truths. Whatever is thus from good, in good, and toward good, is
nothing less than a use to the neighbor, and hence it is a serving.
It puts away self and what is one's own, and thus evil, with every
breath. Its form is like the form of a charming and beautifully
colored flower, shining in the rays of the sun.

--_The Doctrine of Charity, n._ 150


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