5. Benevolence Manifested by the Church.—The Church of the present day can point to a stupendous labor of benevolence already accomplished and still in progress. One of the most glorious monuments of its work is seen in the missionary labor which has ever been a characteristic feature of its activities. Actuated by no other motives than pure love for humanity and a desire to fulfil the commands of God respecting such, the Church sends out every year hundreds of missionaries to proclaim the gospel of eternal life to the world, without money or price. Multitudes of these devoted servants have suffered contumely and insult at the hands of those whom they seek to benefit; and not a few have given their lives with the seal of the martyr upon their testimony and work. The charity that manifests itself in material giving is not neglected in the Church; indeed this form of benevolence is impressed as a sacred duty upon every Latter-day Saint. While each one is urged to impart of his substance to the needy in his individual capacity, a system of orderly giving has been developed within the Church; and of this some features are worthy of special consideration.
6. Free-will Offerings.—It has ever been characteristic of the Church and people of God, that they take upon themselves the care of the poor, if any such exist among them. To subserve this purpose, as also to foster a spirit of liberality, kindness, and benevolence, voluntary gifts and free-will offerings have been asked of those who profess to be living according to the law of God. In the Church today, a systematic plan of giving for the poor is in operation. Thus, in almost every ward or branch, an organization among the women, known as the Relief Society,[1261] is in existence. Its purpose is in part to gather from the society and from the members of the Church in general, contributions of money and other property, particularly the commodities of life, and to distribute such to the deserving and needy, under the direction of the local officers in the priesthood. But the Relief Society operates also on a plan of systematic visitation to the houses of the afflicted, extending aid in nursing, administering comfort in bereavement, and seeking in every possible way to relieve distress. The good work of this organization has won the admiration of many who profess no connection with the Church; its methods have been followed by other benevolent associations, and the Society has been accorded a national status in the United States.
7. The Fast Offerings represent a still more general system of donation. The Church teaches the efficacy of continual prayer and of periodical fasting, as a means of acquiring the humility that is meet for Divine approval; and a monthly fast-day has been appointed for observance throughout the Church. For many years, the first Thursday in each month was so observed; but, with the object of securing a more general attendance at the fast-service, a beneficial change has been introduced, and at present the first Sunday of the month is so devoted. The Saints are asked to manifest their sincerity in fasting by making an offering on that day for the benefit of the poor; and, by common consent, the giving of at least an equivalent of the meals omitted by the fasting of the family is expected. These offerings may be made in money, food, or other usable commodity; they are received by the bishopric or its representatives, and by the same authority are distributed to the worthy poor of the ward or branch. In these and in numerous other ways do the Latter-day Saints contribute of their substance to the needy, realizing that the poor among them may be the Lord's poor; and that, irrespective of worthiness on the part of the recipient, want and distress must be alleviated. The people believe that the harmony of their prayers will become a discord if the cry of the poor accompany their supplications to the throne of Grace.
8. Tithing.—The Church recognizes today the doctrine of tithe-paying, similar in its general provision to that taught and practiced of old. Before considering the present authorized practice in this matter, it may be instructive to study the ancient practice of tithe-paying. Strictly speaking, a tithe is a tenth, and such a proportion of individual possessions appears to have been formerly regarded as the Lord's due. The institution of tithing antedates even the Mosaic dispensation, for we find both Abraham and Jacob paying tithes. Abraham, returning from a victorious battle, met Melchizedek king of Salem and "priest of the most high God;" and, recognizing his priestly authority, "gave him tithes of all."[1262] Jacob made a voluntary vow with the Lord to render a tenth of all that should come into his possession.[1263]
9. The Mosaic statutes are explicit in requiring tithes:—"And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's; it is holy unto the Lord.... And concerning the tithe of the herd, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord."[1264] The tenth was to be paid as it came, without search for good or bad; under some conditions, however, a man could redeem the tithe by paying its value in some other way, but in such a case he had to add a fifth of the tithe. The tenth of all the property in Israel was to be paid to the Levites, as an inheritance given in acknowledgment of their service in the labor of the tabernacle; and they in turn were to pay tithing on what they received, and this tithe of the tithe was to go to the priests.[1265] A second tithe was demanded of Israel to be used for the appointed festivals.[1266] It is evident, that while no specific penalty for neglect of the law of tithing is recorded, the proper observance of the requirement was regarded as a sacred duty. In the course of the reformation by Hezekiah, the people manifested their repentance by an immediate payment of tithes;[1267] and so liberally did they give, that a great surplus accumulated; observing which, Hezekiah enquired as to the source of such plenty:—"And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty; for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store." Nehemiah took care to regulate the tithe-paying of the people;[1268] and both Amos[1269] and Malachi[1270] chided the people for their neglect of this duty. Through the prophet last named, the Lord charged the people with having robbed Him; but promised them blessings beyond their capacity to receive if they would return to their allegiance to Him: "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. 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."[1271] In visiting the Nephites after His resurrection, the Savior told them of these sayings of Malachi, repeating the words of the Jewish prophet.[1272] The Pharisees, at the time of Christ's ministry, were particularly scrupulous in the matter of tithe paying,—even to the neglect of the "weightier matters of the law,"—and for this inconsistency they were severely rebuked by the Master.[1273]
10. In the present dispensation, the law of tithing has been given a place of great importance; and particular blessings have been promised for its faithful observance. This day has been called by the Lord, "a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned."[1274] In a revelation, given through the Prophet Joseph Smith, July 8, 1838, the Lord has explicitly set forth His requirement of the people in this matter.[1275]
11. Consecration and Stewardship.—The law of tithing, as accepted and professedly observed by the Church today, is after all but a lesser law, given by the Lord in consequence of the human weaknesses, selfishness, covetousness, and greed, which prevented the Saints from accepting the higher principles, according to which the Father would have His children live. Specific requirements regarding the payment of tithes were made through revelation in 1838; but seven years prior to that time, the voice of the Lord had been heard on the subject of consecration,[1276] or the dedication of all one's property, together with his time, talents, and natural endowments, to the service of God, to be used as occasion may require. This again is not new; to the present dispensation the law of consecration is given as a re-enactment; it was recognized and observed with profit in olden times.[1277] But even in the apostolic period, the doctrine of consecration of property and common ownership was old; thirty-four centuries before that time, the same principle had been practiced by the patriarch Enoch and his people, and with such success that "the Lord came and dwelt with his people; ... And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them."[1278] In each of the instances cited,—that of the people of Enoch, and that of the Saints in the early part of the Christian era,—we learn of the unity of purpose and consequent power acquired by the people who lived in this social order; they were "of one heart and one mind." Through the spiritual strength so attained, the apostles were able to perform many mighty works;[1279] and of Enoch and his followers we read that the Lord took them unto Himself.[1280]
12. The people of whom the Book of Mormon gives us record also attained to the blessed state of equality, and with corresponding results. The disciples, whom Christ had personally commissioned, taught with power, and "they had all things common among them, every man dealing justly, one with another."[1281] Further, we read of a general conversion by which the people came to a condition of ideal peace; "there were no contentions or disputations among them.... And they had all things common among them, therefore they were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift."[1282] They were so blessed, that of them the prophet said:—"Surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God."[1283] But after nearly two centuries of this happy condition, the people gave way to pride; some of them yielded to a passion for costly apparel; then they refused to longer have their goods in common; and straightway many classes came into existence; dissenting sects were established; and then began a rapid course of disruption, which led to the extinction of the Nephite nation.[1284]
13. Stewardship in the Church Today.—A system of unity in temporal matters has been revealed to the Church in this day; such is currently known as the Order of Enoch,[1285] or the United Order,[1286] and is founded on the law of consecration. As already stated, in the early days of the modern Church the people demonstrated their inability to abide this law in its fulness, and, in consequence, the lesser law of tithing was given; but the Saints confidently await the day in which they will devote, not merely a tithe of their substance, but all that they have, and all that they are, to the service of their God; a day in which no man will speak of mine and thine, but all things shall be theirs and the Lord's.