A Gathering of Spiritual Riches

— About the Book —

As a merchant gathers various goods from different countries and carries them home and stores them up, so the Christian may gather edifying thoughts and lay them up in the storeroom of his heart, and enrich his soul with them.

Drawing upon numerous examples from daily life and human relationships, St Tikhon weaves together wisdom on how to live a life pleasing to God. His words are frequently embellished by scripture and together these call the reader to repentance and a fuller embrace of godly living. In a world that typically only values material goods his writing constantly reminds the reader of that which is of true value — the knowledge and love of God.

The reader also finds encouragement in the struggle to overcome sin and to acquire virtue which is the fundamental battle of the Christian as the war is waged against the passions. It is a fight worth the effort. St Tikhon’s message is clear: True riches are not of this world, but of the age to come. These riches both can and should be acquired now. As the reader progresses deeper into this work his soul will find refreshment, purpose and meaning for his life.

— Author Biography —

St Tikhon of Zadonsk was an 18th century bishop and spiritual writer of the Russian Orthodox Church. Consecrated a bishop in 1761, he zealously and wisely administered the diocese of Voronezh for seven years before retiring to a monastery in Zadonsk due to poor health. In retirement, he was remembered for his deep piety, humility, and love for his fellow man. St Tikhon reposed in 1783 at the age of 59. His incorrupt relics were discovered in 1846 and he was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1861. St Tikhon’s life and works inspired the great Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky, and he is considered to be an inspiration for the characters of Bishop Tikhon (The Demons) and Alyosha Karamazov and Elder Zosima (The Brothers Karamazov).

Seraphim Englehardt is a freelance translator and editor based in Simpsonville, South Carolina. He has previously translated classics of Russian spiritual literature such as <em>How to Live a Holy Life</em>, by Metropolitan Gregory (Postnikov), and St. Theophan the Recluse's commentary on Psalm 118.

— Contents —

Foreword

1          The World

2          The Sun

3          Father and Children

4          Master and Servant

5          A King and His Honored Subject—a Criminal

6          Captives and Their Liberator

7          A Master and the Servant Whom He Purchased

8          A Captive and His Liberator

9          Joyous News for Criminals

10        The King Who out of Compassion Visits People Living in Poverty

11        The Death Penalty for a Condemned Man

12        A King, Awaited by Citizens, His Arrival in the City, and His Reception by the Citizens

13        A Low-ranking Person Adopted by a High-ranking Person

14        A Benefactor and the Ungrateful Man Who Receives a Benefaction from Him

15        A King and His Subject Who Asks a Favor of Him

16        The Vine and the Branches

17        Head and Body
18        The Members of the Body among Themselves

19        Sheep

20        Goats

21        Shepherd and Flock

22        Bridegroom and Bride

23        Warfare

24        A Wayfarer

25        A Wayfarer and a Guide

26        A Stranger or Wanderer

27        A Citizen

28        A Dinner or Supper

29        A Curtain or Veil

30        A Deaf Man

31        A Seed

32        Sowing and Harvesting

33        The Right Hand

34        The Giving King and the Thief of His Gift

35        Turn Back! Do Not Go That Way!

36        Don’t Touch That! It’s Poison!

37        Weeping

38        Debt

39        A Master Who Is Calling a Servant

40        Servants Awaiting Their Master

41        A Man Summoned to Court

42        A Person Covered with Wounds

43        A Blind Man Restrained

44        A Tall Tree in the Midst of Short Trees

45        A Sensible Head

46        Desire

47        Happiness

48        A Burning Candle

49        A Sword Hanging over a Head

50        A Net

51        Drunkenness

52        A Mirror

53        One Emerging from Darkness, Prison, Captivity, and the Like

54        Shame

55        I Cannot Escape Anywhere from You

56        The Master Is Here

57        A King Who Enters a City or House

58        Woe

59        A Good Tree

60        Slime or Mud on the Bottom of a Spring

61        A Person Who Has Fallen among Robbers and Been Injured by Them

62        A Hospital or Infirmary

63        Poison, Hidden in a Person

64        Warfare

65        Calling

66        Your Father Has Been Waiting for You a Long Time. Do Not Tarry!

67        And We Will Go There

68        Spring

69        Get Up!

70        Livestock

71        Turning

72        Imitation

73        The Safe Path

74        A Mirror

75        Plague

76        Following Like Cattle

77        A Lamp

78        A Blind Man and a Sighted Man Accompanying Him

79        A Subject Who Violates the Law in the Presence of His King

80        A Servant Offended in the Presence of His Master

81        Royal Mercy Promised to Transgressors, and Announced, and Shown to Those Who Turn Themselves Around

82        Tares among the Wheat

83        Why Are You Here?

84        A Lie

85        A Hen

86        A Poultice

87        Where Are You Going? There Will Be Misfortune for You There

88        Why Have You Stopped?

89        Fasting

90        Renunciation of Christ

91        A Servant Who Knows, and One Who Does Not Know, the Will of His Master

92        Take Stock of Yourself!

93        A Shield

94        Peace

95        A Straight and a Crooked Tree

96        Water Flows from High Mountains to Low-Lying Areas

97        Water Flowing By

98        Now You Are Freed from All Misfortunes

99        A Small Sapling

100      Repose

101      A Bridle

102      Follow Me

103      Study

104      The Alphabet

105      Teacher and Pupils

106      I Am Greatly in Your Debt

107      The Memory of an Absent Benefactor

108      He Did His Work and Left

109      Citizens Awaiting Their King in Their City

110      One Will Be Taken and the Other Will Be Left

111      An Oath

112      A Bathhouse

113      A Maiden Betrothed to a Man

114      A Ship

115      Whose Are You?

116      They Are in Concert

117      A King Summons His Subject to Him by an Edict

118      I Will Come Tomorrow

119      A Gardener Cuts Down a Barren Tree

120      Snares Placed on the Path

121      A Great Thing

122      Do Not Be Afraid, I Am with You

123      A Belch

124      A Boat or Vessel on a River

125      The Knowledge of Misfortune or Trouble Induces Us to Seek Deliverance

126      A Pauper

127      A Treasure

128      Witnesses

129      Whom Should I Love, If Not Him?

130      A Full and an Empty Vessel

131      Whoever Loves Something Seeks after It

132      A Perceived Good Is Sought For

133      Everything Finds Repose in Its Own Place

134      A Migrant

135      Servants Sent by the Master to Invite Guests to Dinner

136      A Guard

137      Do Not Touch It; You Cannot Lift It

138      Everyone Avoids a Perceived Evil

139      Little Children

140      Those Who Eat and Drink at Table, and Others Who Are Hungry, but Not Allowed There for Their Own Fault

141      Those Who Enter the King’s Bridal Chamber

142      Light and Darkness

143      I Am Ashamed to Look at You

144      Internecine Strife

145      A Bee That Wounds with Its Sting

146      A Wounded Man Is Wounded Again

147      A Mirror Shows the Smudges on a Face

148      How Could I Forget Him!                                                                                     

149      We Shall Be Safe There

150      A Painting Is Spoiled

151      I Am Not Your Brother

152      The Path

153      The Belly

154      A Man Falls into a Pit That He Himself Has Dug

155      Being Pleasing

156      A Swindler

157      One Event Brings a Similar One to Mind

Notes

Scripture Index