he period his capital is making
another revolution. This amount may be appropriated in actual donations
by most business men, as they usually have more or less loose money on
hand. By those who cannot do this, it may be charged in a book kept for
the purpose at the close of each week or specified period for
appropriation--"one, five, ten, or fifty dollars due to charity,"--and
on the return of their capital, pay this debt as conscientiously as they
pay any other. Then, if on the reception of their entire product, they
find they have not given as much as the claims of the destitute demand,
they can easily make up the deficit. This scheme will of course call
into exercise our faith; for it is acting on the belief that the Wise
Disposer of events will be as merciful to us in the future, as he has
been in the past. But ought not his past goodness to strengthen our
confidence in his willingness to continue that goodness? Christ
requires us to live by faith on him, and ought we not to _give_ by faith
on him? To refuse to exercise this faith in the circumstances, partakes
of ingratitude. Besides, to decline making any, or but such
appropriations as are exceedingly disproportionate to our property,
until we have actually received the return of our investments, is to act
on the principle, that we will not give to others until we are _certain_
how much God will bestow upon us; in other words, that we will not trust
him,--whose loving-kindness, as the brightest star of our destiny, has
shone upon us in darkness and storm,--for a single blessing which is not
actually in our hands. Must not such conduct be exceedingly provoking
to Unwearied Love?

Or this process of previous consecrations may be varied thus. The
proportion consecrated may be a certain ratio of income fixed on a
sliding scale, on the principle that the greater the profits, the
greater the proportion which me be spared. For instance, on the first
day of each week, or month, or quarter, or year, one may consecrate a
certain proportion of his profits of that week, month, quarter, or year
to the Lord, say five, eight, or ten per cent., in case they rise to a
specified amount; and if they rise to a certain sum beyond this, he may
fix upon a still greater proportion, say twelve or fifteen per cent.; if
they rise to an amount still higher, the proportion appropriated may be
still larger, say eighteen or twenty per cent., so that his benefactions
to the destitute