--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Pearson, Sarah E. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 4 number: 4 published: 1901-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Sarah E. Pearson, "Gifts and Giving," *Improvement Era* 4, no. 4 (February 1901): 267–268.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0404unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0404unse start_page: 267 end_page: 268 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1901-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0404unse publication_year: 1901 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1901, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Gifts and Giving GIFTS, AND GIVING. BY SARAH E. PEARSON. I have sometimes wondered just how far the graciousness of giving can be exercised in strict justice to both giver and receiver, and how far the command of Jesus to the rich young man to "sell all that thou hast and give to the poor, and follow me," is applicable to those of mankind in general who are trying to obey the teachings of the Divine Law- giver. I take it that a man's first duty is to his own — to those whom God has entrusted to his care; for it is written, "He who provides not for his own household is worse than an infidel;" but, though "charity begins at home," it should by no means end there. The greatest commandment, we are told, is to "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself," and being able to do the one will insure our being able to do the other, difficult as it may seem to selfish, fallen humanity. "It is better to give than to receive." I know it because I have proven both —but good discipline to be at times the re- it is cipient of gifts and favors from others, for it teaches us by comparison and contrast how to give understandingly, lovingly, and gracefully, that those we seek to benefit may not be wounded and humiliated. Has the receiver of your favors appeared to you unappreciative? ungrateful? Then you see that, perhaps it may be your own fault, in not knowing how to give. I remember of a lady once proffering me a favor, and when the 'tears started to my eyes, she exclaimed, "Well, I don't see why you need to feel badly about it, you're poor ain't ye?" 268 IMPROVEMENT ERA. I rushed out of sight to give vent to passion of sobs I could not control. After a while, she came in, and in an apologetic way remarked that she hoped I wasn't hurt; that she thought it always best to be frank. "You were frank, brutally so," I replied, with a little quivering grimace, "but maybe it has done us both good." And it did, for it helped us each to understand ourself and each other better, and we were always good friends after that. The donor must not appear pompous or overbearing, neither patronizing, nor the one he seeks to benefit supersensitive, though perhaps he may be difiident and awkward, and it may even happen that he is so constituted as not to recognize either the giver's compliment or sacrifice. In either case, fret not, for your reward is sure, as the immutable law of compensation always is. Let us give for the sake of benefiting, and not for the reward of thanks, sweet though it be to our ears. Emerson says, "the law of benefits is a difficult channel which requires careful sailing * * * jj^^ q^j. tokens of compliment and love are for the most part barbarous. "Rings and other jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts. The only gift is a portion of thyself. 'Thou must bleed for me.' Therefore, the poet brings his poems; the shepherd, his lamb; the farmer, his corn; the miner, a gem; the sailor, coral and shells; the painter, his picture; the girl, a handkerchief of her own sewing. This is right and pleasing, for it restores society in so far to its primary basis when a man's biography is conveyed in his gift, and every man's wealth an index to his merit. But it is a cold, lifeless business when you go to the shops to buy me something which does not represent your own talent." But the greatest of philosophers embraced all the most salient points in the one sentence, "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth to the Lord." If we learn not to give, we miss some of the sweetest joys of living. He is the greatest who confesses the most benefits, but base indeed is he who receives benefits from others and himself conveys none. It is not in the nature of things that we often have the privilege of in turn helping those who have helped us, but we can