COVETOUSNESS by James White

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, June 10, 1880

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 24

COVETOUSNESS

By James White

The sin of covetousness is forbidden by the tenth precept of the moral code. That precept, commencing with the words, “Thou shalt not covet,” was spoken by the voice of the Lord at Mount Sinai, and engraven in the tables of stone by his finger.

The New Testament classes the sin of covetousness with some of the higher crimes forbidden by the moral law. “Mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.” Col. 3:5, 6. Covetousness is an inordinate desire to obtain some supposed good.

But it is a great mistake to charge the sin of covetousness upon the wealthy man who has obtained his wealth in an honorable manner, and who, feeling his obligation to God, holds himself in readiness to bestow the goods intrusted to his care wherever Providence may indicate. Heaven does not regard such a one as guilty of the sin of covetousness.

This sin more frequently lies at the door of the poor, who yield to the inordinate desire of their selfish hearts for the good things in the possession of the more wealthy.

May God pity the worthy, suffering poor, and may their hearts ever be free from the guilty stain of covetousness. The Bible speaks of the poor in words of pity and tenderness, and promises blessings upon the heads of those who consider the poor to relieve them; and the blessed book of God is full of curses upon the heads of those who oppress the poor. But it is possible for those whose hearts deeply sympathize with the poor, to act toward them in a manner to lead them into the sin of covetousness.

We call in question this sounding of trumpets in publishing through our papers that we have raised funds for the support of the needy, thus calling the attention of the selfish eye of covetousness to such a fund. Several years since, we raised a benevolent fund, and made the whole matter public. The result was that appeals came in on this wise: One poor sister asked for a sewing-machine, arguing that with this benefit she could support herself. And others wanted sums, more or less, to start them in business; but in every such case where requests were granted, as the sequel proved, the money was nearly or quite thrown away.

The divine injunction to feed the hungry, and clothe the naked, does not mean to give them six months’ provision, and two suits in advance, lest they should want for food and clothing. Pay the laboring brother all he earns, and perhaps a little more, and after fully paying that poor washerwoman all she earns, make her a little present to carry home to her poor children. Feed the hungry with plain, healthful food, and clothe the naked with humble raiment, befitting their position and business. “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Gal. 6:10.

It is frequently the case that persons are thrown out of employment for keeping the Sabbath, and this proves a severe trial of their faith. Others are as severely tried in other ways. If these trials were not necessary, the Lord would not suffer them to come upon his people. Without these trials the church would be filled with unworthy members.

But it is sometimes the case that unworthy people throw themselves upon the market in this way. They will propose to keep the Sabbath, if some one will find them a good place among Sabbath-keepers. Such generally wish the very highest wages, and are ready to complain if they cannot have almost everything their own way. But, in nine cases out of ten, those who buy them away from the very trial they need, make a bad bargain financially, and hasten the ruin of those who refuse to stand the trial of their faith.

The words of the Lord by the prophet are to the point: “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house?” Isa. 58:7. Let all have a chance to be properly tried and tested. And when they have proved themselves true to God and his truth, even if their steadfastness results in being turned out of employment, or out of their homes, then it would be much safer to extend to them the helping hand.

The covetousness among us, as a people, is alarming. As soon as a man of wealth comes among us, he is beset by that selfish class among the poor who entirely overlook the wants of the cause, and labor to be personally benefited by the means which others have earned. These throw strong temptations in the way of the wealthy. They make the way very hard for them, and sometimes drive them away from the truth. They will beg and borrow. They will make good promises which they will never fulfill. The amount of means sponged from our wealthy brethren and from our treasuries by these covetous persons annually is nearly equal to the amount given to the support of the cause. If these persons would manifest a tithe of the shrewdness and perseverance in obtaining a support by honest labor that they do in getting it out of other people, they would have a competence. The past eight months we have lived in an office chamber, and have rented our good home in this city, for the want of that means which misplaced confidence and sympathy has led us to bestow upon those who would not under the same circumstances do as we have done. And our experience is that the result of helping the poor too much makes about three-fourths of them our bitterest enemies in the end.

J. W.