Again, they came unto Him to test Him with questions...
"Master," said the spokesman, "Is it right for the government to support the poor and needy out of the taxpayer's money?"
And he looked, and behold, the Conservatives were standing on His right, and the Liberals on His left. And He perceived that if He answered, "Yes", it would extremely annoy those on His right, and if He answered "No", it would displease those on His left. In fact, either answer would make Him bitterly hated by one group or the other as He would be labeled as one of the opposite party. And, indeed, their hate for one another had become as a burning fire that raged and threatened to devour the land.
And answering, He said unto them, "I will ask of all of you a question: How much of your own substance do you give to the poor and needy?"
He looked at those on His right, and said, "You who say it is the job of the Church, not the government, to support the poor and needy: do you, of your own richness and wealth help those who are hungry and desolate?"
He looked at those on His left, and said, "Do you have such compassion for the poor and needy that you will appropriate other people's money to feed them? Does your compassion compel you to give of your own substance?"
Then, He said onto them all, "Let he who is without sin cast the first vote."
And the great pastor sat over against the treasury...
...and beheld how his members cast money into the treasury for the building fund: and many that were rich cast in much money.
And there came a certain dear old lady, and she began to endorse her pension cheque. And he called unto him his members, and saith unto them, 'Verily I say unto you, that this dear lady hath cast in the 'widow's mite!' She has put in more than all ye which have cast into the building fund: For all ye did cast in of your abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even unto her whole pension cheque. For verily I say unto you that if every one of you shall give as this woman has given, and give their 'widow's mite', surely we shall speedily build our new gymnasium unto the glory of God. How many of you do vow this day to give the 'widow's mite?' I see thy hand, the Lord bless thee, — yea, for verily I see thy hand — and thy hand...'
Then said the dear lady unto her friend, 'Verily, that cheque was but equal to the tithe from the sale of my dress shop!'