Prosperity And Liberality.
A London correspondent of the _Western Christian Advocate_, writing some
years ago of raising a fund for the extinction of debts on chapels,
gives the following incident:
"A gentleman named Wilkes, who was promised a subscription of one
thousand guineas to this fund, has a history so remarkable as to be
worth relating across the Atlantic. Seven years ago he was a journeyman
mechanic. Having invented and p
tented some kind of a crank or spindle
used in the cotton manufacture, and needing capital to start himself in
the business of making them, he made it a matter of earnest prayer that
he might be directed to some one able and willing to assist him. In a
singular and unexpected manner he fell in with an elderly Quaker, a
perfect stranger, who accosted him with the strange inquiry: 'Friend, I
should like to know if a little money would be of any service to thee.'
Having satisfied himself as to Wilkes' genius and honesty, the Quaker at
once advanced him the required amount. The praying mechanic started in
business on his own account, and everything he has touched of late
appeared to prosper.
"Hearing of a field in Ireland offered for sale, in which was a deserted
mine, he went over to see it; bought the field for a small sum,
recommenced working the mine, and it now turns out to yield abundance of
excellent copper. For the year 1852, he promised to give the Missionary
Society a _guinea a day_; but such abundance has poured in upon him
during the year, that he felt that to be below his duty, and has,
therefore, enlarged his subscription for the present year seven-fold. He
is actually giving to that noble cause seven guineas daily, or upwards
of $10,500 a year, during this year, 1853; in addition to which he has
just given one thousand guineas to the fund above referred to." "It is
pleasing to add," says the writer, "that this remarkable man retains the
utmost simplicity."
Would that liberality and prosperity might ever go hand in hand. Often,
as wealth increases liberality is starved out, and the rich give far
less than the poor in proportion to their means and ability.