"Eat of every herb, but of the bitter one eat not."
When Salome asked when it shall be known what she asked, the Lord said:
"When you tread under foot the covering of shame, and when two is made one, and the male with the female, neither male nor female."
"How be it, he who longs to be rich is like a man who drinketh sea water: the more he drinketh the more thirsty he becomes, and never leaves off drinking till he perish."
"Blessed is he who also fasts that he may feed the poor, for it is more blessed to give than to receive."
"Let thy alms sweat in thy hand until thou knowest to whom thou givest."
It is not probable that any one who reads these words will make the mistake of assuming that Jesus advised us to inquire into the character or the antecedents of the one on whom we are to bestow a gift. Neither are we expected to ascertain whether he belongs to our "lodge" or not.
If you give alms as though to an inferior; if you assume a self-righteous mind; if you give for hope of reward; then withhold your gift. In fact, unless you can realize that you are giving as though to yourself, keep your gift. It will do neither you nor the one receiving it, any good whatsoever.
"Good things must come. He is blessed through whom they come."
This presages the coming of the kingdom of love on earth, as a foregone conclusion. Yet, those who lend themselves consciously, as servants of the cause—helpers in the establishment of the new order—are blessed.