st welfare of all mankind. We must not store the
fruits of our labor, but expend, not as a spendthrift who wastes, but
judiciously and wisely for God and man. Our giving is only limited by
the ability and facility to produce. Our Lord did not greatly add to
the temptation to hoard by delivering the earthly treasures from the
decay by "moth and rust" and instead permitting their increase. Our
hoarding of earthly treasures must be limited, because of our
disposition to trust in them. We must always be so dependent that we
shall pray truly with the spirit of dependence, "Give us this day our
daily bread." "Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food
convenient for me."

Thrift does not require that we shall hoard an amount that will
support us through life, much less that we shall lay up a fortune,
that shall free our children from the necessity of productive labor.
The spirit of the Master's teachings is, that each age shall produce
and spend its product for its own advancement, then each succeeding
age shall be better fitted to produce and care for itself and so
advance the coming generations. "Go work today in my vineyard." Now is
the time to give and do for the generation yet unborn.

CHAPTER VIII.

PARABLES OF THE TALENTS AND THE POUNDS.

Our Lord mentions usury by name only in the parables of the talents
and pounds. Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27. Usury is mentioned in these
passages incidentally to meet the excuses of worthless servants, but
in both as the unjust and oppressive act of a hard and dishonest man.
These references to usury are in entire harmony with the expressions
of David and Solomon, and of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

These servants in the parables were slaves, who owed their service to
their master and for whom he was responsible.

The lesson in both parables is the necessity of faithfulness. The
faithful servants are rewarded and the unfaithful punished in both.
Yet there is a special lesson in each.

The parable of the talents shows that an equal reward shall be given
all who are equally faithful, though the means and opportunities
afforded one may far exceed those granted another. One was given five
talents and another but two; one gained five and the other two, yet
both equally faithful, are directed to enter into the joy of their
lord.

The unfaithful servant brings his talent with an excuse, which is a
charge against the character of his master, "I knew thee that thou
ar