THE WAGON TRAIN
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The extract below is taken from "Growing Up God's Way" by John A. Stormer, Chapter XIII: "A Solvent Home is a Happy Home", under the "TITHE" section. The book was first printed in January 1984 and January 1995 saw its tenth printing. I humbly seek the forbearance of the author and publisher for reproducing this section here, but it was just too good a lesson to keep to oneself.


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    Two ladies heard a message on tithing. One said, "How I wish we could tithe - but we've never been able to afford it." Her friend, whose family income was much less, said, "We figure we can't afford not to tithe." The second lady and her husband had learned that trusting and obeying God is the only pathway to blessing.


    A simple story from American's history illustrates this truth. About sixty years ago a history teacher at the Manual Training High School in Denver named Rhodes recalled for his students how at age four he had traveled across the Great Plains in an oxcart driven by his father. This is the story he told to his students:


    The wagon train set out from St. Joseph, Missouri heading for Denver on a Monday morning late in the spring in the early 1860's. Things went well for the first week. The wagon train covered a lot of territory. Day by day they moved across the open plains and rolling hills of Kansas. Each night as they camped, the wagons were drawn in a circle. It was Indian territory.


    Early the first Sunday morning Mr. Rhode's father faced a situation he had not expected. The other men began to break camp, obviously intending to travel. Elder Rhodes, being a man of God and of conviction, protested the plan to travel on God's day. His appeal was not heeded. The other men said, "We're travelling. You can do as you please. Remain here if you want to - and become Indian bait." When Elder Rhodes showed that he would not travel on God's day, two other families decided to stand with him. They remained in camp, studied the Bible and rested while the main train moved westward over the rolling hills and out of sight.


    Monday morning the three families journeyed on by themselves. Thus it was through the second week. However, by Saturday night they caught up with the main group and pulled into camp. We can imagine that as they came into sight some of the unbelieving ones probably said, "Here come those fools driving hard to catch up with us to be under our protection. You can bet they've learned their lesson."


    Did those three families feel any safer that Saturday night than they had the six previous ones? Not a bit. The next morning, being Sunday, again the main group broke camp and traveled on as usual, but the three families rested and worshiped the Lord. By the following Thursday evening they overtook the main group once more. The unbelievers said anew, "Look at this. Here come those racing fools again."


    By this time the main camp should have learned the benefits of rest and the benefits of doing things God's way. But it happened to them as Isaiah said: "Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness...Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (Isaiah 26:10; II Timothy 3:7)


    Friday morning the three families were away first. They had faith to believe that the God who protected them when they were behind the main group could care for them out ahead of the others. As they stopped each evening, they claimed the promise of God's Word which says: "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." (Psalm 34:7)


    Sunday they rested again, and Sunday evening the main group moved in slowly and spent the evening with them. Monday evening was no "Blue Monday" for Elder Rhodes and his small company - but it was for the cursing main camp. The three families were off first again. They never saw the main group on the plains after the third Sunday. Here's how the story ended:


    The three families arrived in Denver two weeks ahead of those who left St. Joseph with them. They were in the finest spirit and health, rejoicing as Ezra did, that "God's good hand was upon them" (Ezra 7:9). Their oxen and equipment were in the best of shape and brought the fanciest of prices on the Denver market. Good outfits were in great demand. Two weeks later when the rest came dragging in, they were sick, cursing and irritable. Their equipment was broken down and their oxen were worn out.


    The faith and obedience of Elder Rhodes was passed down to his son. In the years before his retirement as a teacher, he would tell the story and show his New Testament which was ever with him at his desk. His students learned an important lesson from life about the wisdom of knowing God's Word and obeying it - even when it did not seem logical. One of these students, Carl R. Steelburg, put the story on paper so that we can profit from it today.


    Resting one day out of seven, particularly if you are in a hurry or have a long way to go, is not logical. However, this true story from America's history demonstrates that "trusting and obeying" God is the only "smart" way to live. The same conclusion applies to tithing. The first step toward getting out of debt and finding financial freedom is to start giving God the first tenth of all income.


    Many people know that the Bible teaches that everyone should tithe. They say, "We'll do it just as soon as we get our finances in order." They are never able to start tithing, however. They are just like the seven day travelers who fell far behind those who traveled for six days and rested on the seventh. The first step toward getting family finances in order is to start tithing by faith.
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