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He was not thinking of himself； he was thinking about his master。
First； the Kingdom of God。
But there is another arithmetic word。 What is it？ 〃Added。〃
You know the difference between ADDITION and SUBTRACTION。 Now；
that is
A very important difference
in religion； becauseand it is a very strange thingvery few
people know the difference when they begin to talk about religion。
They often tell boys that if they seek the Kingdom of God； everything
else is going to be SUBTRACTED from them。 They tell them that they
are going to become gloomy； miserable； and will lose everything
that makes a boy's life worth livingthat they will have to stop
baseball and story…books； and become little old men； and spend all
their time in going to meetings and in singing hymns。
Now； that is not true。 Christ never said anything like that。
Christ said we are to 〃Seek first the Kingdom of God；〃 and
Everything else worth having
is to be ADDED unto us。 If there is anything I would like you to
remember； it is these two arithmetic words〃first〃 and 〃added。〃
I do not mean by 〃added〃 that if you become religious you are all
going to become RICH。 Here is a boy； who； in sweeping out the
shop tomorrow； finds a quarter lying among the orange boxes。 Well；
nobody has missed it。 He puts it in his pocket； and it begins to
burn a hole there。 by breakfast time he wishes that money were
in his master's pocket。 And by…and…by he goes to his master。 He
says （to HIMSELF； and not to his master）； 〃I was at the Boys' Brigade
yesterday and I was told to seek FIRST that which was right。〃 Then
he says to his master：
〃Please； sir； here is a quarter that I found upon the floor。〃
The master puts it in the till。 What has the boy got in his pocket？
Nothing； BUT HE HAS GOT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN HIS HEART。 He has
laid up treasure in heaven； which is of infinitely more worth than
the quarter。
Now； that boy does not find a dollar on his way home。 I have known
that to happen； but that is not what is meant by 〃adding。〃 It does
not mean that God is going to pay him in his own coin； for He pays
in better coin。
Yet I remember once hearing of a boy who was paid in both ways。
He was very； very poor。 He lived in a foreign country； and his
mother said to him one day that he must go into the great city and
start in business； and she took his coat and cut it open and sewed
between the lining and the coat forty golden dinars； which she had
saved up for many years to start him in life。 She told him to take
care of robbers as he went across the desert； and as he was going
out of the door she said：
〃My boy； I have only two words for you'Fear God； and never tell
a lie。'〃
The boy started off； and towards evening he saw glittering in the
distance the minarets of the great city。 But between the city and
himself he saw a cloud of dust。 It came nearer。 Presently he saw
that it was a band of robbers。
One of the robbers left the rest and rode toward him； and said：
〃Boy； what have you got？〃
The boy looked him in the face and said：
〃I have forty golden dinars sewed up in my coat。〃
The robber laughed and wheeled around his horse and went away back。
He would not believe the boy。
Presently another robber came and he said：
〃Boy； what have you got？〃
〃Forty golden dinars sewed up in my coat。〃
The robber said： 〃The boy is a fool；〃 and wheeled his horse and
rode away back。
By and by the robber captain came and he said：
〃Boy； what have you got？〃
〃I have forty golden dinars sewed up in my coat。〃
The robber dismounted； and put his hand over the boy's breast；
felt something round； counted one； two； three； four； five； till he
counted out the forty golden coins。 He looked the boy in the face
and said：
〃Why did you tell me that？〃
The boy said： 〃Because of God and my mother。〃
The robber leaned on his spear and thought and said：
〃Wait a moment。〃
He mounted his horse； rode back to the rest of the robbers； and
came back in about five minutes with his dress changed。 This time
he looked not like a robber； but like a merchant。 He took the boy
up on his horse and said：
〃My boy； I have long wanted to do something for my God and for my
mother； and I have this moment renounced my robber's life。 I am
also a merchant。 I have a large business house in the city。 I
want you to come and live with me； to teach me about your God； and
you will be rich； and your mother some day will come and live with
us。〃
And it all happened。 By seeing first the Kingdom of God； all these
things were added unto him。
Boys； banish forever from your minds the idea that religion is
SUBTRACTION。 It does not tell us to give things up； but rather
gives us something so much better that they give themselves up。
When you see a boy on the street whipping a top； you know； perhaps；
that you could not make that boy happier than by giving him a top；
a whip； and half an hour to whip it。 But next birthday； when he
looks back he says；
〃What a goose I was last year to be delighted with a top。 What I
want now is a baseball bat。〃
Then when he becomes an old man； he does not care in the least for
a baseball bat； he wants rest； and a snug fireside and a newspaper
every day。 He wonders how he could ever have taken up his thoughts
with baseball bats and whipping…tops。
Now； when a boy becomes a Christian； he grows out of the evil
things one by onethat is to say； if they are really evilwhich
he used to set his heart upon； （of course I do not mean baseball
bats； for they are not evils）； and so instead of telling people to
give up things； we are safer to tell them to 〃seek first the Kingdom
of God；〃 and then they will get new things and better things； and
The old things will drop off
of themselves。 This is what is meant by the 〃new heart。〃 It means
that God puts into us new thoughts and new wishes； and we become
quite different。
III。
Lastly； and very shortly。 What was the third head？ 〃Grammar。〃
Right。
Now； I require a clever boy to answer the next question。 What
is the verb？ 〃Seek。〃 Very good： 〃seek。〃 What mood is it in？
〃Imperative mood。〃 What does that mean？ 〃A command。〃 What is
the soldier's first lesson？ 〃Obedience。〃 Have you obeyed this
command？ Remember the imperative mood of these words； 〃SEEK first
the Kingdom of God。〃
This is the command of your King。 It MUST be done。 I have been
trying to show you what a splendid thing it is； what a reasonable
thing it is； what a happy thing it is； but beyond all these reasons；
it is a thing that MUST be done； because we are COMMANDED to do
it by our Captain。 Now； there is His command to seek FIRST the
Kingdom of God。 Have you done it？
〃Well；〃 I know some boys will say； 〃we are going to have a good
time； enjoy life； and then we are going to seekLASTthe Kingdom