SINCERITY OF PURPOSE.[533]

In the matter of alms-giving the Master warned against, and
inferentially denounced, ostentation and hypocritical display. To give
to the needy is praiseworthy; but to give for the purpose of winning the
praise of men is rank hypocrisy. The tossing of alms to a beggar, the
pouring of offerings into the temple treasure chests, to be seen of
men,[534] and similar displays of affected liberality, were fashionable
among certain classes in the time of Christ; and the same spirit is
manifest today. Some there be now who cause a trumpet to be sounded,
through the columns of the press perchance, or by other means of
publicity, to call attention to their giving, that they may have glory
of men--to win political favor, to increase their trade or influence, to
get what in their estimation is worth more than that from which they
part. With logical incisiveness the Master demonstrated that such givers
have their reward. They have received what they bid for; what more can
such men demand or consistently expect? _"But" said the Lord, "when thou
doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That
thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret
himself shall reward thee openly!"_

In the same spirit did the Preacher denounce hypocritical prayers--the
saying of prayers in place of praying. There were many who sought places
of public resort, in the synagogs, and even on the street-corners, that
they might be seen and heard of men when saying their prayers. They
secured the publicity they sought; what more could they ask? "Verily I
say unto you, They have their reward," He who would really pray--pray as
nearly as possible as Christ prayed, pray in actual communion with God
to whom the prayer is addressed--will seek privacy, seclusion,
isolation; if opportunity permits he will retire to his chamber, and
will shut the door, that none may intrude; there he may pray indeed, if
the spirit of prayer be in his heart; and this course was commended by
the Lord. Wordy supplications, made up largely of iterations and
repetitions such as the heathen use, thinking that their idol deities
will be pleased with their much speaking, were forbidden.

It is well to know that prayer is not compounded of words, words that
may fail to express what one desires to say, words that so often cloak
inconsistencies, words that may have no deeper source than the physical
organs of speech, words that may