“Let me here record one of those singular and precious providences that my faith, thank God, is broad enough to recognize. The ‘war times’ were pinching me, prices of necessaries were enormous. Only by the closest figuring could I ‘make both ends meet’. I said to the Lord ‘Send me an increase and I will make a thank offering of the first $100’. On a business visit to New York this month I unexpectedly got a contract to write a book for $500, a matter to be completed ‘nights and mornings’ in three or four months. On my return home I obtained an advance on my salary of $750 per annum. An opportunity suddenly presented itself also for me to buy a piece of paper at a profit of $98 which I cleared in a transaction involving a couple of hours’ labor. These three things (if I except the advanced salary, which I ought to have had long ago, but had almost despaired of) were unexpected and providential. I was thus granted the honor of assisting in the rescue of the American Board by a greatly advanced (for me) contribution.”
January 9, 1865: “I was elected secretary of the International Insurance Company of New York, at a salary of $6,000. If I make a thank offering of my first half-month’s salary it will be in harmony with the past, but a small testimonial for the Lord’s goodness to me in giving me more than I asked.”
He then debits himself “To Thank Offering $250”.
“In March (1865) I removed from Walnut Hills, Ohio, to New York with my family, and on May 1st to Brooklyn, L. I., where we connect ourselves with the South Congregational Church, Rev. Edward Taylor, Pastor.”
By June, 1865, he had again slightly exceeded his limit of giving, and thereafter seems to have kept well ahead.
“We resided but one year in Brooklyn and in May, 1866, we went to Piermont, N. Y., on the Hudson, to spend the Summer. Here we remained four months and in September went to Newark, N. J., where we boarded until March, 1867, when, on the completion of our new house at Woodside, N. J., we removed to that beautiful place in the expectation and hope of making it our permanent home. Our family consisted of six souls.”
The next entry was made in 1879, and reads:—
“Years have elapsed—twelve of them—since the last entry in this book, and I have been meantime having my books of account kept as memoranda, rather than as double entry accounts, in deference to a favorite employee, so that I have been unable to make precise statements. For 1867 I paid income tax on $6,280, but that was after allowed deductions of nearly $1,900. In March, 1868, I became the proprietor of the Insurance Monitor in New York and entered upon a publishing business which for several years netted me $12,000 per annum. Since 1873 this has gradually fallen off and now, 1879, amounts to but half as much. I think that, for the last thirteen years, 1867-1879 inclusive, $8,000 per annum would be a full statement of my profits....”
Mr. Hine goes on to state that during all these years he has kept no detailed account, but is satisfied he has given sufficient to cover the percentage due, and that “there is no necessity for detailed entries and, besides, I am reminded of a passage in the life of Ichabod Washburn, where he found that such an account as this let his right hand know what his left was doing, and he abandoned it. So long, therefore, as I am quite clear that I am disbursing as much or more than my contract calls for, I will omit the entries here”.
Under date 1886 he writes: “It is six years since I have looked or written in this book and it will probably be longer before I open it again. Meantime I am glad that I released myself from bookkeeping in the matter of giving. Without accounts quite as well as with them I am conscious that I have lived up to my plan and I expect to do so in the future.”