The Law of Tithing

THE LAW OF TITHING. BY E. A. GUSTAVESON. Among them all, this principle of the gospel seems to be most difficult for some to understand and obey. The great patriarchs Abraham and Jacob seemed to understand the importance of this principle, and gave heed to it. The Lord gave Moses instructions for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai as to what he expected of them, in this regard. And all the tithes 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 if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it, and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed. (Lev. 27: 30-33.) In II Chron. 31, we read of the Israelites being so free with their tithes and offerings that their storehouse was filled almost to overflowing, wherefore the Lord blessed them so that they all had in abundance. Coming down to the days of Malachi, we find the people had become negligent and disobedient in this regard, but still they are promised blessings, if they will repent and turn unto the Lord again, for he tells them through his prophet: Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye sav, 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. (Mai. 3: 8-10.) The Savior repeated these same words of Malachi to the Nephites when he visited them upon this western continent. (IIINephi 24.) Then, referring to instructions given direct from the Lord in this dispensation, we are told, in words plain and simple enough to be understood by all, to prepare ourselves that we may not be cast with the wicked when the great day of burning cometh, and even the names of those who profess to be the people of God, and

THE LAW OF TITHING. 149 do not obey this law, shall not be found written on the records among those who keep the commandments of God. (Doc. and Cov. 85: 3-6 and also 64: 23-24.) Not knowing the exact amount the Lord required from his people, the Prophet Joseph inquired of the Lord and received the following : Verily, thus saith the Lord, I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop of my church of Zion, for the building of mine house, and for the laying of the foundation of Zion and for the Priesthood, and for the debts of the Presidency of my church; and this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people ; and after that, those who have thus been tithed, shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy Priesthood, saith the Lord. Verily I say unto you, it shall come to pass, that all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties, and shall observe this law, or they shall not be found worthy to abide among you. And I say unto you, if my people observe not this law, to keep it holy, and by this law sanctify the land of Zion unto me, that my statutes and my judgments may be kept thereon, that it may be most holy, behold, verily I say unto you, it shall not be a "land of Zion unto you ; and this shall be an ensample unto all the Stakes of Zion. Even so. Amen. (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 119.) We here receive a clear understanding that it is the Lord's command, and not man's, that we should pay tithing, and that it shall be a ''standing law forever." The Lord does not change his laws or his promises, and if he would open the windows of heaven in the days of Malachi and pour out blessings upon those who kept his commandments, then he will likewise pour out his blessings unto us in these days, if we are faithful and true to his laws and commandments. The Lord cursed the earth for Cain that it would not yield forth its strength unto him. So, also, he can bless the earth that it will yield forth in rich abundance to his people. When the Lord told the people through Noah that he would send a flood over the earth if they did not repent, he meant every word of it. When he tells us in these days to obey the law of tithing, he means just what he says. Let us not reject his counsel, and so have our lot cast with the wicked, but rather render obedience to it that we may have a claim on the Lord's richest blessings and a crown with the righteous in the kingdom of our heavenly Father. Big Cottonwood, Utah.