THE MAN OF CHARITY

Every man who looks to the Lord and shuns evils as sins, if he

sincerely, justly and faithfully performs the work which belongs to

his office and employment, becomes an embodiment of charity.

--_The Doctrine of Charity_, VII

In common belief charity is nothing else than giving to the poor,

succoring the needy, caring for widows and orphans, contributing to

the building of hospitals, infirmaries, asylums, orphanages, and

especially churches, and to their decoration and income. But most of

these things are not the proper activities of charity, but extraneous

to it. A distinction is to be made between the duties of charity, and

its benefactions. By the duties of charity those exercises of it are

meant, which proceed directly from charity itself. These have to do

primarily with one's occupation. By the benefactions those aids are

meant which are given outside of, and over and above the duties.

--_True Christian Religion, n._ 425

The Gist of Swedenborg · 第 56 / 104 题