The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-10-05
THEIpoLArRY or wealth.

A., Ertnuei from Or Chdtmer, Dis,oWses on
hs duplication, Of Christianity 10 The Com.
nlsrient .!Gairs Of Lye.
Wealth is tie goddess whom all the
world shippfth. There is many city
in our empire al whlca, with an eye # u
posiolicai diseernnent, it may be seen. tia:
II is almost wholly given over 10 idolairy
II d man look az higher than IL his none ,
Tor his enJoy Ipents, then money is thu god.
Ii IS the god of his dependence, aud the
god upon whom his heart Is stald. D il
apart from Other enJoyments, it by some
magical power of hls own has gotten the
aseendancy, theo still IT is followed after as
the supreme good ; and there il an actual
suppiantlng ofth living God. He is rob.
bed ~ the gratitude that we owe him for
our daily susienance tor, instrad of recei
wing II as if it came directly Out of his
band. we receive il as Nh Came from III
hand of a secondary agent To whom W.
ascrbe all the stability and independence.
of God. THIS wealth, ia fact, obseures To
us tile character ut God, as the real Though
unseen author at o r valiOus blessings /;
and as Il by material Intervention. does
II AIDE II IN the perception OF natnre, the
hand which feeds, aud clothes, aud main
tains us III life, and Ia all the comforts and
necessarles OIL 1t just has the Effect Of
thckening sill more that impalpab- .ail
which lies between God and The eye of the
senses. We lose all dlscernlnent of him
rs the siser oil our comforts aud coming
as they appear to do, from that wealth
which our ianclcs have raised Into living
personltiealon, does this idol stand hrfoee
us, mol AZ deputy but ~ a ubsutule for
that Beng, with whom It IS that we real
ly have 10 do. All tins goes both 10 widen
aud To 10 tfy that Disruption which ha- Ia
ken place betweeu God and the world. II
adds the power Of one great n,hster idol
To the seducIng influence of all the less,
idolatrIes. W hen the likinS aud the con.
tidence IT men are towards money, there
is no direct intercourse, either by one or
the other oil these affections towards God !;
and In proportion as he sends forth his
desires, aud rests his security on the tor-
mer, IN that very proportion does hr re-
unounct Godas his hope and God as his
dependence.
" And 10 advert for one moment, TO the
misery ofthis affection, as well dsto its stu
iulness. He over whom 1t reisns, feels IA
wortnlessness in hispresenl wealth, after II Is
gotten ;and when to this we add the restless
ness of a yet unsatiated appetite, Iording ii o.
yer all his convictions, Il painting for more ;
when to the dulness OF his actual satlsiac-
ton in all the riches that he has, We add
his still nnquenched, aud indeed unqnench-
able desire for the riches that he has not /;
when we reflect that as IN the pursuit of
wealth he wldens the circle of his opera
tons, 30 he lengthens out the line of his O.
pen and hazardous exposure, and multi
plies along the extent of il, those vUlnela-
Die poinis from which another and snoth-
er dart of anxiety may euter nto his heart
when he feels himself a. if faattog on an
ocean ofcontengency, OI winch, perhaps hr
is only born up by the breath of credit
that is ficttlous,& which, liable 10 burst eve
ry moment, may leave him 10 slnk under
the weight of his ovcrladen speculation
when suspended on the doubtful result OF
his bold and uncertain adventure, he breads
the tldiuss of his disaster Ia every arrival,
and lives 10 continual agony Of ,ellns
kept up by the crowd aud turmoil OF his
ing the whole compass OF his thoughts a. 10
leave not one BARROW space for the thought
Of eternity will any ben older just look
to the mind of this unhappy man, thus
tossed aud bewildered, and thrown into
general uneasy phrenzy, made out OF many
fears and agi atlons, aud not say, that the
bird of the air which sends forth its unre-
hrcting song, and lives on the fortniln $
bounty of Providence, is not higher IN The
scale of enjoyment than he ? Aud how
much more, then, the quiet Christian be-
SIDE him, who, III possession of food and
raiment bias that goodness with content
ment winch is great gsn-who, with the
peace of Heaven in his heart, and thu
glories of Heaven in his eye, has found
out the true philosophy Of existence: has
sought a portion where alone portion
can be found, and in bidding away from
his mind the love of money, has biddrn a
way ar the cross, and all the carefulness
along with it,"