--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Frost, Grace Ingles collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 8 number: 4 published: 1905-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Grace Ingles Frost, "Charity," *Improvement Era* 8, no. 4 (February 1905): 271–275.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0804unse 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: improvementera0804unse start_page: 271 end_page: 275 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1905-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0804unse publication_year: 1905 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 1905, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Charity CHARITY. BY GRACE INGLES FROST. There is probably no word in the English language so often misapplied as charity. Webster defines it as liberality, alms, candor. And consequently one who gives alms is called charitable, regardless of the spirit in which his alms may be given. If a wealthy man gives an amount of money to an institution, he may do so because some one of prominence has headed the list, yet he is credited with possessing unbounded charity. What a mistake! We know very little, today, about charity as Christ ,and the apostles taught it. Their conception of the word is far broader and'grander than that of Webster. If charity consisted of almsgiving, we should not hear it called the "greatest of all gifts." Not only are alms often times given to keep up appearances, but because the giver feels it a duty, and consequently it is "no true alms." If one does things from a sense of duty, and not because he desires to do, he is anything but charitable. A very valuable lesson is taught concerning such charity in Lowell's "Vision of Sir Launfal." The story runs thus: Sir Launfal, a maiden knight, sets out to find the Holy Grail.* As he leaves the gate of his castle he meets a leper, to whom he tosses a piece of gold in scorn, because the loathsomeness of the poor unfortunate "rasps against his dainty nature." *The Holy Grail is the cup of emerald from which Christ drank at the last supper. Joseph of Arimathea caught in it gome of the blood of Christ at the crucifixion. Those who are permitted to behold it must be very good. They must be able to overcome great obstacles and be pure in heart. 272 IMPROVEMENT ERA. "The leper raised not the gold from the dust, And said: 'Better to me the poor man's crust, Better the blessing of the p9or. Though I turn me empty from his door; That is no true alms which the hand can hold; He gives nothing but worthless gold. Who gives from a sense of duty." Then, farther on in the story, we read that the same Sir Launfal returns from his quest, which has proved unsuccessful, "an old man worn out and frail." "Wearing deep in his soul The badge of the suffering and the poor." He turns from his own gate, for another heir ia in possession of his earldom. Again a leper stands at his side and "Asks an alms for Christ's sweet sake," and Sir Launfal said, "I behold in thee An image of him who died on the tree. Thou also hast had thy crown of thorns — Thou also hast had the world's buffets and scorns,— And to thy life were not denied. The wounds in the hands and feet and side. Mild Mary's Son acknowledge me. Behold, thro' him, I give to thee! Then the soul ef the leper stood up in his eyes." He looked at Sir Launfal, and he (Sir Launfal) remembers \jl what a different spirit he had given alms to a leper. And, "as he mused with downcast face," the place round about became illumined with a glorious light. And instead of the leper crouching at his side, there stands a glorified being, who is none other than Christ himself, who, speaking with "a voice calmer than silence, said:" "Lo, it is I, be not afraid, Thou hast spent thy life for the Holy Grail; CHARITY. 273 "Behold, it is here— The Holy Supper is kept, indeed, In what so we share with another's need; Not what we give, but what we share. For the gift without the giver is bare;* Who gives himself with his alms feeds three. Himself, his hungering neighbor, and me."t Thus Sir Launfal learned the secret of alms-giving, a lesson that so many of us should be taught. The giving of alms in the proper spirit gives us, in a measure, the significance of charity. Yet Paul says in I Cor. 13: 3: And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,| and though I give my body to be burned.and have not charity,it profiteth me nothing. This passage of scripture proves conclusively that charity, in its broadest sense,does not mean the giving of alms. Prof. Henry Drummond calls it the greatest thing in the world, and defines it as love. Is he not right in so doing? Let us see. We need only refer to the Book of Mormon to have our question answered. In the Book of Moroni, chapter 7, verses 45, 46, 47, we read: And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil andrejoicethnot in iniquity,but rejoiceth in thetruth,beareth all thingjs, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things; wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore,cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of * Meaning that he who gives from a sense of duty is not performing an act of charity. t True charity coming from the heart. Charity isn't the amount that one gives, but the spirit in which we give. J This means the giving of alms. § I Have used this reference in preference to the Bible,because charity is more plainly defined in this book. 274 IMPROVEMENT ERA. all, for all things must fail, but charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever, and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, t shall be well with them. Charity, then, is love. The pure love of Christ. It is very easy for us to believe evil of one whom we do not love. And what but love would enable us to endure all things? Those who have charity (or love) are willing to sacrifice themselves in every possible manner for their loved ones. It was the charity that Jesus possessed for us which caused him to so willingly atone for the sin of man. Men of God, in all ages, who have suffered for truth's sake, have done so through charity, or the love of Christ. Our revered prophet, Joseph Smith, was filled with this glorious gift. It was charity which caused him to never waver in his life-work and finally seal his testimony with his blood. Looking at charity as it really is, we cannot help realizing how few of us possess it today. We would not be so quick to judge others, if we possessed it. We should ever be striving to see the virtues of a brother or sister.instead of looking for their failings. And if the failings are so pronounced that we cannot help seeing them, we should excuse, rather than censure. We can never tell whether we might not succumb to the tempter as soon as a brother who has failed, if we had been placed in a similar position. No one of us is capable of judging him. "We need not say that he is weak; For aught that we may know. His life is one long battlefield Where armies come and go." There has never been a greater instance of charity concerning the failings of others than, that recorded in St. John, eighth chapter, where Christ said to the Scribes and Pharisees, concerning a woman who had committed adultery: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Then, turning to the accused, he said, "Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?" She said, "No man, Lord." CHARITY. 275 And Jesus said unto her, "Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more." He ever cautioned people to first look at their own imperfections, before being uncharitable, and judging others. "Wouldst thou know thyself? Look at others. Wouldst thou know others? Look into thine own heart." There is not a better way to become charitable than by doing this;and let us ever pray to God to give us the glorious gift,without which, "though we may speak with the tongues of men and angels, we become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal." Salt Lake City, Utah,