The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Faithful Steward, by Sereno D. Clark

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Title: The Faithful Steward
Or, Systematic Beneficence an Essential of Christian Character

Author: Sereno D. Clark

Release Date: May 12, 2005 [eBook #15822]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FAITHFUL STEWARD***

E-text prepared by Jared Fuller

Prize Essay

THE FAITHFUL STEWARD;

Or, Systematic Beneficence an Essential of Christian Character

by

REV. SERENO D. CLARK.

PUBLISHER'S ADVERTISEMENT.

The following is from the Circular of the Committee of Award, signed
THOMAS S. WILLIAMS, WILLIAM R. WILLIAMS, R. T. HAINES.

"The committee selected to award a premium of $250 for 'the best approved
treatise on the importance of Systematic Beneficence, and of statedly
appropriating certain portions of income for benevolent objects,' report,
that they have examined one hundred and seventy-two manuscripts submitted
to them, several of which are large treatises, and a number marked by
distinguished merit. They selected four, as in their judgment superior
to the rest. Of these four, each was found to have its peculiar
excellencies and adaptation to usefulness--this in one walk, and that in
another. Literary merit, thoroughness of discussion, and a spiritual and
practical character, each and all necessary, in their measure, to render
a composition 'THE BEST' in the sense of the original offer of the donor,
are to be found blended, in various proportions, in these several
treatises, and rendered the task of decision the more embarrassing. The
committee were thus unable to select any one, two, or three, as on the
whole preferable to the remainder of these four. They therefore awarded
the premium, which the benevolent donor has increased to $400, to be
divided equally among these four manuscripts;" one of which is here
offered to the public.

CONTENTS.

PART I.

Introduction.--Systematic Beneficence argued.--Nature
of such a System,

PART II.

Distinction between a General and Particular System.
--Two Questions discussed. 1. What is the proportional
amou