel, and the increase and training of the men who are needed by hundreds

4 PREFACE.

where the Church is supplying tens, is ever and ever dragged to the earth by the simple want of that which Christians in America have in abundance to give, but do not give : money.

It has been such necessities as these which have driven the writer first to study, with prayer, every text from the beginning to the end of the word of God which relates in any way to money; next, to inquire into the lessons of the history of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ since his ascension, to ascertain what have been its experiences as to money; then to look into questions of political economy, national finance, and commerce, which could throw light upon the subject of money.

By these means he has been led to the overwhelming conviction that God has, in his omniscient wisdom, and forethought, and grace through Christ Jesus, made known to the New Testament Church a sufficient Rule for Giving, and the principles which should regulate it. The preparations for it in the Old Testament, the preaching of John the Baptist, the personal teaching and example of the SON OP GOD, the antecedent and succeeding instructions of the epistles and the book of Revelation, have given to this Rule — wonderfully brief as it is, and simple and easy to be remembered, and adapted to all life's way-faring men, so that though fools they need not err therein — a dignity and power which prove that it is divine.

To explain, to illustrate, to impress, and to put into effectual use, for the good of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and for the conversion of the world to him, GOD'S RULE FOB CHRISTIAN GIVING, is the one object of this volume.

In this earnest, practical, and hopeful era, men have sought out and made useful to them the great principles of many departments of physical science, of political economy, now made broader and nobler as " social science," and of moral science. The present seems to be a time for Christians to advance from the past hortatory way of treating the subject, to consider the great principles of religious and ecclesiastical finance, for which perhaps no more appropriate name can be found than that of the SCIENCE OP CHRIS TIAN ECONOMY. Upon it depend many momentous questions related to that rapid and general advnnceiuent of the kingdom of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, whk:h should now be the great aim and employment of his Church.

Chapter II

THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD MANIFEST IN THE CREATION OF THE PRECIOUS METALS AND THE CONSTITUTION OF MONEY. Import ant Office of the Metals in Creation. Empire of each. The honorable attributes of Gold and Silver. Most important Use as Monej'. Illustrations in History. Problems of Elixir of Life and Philosopher's Stone. Coining Money an attribute of Sov ereignty ; often a Religious act. Money in Society like Blood in the body or Water in nature. Gold and Silver the only suitable Materials. Influence upon Industry, Intellectual Progress, and Religion. Imperishable nature. Adaptation to all Classes and Wants. Universal Sovereignty. Ranked by Jesus Christ as a god. An Eternal Curse or Blessing Paye 21

Chapter III

REWARDS AND PENALTIES CONNECTED WITH MONEY. Peculiar Sacredness of Blood in the Ancient Law. Gold and Silver an Equivalent for it. Redemption of Sons, Daughters, Animals, or Things devoted. Essential sameness of Capital and Labor ; Money is Life. God's special Curse upon Covetousness. Re sponsibility for our Brother's Blood. Mysterious Blood-cracks in Chinese Porcelain. The Disease of enervated and invalid Chris tians and Churches Page 25

Chapter IV

THE EDUCATION OF MAN AS A SON OF GOD. Beautiful Illustration from an Oriental Nurse. Heavenly Grace in Christ. The Lord's Prayer. Design in the Creation of the World. Royal Prepara tions for a Royal Race. Purposes of the Levitical Dispensation, Guardianship and Instruction. God's Lessons as to use and abuse of Gold and Silver. Discipline of Israel as the Channel of blessings to Mankind. "All Things are Yours." Covetousness the Sum of all Sins. Warnings of the Forerunner. Per sonal Teaching and Monitions of the Son of God. The Gospel

6 CONTENTS.

for the Poor in Spirit. Two great Antagonistic Powers, God and Mammon. Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ. A Grand Heavenly Lesson of Beneficent Charity. Influence of the Holy Spirit on Believers. Results of the Outpouring at Pentecost. Curse upon Ananias and Sapphira. The Great Principle as ex plained in the Epistle. Mankind to become " Children of God." Heavenly Destiny Page 26

Chapter V

DEVELOPMENT OP PECUNIARY BENEFICENCE IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Five great Progressive Stages. First Stage, Christ and the Apostles. Period of Wondrous Energy. The Church undertakes the Conquest of the World. Astonishing Liber ality of Primitive Christians. Defects. Lessons to Subsequent Ages. • Second Stage, Era of Constantine. Remarkable Charac ter of the Emperor. Liberal support of Christianity by Law. New Christian Metropolis of the World. Failure of Second Ex perience of the Church. Pernicious Influence upon the Clergy. Subsequent Experiences of Waldenses, Puritans, English Estab lished Churches. Third Stage, Era of Hildebrand. Church Stronger than the State. Dispenses Thrones and Possessions. Origin of Corrupt Doctrines and Practices of Romanism. Won derful Magnificence of Rome. Coming Judgments Paye 39

Chapter VI

ERA OP THE REFORMATION; ITS BENEFITS. Divine Purpose: Pre paration, Discipline, and Organization. Great Classes of Illus trations. Restoration of Spirituality of Faith. Benefits related to Intellectual Improvement of Mankind. Awakening of Men to Political and Social Rights. Improvement of Physical Con dition of the Human Race. Agencies for Universal Diffusion of Benefits of Kingdom of Christ. Peculiar Financial Benefits of this Era. Immense Influx of Precious Metals. Different Forms and Extensive Use of Credit System. Beneficial Effects to Poorer Classes of Society Page 53

Chapter VII

DEFECTS OP THE REFORMATION AND THEIR RESULTS. The Great Doctrinal Defect. Ideas of Luther, Melancthon, and others as to Christian Ordinances. The Great Practical Defect. Pecuniary Wants Supplied by Confiscations of Roman Church Property. The Reformation gave Energy to Romanism. Comparison of Ro man and Protestant Missions. Misimprovement of God's Bless ings the Blight of the Church Within. Effect of Wealth on Love of Self. Variety of Forms of this Cancer of the System. Ca lamitous Influence of Protestantism without the Gospel upon the Nations of the World. Want of Religious Ends in Manufactures and Agriculture. Godlessness of Protestant Commerce. Zeal of Buddhists, Mohammedans, Parsees, Romanists. Illustrations in

CONTENTS. 7

Eastern Asia. Burkc's Descriptions of British Government in India. Terrible Representative Scene in the Opium War. Ques tion of the Balance of Good or Evil in the Results of Protestant ism Page 63

Chapter I

THE NECESSITY FOR A DIVINE RULE FOR CHRISTIAN GIVING. Why is Christianity unsuccessful until now ? Chief End for which God made the Precious Metals. Presumption that the Omniscient Head of the Church would reveal a Pecuniary System for its Maintenance. Perfection of God's Material and Moral Govern ment. The Spirit of the Old Testament proves the Need of such a System. Religion the great Business of a Human Being. Gifts of Pecuniary Proceeds require a Regular Method. The Teaching and Gospel of Christ Based upon an Implied System. Three Leading Features, relative to Personal Love, Faithfulness in Duty, and Measure of Results. "Not under Law, but under Grace," explained. Greater Wants of Christianity. Great Ne cessities of the Present Era, like those of the Era of Christ, man ifested in the Decay of False Religions. Insufficiency of the American Voluntary System. Rejection by Scotch Free Church. Universal Manifestation at Home. The Promised Power from on High indicates Want of Financial Machinery. The Roman Laws and Roman Roads. Kindred and Mightier Preparations for Christ's kingdom now Page 80

Chapter II

THE PROGRESSIVE REVELATION OF GOD'S WILL AS TO CHRISTIAN GIVING. No Complete Systematic Statements in Scripture. Suc cessive Revelation of Great Principles in the three Dispensations. Illustration as to the Atonement; as to the Sabbath; as to the Divine Rule for Giving. Relationship of the three Dispensations. Revelation as to Giving progressive in the New Testament. De sign of this Epistle. Conciseness and Perfection of the Formula for Giving. Examination of the Form of the Rule. Sequel to the Doctrine of the Resurrection. Its Positive and General Cha racter. Its Permanence. Designed to be a Regular Ordinance. Summary of Instructions Contained in it Page 100

Chapter III

THE SPIRIT OF A PRIMITIVE CHRISTIAN SABBATH : ITS WORSHIP AND INSTRUCTIONS. The Worship of a Primitive Christian Sabbath. Not sensual as Romanist. Not austere as Puritan. Not wanting in Fervor, as Modern. The True Christian Sabbath. Ideal taken from the Great Jewish Festivals. Description by Writers of that

8 CONTENTS.

Age. Picture by Justin Martyr; by Tertullian. Joyful Character of the Primitive Worship. Primitive Christian Hymns. Pledge of a Millennium and of Heaven. Modern Music for Children. The Instruction of a Christiun Sabbath. Example of Jesus. Unlike Modern Preachers. Sabbatic Form of Paul's Epistles. Proper Employment of Sunday Afternoon and Evening. Appropriate Themes from Scripture. Ecclesiastical; Suited to Various Classes j Particular Objects; Related Themes. Interest of the People; Illustration by Pictures, Maps, etc. Substitute for the Monthly Concert. Grand End of All, Jesus Christ; the Island in the Pa cific. Three Powers that will Conquer the World. Prayer. Per sonal Labors and Influence. Giving of Money Page 114

Chapter IV

IHE PRIMITIVE COMMUNION; GIFTS IN WORSHIP. Latin Words for Communion and Sacrament. New Testament Meanings of " Com munion." Conduct of Christ. Apostolic Example. The Central Scene of Sabbath Enjoyment and Duties. Practical Communion of Christians. " Feast of Charity." Oriental Ideas of Honorary Gifts. Want of Comprehension of them in the West. Their Pro priety, Beauty, and Importance. Gifts of Sabbath Worship and Communion. " None shall appear before the Lord empty." Not Communism. Offerings to the King. Ideas of Commentators. Objects of Appropriation of Gifts from the Ancient Church. Duty of Pastors now; Need of the Holy Spirit Page 138

CHAPTEE V.

THE CHURCH THE SUFFICIENT AND RESPONSIBLE AGENCY. Specific Object of the Church Remedial. Personal Labors of Christ. Suc cessful Experiments of Chalmers. The Congregational Organi zation. Office of Deacon; Views of Calvin and Knox. Office of Deaconess; Sentiments of Commentators; Why not favored by John Knox, Note; Office of Evangelist, Permanent and Import ant. Why have these Offices Lapsed? Need of Return to Spirit of Primitive Christianity. Superintendence of Work by Church Courts Parje 152

Chapter VI

PRIMARY SECULAR OBJECT OF SABBATH GIVING PERIODICITY. The Foundation Stone of Financial Operations Vital in the Commer cial World. Same in the Church. Vast influence of Law of Period icity in Nature. Galileo's discovery of the Pendulum. Its im portance in Modern Sciences. Precision of God's Government. Lesson in the Levitical Dispensation Paye 166

Chapter VII

SABBATH GIVING REQUIRES FREQUENCY. Necessary to Objects of a Missionary Church. Sabbath Gifts of Primitive Christians. Weekly System of Free Church of Scotland. Educational Influ ence of Frequent Giving. Benefits to Mind and Heart. Exhorta-

CONTENTS.

tions of Clement of Rome. Chrstianity is to bo Adapted to tho Poor. Secular Ideas of Frequent Giving. Taxes on Coffee, Tea and Lucifer Matches. Divisions of Payment on Stocks and Mer chandise. Benefits to Poor Men Page 172

Chapter VIII

INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY. God's Word makes Religion Personal. Ordinances are Designed for •' Every One." Liberality of Richard Baxter. Powerful Appeal of Baxter on Covetousness....Pa*jfe 180

Chapter IX

THE UNIVERSAL PRIVILEGE OF GIVING. Departments of Ancient Temple Courts. Appropriation to Classes of Worshipers. Every Class of Worshipers should bring Gifts. Women in Heathen Temples. Christ's Welcome of Children's Gifts. Offerings from Women. Gifts from the Poor. Remarkable Story of Jesus' Brethren before the Emperor Diocletian. Provision for Strangers. Should the Ministry be governed by the New Testament Rule of Giving? Tenths from the Levites. The Half-Shekel from Christ. Comfort and Power to the Ministry. Financial Benefit to the Church. The Time of Reformation Patje 185

Chapter X

THE POWER OF UNIVERSAL COMBINATION. Every Individual a Share. Effect in supporting a National Postal System. Posts of the Ro man Empire. Vast Postal System of the United States. Success of French Popular Loans. Financial Lessons of our Civil War. Evils of Partial Methods of Contribution. Injury of Arbitrary and Unequal Taxes. Failure and Odiousness of Income Taxes. Evidence from the Success of Methodism. Isaac Taylor's Judg ment Paye 198

Chapter XI

THE CULTIVATION OP PERSONAL CHARACTER. Splendid history of John Chrysostom. His Picture of the Priesthood of the Christian. Interpretation of Words "lay by" and "treasure," in the Rule. Leading Object to Enlist Prayer. The Vision of Ezekiel. Spirit, of Christ and the Apostles. Beneficence a Regular Principle of Christian Life. Regularity in Diet. Religious Epilepsy. Every Kind of Employment to be Spiritualized. (Jiving a Grace. Oriental Idea of " Righteousness." Beautiful extract from Augustine. In ducement to Personal and Home Efforts. Effect of Personal Dis tribution. Experience of Dr. Guthrie. Catholic Epistle of Barna bas. Example of Admiral Foote Poije 212

Chapter XII

THE SAFEGUARD OP RELIGIOUS AND CIVIL LIBERTY. Lessons from a Legal-tender Note. Meaning of an Act of Congress. Checks and Balances; Judiciary System; Jealous Guard of Individual

10 CONTENTS.

Rights by the State. The Sacred Trust of Religious Liberty. The Three Chief Seats of Religious and Civil Liberty. Michaeiis on Resemblance of Israel to Switzerland. The great Republic of the New World. Education of Israel in the Spirit of Liberty ; by Offer ings and Worship. Beautiful Act in Presenting First Fruits. Every one to Briny his Gifts. Oriental Treasuries. Various Forms, Sizes and Objects. The Permanent Guaranty of Liberty. Each one " Himself" to Deposit. Contributions, Envelopes and Boxes. Dangers of Ecclesiastical Assessments. Resist Beginnings of Evil. Gigantic Corruptions from Small Seed. Republicanism of Apostolic Church. Modern Republicanism in Church and State. Eftectof Principle of Individuality upon Society. Statement by H. C. Carey. Religious the Foundation of Civil Liberty. Opinions of Webster, Bancroft, and Lieber paye 228

Chapter XIII

THE MEASURE OF CHRISTIAN GIVING. The Farmer, Merchant, King, employ Sufficiency for Designs. Interpretation of Words " Accord ing as" and "Prosper." Building of Solomon's and Hezekiah's Temples. The Temple on the Great Rock. Consecration of Gifts Retrospective. "No gatherings." The Divine Seal upon Prop erty. Offerings of a Tenth. Instructions of the Lord Jesus. His Sanction of Tithes; Occasion just previous to his Death. The Origi nal Appointment. Patriarchal Examples. Essential Principle! fixed by the Creator. Evidences from Literature and Usages of all Nations. The Means for Maintenance of Worship as Neces sary as the Time. TABLE OF DECIMAL CHARACTERS. Ancient Chaldean Legends, Note. Important Fundamental Maxim as to Levitical Types ; refer to Duties of Believer as well as Sacrifice of Christ. Tithe-paying in Israel. First Tenth, for Levites and Charity. Second Tenth, for Festival and Family Uses. Spirit of the Jewish Contributions; Entirely Voluntary; Easily Borne. Extract from Dr. Wines on Hebrew Laws. Interpretation by Heathen Converts, as to Measure of Gifts. Spirit and Methods of the Primitive Church. Extracts from Chrysostom. Quali fications of Proportionate Giving. Adaptation to Christians of All Classes. Its Efficiency. Special Vows and Gifts. The Occa sions and Benefits pag€ 242

Chapter XIV

THE HOMAGE DUE THE KING. The Demand of Homage. The Coro nation Day. The Sign and Seal of Loyalty. Punishment of Re fusal. Empires and Men Broken with a " Rod of Iron." Pro priety of the Demand. The Office of Christian America. Primi tive Christianity Planted upon a New Hemisphere. The Final Exhibition of her Heavenly Spirit and Power. Office of America in the Dispensation of the Ho'y Spirit Page 269

GOD'S RULE

FOR

CHRISTIAN GIVING.

PART I.

THE DIVINE GIFT OF MONEY.

Chapter I. Greatness Of The Subject

" I will shake all nations,

And the Desire of all nations shall come :

And I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former^ saith the LORD of hosts.

And in this place I will give peace, saith the LORD of hosts."

" They shall not appear before the LORD empty : every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee."

" Give alms of such things as ye have j and behold all things are clean unto you."

" Covetousness is idolatry."

" Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me,

But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee ?

In tithes and offerings.

Ye are cursed with a curse-;

For ye have robbed me; even this whole nation."

" Make to yourselves friends (with) the mammon of unrighteous ness, that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting hab itations."*

Campbell's Translation. — " With the deceitful mammon procure to yourselves friends, who, after your discharge, may receive you into the eternal mansions."

TT may be said with truth that the Christian world has L never at any previous time so earnestly directed its thoughts to the claims and uses of money as it is doing now. A great necessity is laid upon it by the condition of the world and of the Church, which is without a parallel in the past.

It may be said further, that never before have men been so desirous as now to learn what GOD teaches and com mands in the book of eternal truth, with regard to this subject.

It requires a study of only a limited number of texts, out of the multitude in the bible which relate to money, to lead almost any thinking person to the conclusion that no one of us comprehends and measures the true nature of money, and its office and importance in the kingdom of God on earth. Such an examination convicts the Church in modern ages of failure to employ it in acts of worship and service according as God has ordained. It reveals the source of an immeasurable loss to Christians of spiritual strength, of

* Hag. ii. 7-9. Deut. xvi. 16, 17. Luke xi. 41. Col. iii. 5. Mai. iii. 8, 9. Luke xvi. 9.

GREATNESS OF THE SUBJECT. 13

heavenly joy, of comfort amidst earthly troubles, and of hope in death. It brings to light one of the great causes of the vast and abounding iniquity and crime in the world. It shows why glorious and everlasting rewards are promised for the faithful use of money, and why eternal penalties are attached to its abuse.

The subject is so vast, its relationships so extensive, its applications so important, that we are precluded, for the ends of a Manual such as this, the attempt to present more than a summary of the great principles, and of prom inent facts necessary to illustrate them, which are plainly related to the particular Divine ordinance respecting the pecuniary gifts of New Testament believers: — "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him."

Chapter II

THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD MANIFEST IN THE CREATION OF THE PRECIOUS METALS AND THE CONSTITUTION OF MONEY.

TN order that mankind in every continent, whatsoever their •*• employments, might fill them with the spirit of religion, and make them practical for its great designs, God created at the beginning and bestowed upon our race an extraor dinary gift, that of the metals.

The metals form a department of the Divine work of creation which has performed a most important office in con stituting the globe a nobler home for man. They have fur nished it with a most effective means for ministering to the happiness, and promoting the education and improve ment, of the human family ; or, when abused, one for inflict ing upon it the judgments of God. A history of gold, silver or coppe/, or one of iron, tin or lead, would be immeasurably more valuable and interesting to us than the records of any one nation or race that has ever existed on the earth.

The qualities and uses of the metals are vitally related to the supply of most of the common wants of man, to the progress of civilization,* to the support and ceremonies of

* Writers on metallurgy insist much on the point that the profi ciency in the working, and the extent of the use, of the metals by a nation is one of the best evidences of its measure of civilization. 14

THE PRECIOUS METALS. 15

true or false religion in all lands, and even to the general operations of Nature. We are continually more and more surprised at the extent and variety of their presence and influence in all the realms of inanimate or animate matter. They exist in the waters of the oceans which surround the globe ; they originate and control some of the most subtle and mighty forces of Nature. They are detected in the analysis of the light which comes to us from the planets, and from stars which are inconceivably remote.

The empire of each metal is distinct, and its Divine ends different. The ancients imagined that they were severally related to the sun, moon, or one of the planets ; and that each affected in its own way the health and prosperity of the human race. Gold was the metal related to the sun, silver to the moon, quicksilver to Mercury, tin to Jupiter, iron to Mars, copper to Venus, and lead to Saturn. So powerful and so extensive was this superstition that the astronomical signs for the planets are still used in various countries of Europe by chemists as signs for the metals, and there are mul titudes who yet believe themselves and others to be affected for good or evil by those related influences, and consult astrol ogers with regard to them. Each metal was also associated with a day of the week ; gold with Sunday.

Gold is styled "the royal metal." God makes a special claim to it and to silver. " The gold and the silver are mine, saith the Lord of hosts." These two are endowed with the most honorable attributes. They are specially designated as appropriate for offerings to God, and to human beings in the highest authority. They are the most beautiful, brilliant arid permanent in color ; they arc the most easily shaped by the hammer, graver or mould; they receive the most deli cate impressions; and they resist more successfully than any other metals the destructive effects of time and the elements.

The properties of these two metals peculiarly suit them to the purposes of adornment. They are the appropriate setting of the most costly gems. They are the materials for crowns, and sceptres, and signets, and all the insignia and ornaments of priestly and royal office. They are designed to give, and preserve imperishably, the external splendor and glory of temples and palaces. They are the substances in nature which mankind spontaneously shape into forms to express honor and affection, and to convey pleasure.

But the most important general use for which God gave to mankind the precious metals was that they might con stitute a universal medium of commercial exchange and standard of material values, and thus be an equivalent and representative of all the varied and countless products of human labor. This creates them a capable agency of the general purposes of human wisdom, skill, enterprise or power ; a means of satisfying most of the wants and desires of the heart of man as to this world ; and a mighty aux iliary in the extension of God's glorious spiritual kingdom on earth. No temporal gift of God to man is more val uable, gives more evidence of his omniscient goodness, or should excite in us more gratitude, than that of money. Let us turn our eyes for a moment upon some of the grand illustrations of these assertions.

It requires but a limited knowledge of history, and reflec tion upon it, to learn that everywhere, and in all ages, no

THE PRECIOUS METALS. 17

power of civilized society has been so extensive, so subtle, so various, and so mighty, as that of money.

No problems of science have enlisted the interest of the learned and the powerful of all nations and all ages like the two imaginary ones of an elixir of life, and a philosopher's stone capable of transmuting all the baser metals into gold. Researches to discover them may be traced in the history of the most barbarous and most distant races. They are carried on even in the laboratories of this age and of our own country. For to possess the secrets of a source of inex haustible life and vigor, and of commanding the universal power of gold, would clothe a man with the very attributes of divinity. Had an Alexander or a Napoleon held them, he would inevitably have made the entire globe obey his will.

The governments of the world hold it to be an attribute of sovereignty to coin money. They adjudge it one of the greatest of crimes, and by some of them punishable with death, to counterfeit what is so vital to their existence.

Heathen nations conceive that certain deities inhabit, vivify, and control the tendencies and courses of money. They sometimes coin money in temples, with religious cere monies. No gods are so generally courted, or feared, as the gods of money, in view of their presumed influence over the welfare and comfort of individuals and families.

Money does indeed seem almost to possess the attributes of divinity. The whole human race bows down to it. There is no one nation or people, the world around, amidst whom pieces of gold or silver coin do not exercise a mys terious charm over men and command their respect and aid in behalf of the possessor. 2

In all the theology of nature we nowhere see more plainly exhibited the glorious attributes of an infinite and benef icent Creator and Governor than in the qualities and uses of gold and silver. The same God made them to subserve the wants of human society who made the blood in the animal organization — that mysterious fluid which penetrates and energizes every separate atom of the body, and both conveys to each its appropriate nourishment and from each its use less secretions or its waste ; the same also who in the struc ture of the world created water, the circulation of which is the life of its vast frame. We see similar wisdom in the wondrous adaptation of gold and of silver — metals which so much resemble each other in their most important requisites, but each of which has yet its own features of excellence — to the grand design of being universal mediums of exchange, and representatives of values. We find in these metals largeness of value in a very small bulk ; and the united qualities of malleability, ductility and divisibility, in greater perfection than in any other forms of matter. They easily receive and permanently retain the stamp which certifies to their genuineness, authority and proportionate value when made into coin.

There are no other materials in nature capable of accom plishing the same incalculably important ends. Cattle and sheep, precious stones, shells, iron, the skins of various animals, and other articles, have been set up in different ages and nations as standards of value and common mediums of exchange ; but nothing in the various kingdoms of nature is gifted with all the qualities necessary for these imperial ends except gold and silver. The commerce and trade of

THE PRECIOUS METALS. 19

all countries measure the values, and transact the interchange, of most of their countless materials, according to their equiv alents in these metals.

Let us go a step higher. How shall we attempt to esti mate or describe the next to omnipotent power which gold and silver exercise in imparting energy, healthfulness, reg ularity and beneficial results to every form of human indus try? Without money, as the means of estimating and exchanging the results of human labor, the forms of labor would be limited and the sum of it would be diminished be yond our power to conceive ; a multitude of beneficial man ufactures would be extinguished ; society would relapse to comparative barbarism. The possession of money develops the manifold resources of nature ; it fills a country with every kind of material good ; it assists a nation onward in the path of intellectual progress ; and it bestows the means of increasing and spreading the benefits and comforts of religion.