ons were received from the churches
in Macedonia and in Corinth.

They were commanded to care for the needy of their own house. I Tim.
5:8: "But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of
his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an
infidel." Paul, in giving directions to Timothy, as to the care of
their poor, requires aid to be given to "widows indeed," those who
have no children; but those who have children or nephews are to look
to them and be supported by them, and if any person refuses to care
for his widowed mother or grandmother or dependent aunt, "he hath
denied the faith and is worse than an infidel."

(2) They were diligent in business. They provided things honest in the
sight of all men.

Paul set the example during his itinerate ministry by working at his
trade to secure his support and his dictum has been accepted as both
divine and human wisdom ever since. "If any will not work neither
shall he eat."

Diligence was enjoined for self-support, and that others might be
helped. Eph. 4:28: "Let him that stole, steal no more; but rather let
him labor, working with his hands, the things which is good, that he
may have to give to him that needeth." The effort was first by labor
to be independent and then also to come to the relief of the feeble,
the sick, the poor, and the needy. That a man could honestly secure a
livelihood without productive labor was foreign to their way of
thinking. If any did not work he did not deserve a living, nor was he
an honest man. No one was at liberty to be idle. Productive effort
must not be relaxed. There was no retiring for the enjoyment of a
competency.

There was no thought of such a provision to free them from the effort
for the daily bread. The surplus product was given for the aid of
others, to those who had claims of kinship first, then to all who had
need.

The instant a man failed to produce he began to consume. There is no
hint anywhere that it entered any of their minds that they could stop
production and live in ease from the increase of what they had
produced and the supply grow no less; that the meal and oil should not
fail, but be handed down unimpaired to their children.

(3) Covetousness was hated and denounced and classed with the most
flagrant violations of the moral law.

Covetousness is an inordinate regard for wealth of any kind. This may
be shown in the greed of seeking it, without proper regard for the
rights of