“Indeed!” Exclaimed the King, casting a keen glance at his son. “Are you becoming interested in politics then; or is there some grievous breach of court etiquette which has attracted your attention?”

“I know little of politics and less of the court, Sire,” replied Lilimond; “it is the distress of the people that worries me.”
“The people? Of a surety, Prince, you are better posted than am I, since of the people and their affairs I know nothing at all. I have appointed officers to look after their interests, and therefore I have no cause to come into contact with them myself. But what is amiss?”
“They are starving,” said the Prince, looking at his father very seriously; “the country is filled with beggars, who appeal for charity, since they are unable otherwise to procure food.”
“Starving!” repeated the King; “surely you are misinformed. My Lord Chamberlain told me but this morning the people were loyal and contented, and my Lord of the Treasury reports that all taxes and tithes have been paid, and my coffers are running over.”
“Your Lord Chamberlain is wrong, Sire,” returned the Prince; “my tutor, Borland, and I have talked with many of these beggars the past few days, and we find the tithes and taxes which have enriched you have taken the bread from their wives and children.”

“So!” exclaimed the King. “We must examine into this matter.” He touched a bell beside him, and when a retainer appeared, directed his Chamberlain and his Treasurer to wait upon him at once.

The above illustration between a king and his son is taken from a book written by Lyman Frank Baum, storyteller extraordinaire. The book is titled, “The Works of Lyman Frank Baum.

In the book, the kings Chamberlain and the kings Treasurer were exacting tithes and taxes from the people of the kingdom. The poor got poorer and poorer, while the king because of those he put in charge got richer and richer.

Upon seeing the plight of the people of the kingdom, the Prince tried to reason with his father the king. But it turned out the king was blinded by his riches and greed and therefore, would not hear the Prince when the Prince later told him to give from his coffers, riches to help those in need. In the end, the Prince relinquished his scepter and his royal position because he wanted nothing to do with oppressing the people of the kingdom.

Although Lyman Frank Baum told the story as a fairy tale, there is much truth woven into the fabric of that tale. Truths that are noticeable in our world today. Many Church leaders oppress the poor by demanding monetary tithes of them, enriching themselves while the poor do without.

The Chamberlain and the Treasurer are comparable to those who teach the monetary tithe today. They are teaching others that the monetary tithe is required by God of His people, and that they are to be OBedient to the command, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse." They are too blinded by their traditions or their greed to look into the matter and see the great damage it does to the health and welfare of those who are barely getting by. They rOB widows houses as the Pharisees did in Jesus' time here on Earth.

As to the king in the story, he is representative of that old serpent the devil, who "cometh not, but for to steal, and to steal, and to destroy."

Oh, that there would be more people today like the Prince in the story above. People who would see the injustice in taking tithes of the people of God. Tithes of a nature that God never intended His people to be oppressed with, nor authorized His Priestly servants to exact from them. Oh that spiritual leaders would remember the words of the Lord Jesus when he said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”