A Gathering of Spiritual Riches

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.

St Tikhon of Zadonsk was an 18th century 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’ 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 How to Live a Holy Life, by Metropolitan Gregory (Postnikov), and St. Theophan the Recluse's commentary on Psalm 118.

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 C