Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-05-09
D. P. THOMPSON, EDITOR & PROPRIETOR

crisis-then comes an Ithure test-which
shows whether man is higher than a common
man, or lower than common reptile. In the
duty of accumulation--and | call it a duty, in the
most strict and literal signidcaton of that word,
+ all below competence is most valuable, and its
acquton most laudable. But all above for
tune is a misfortune. 1t is misfortune to him
who amasses lt-for it Is voluntary conlinu-
ance in the harness Of beast of burden, when
the soul should enfranchise and lift itself up in
to higher regions of pursuits and happiness. 1t
is persistence in providing goods for the body,
after the body has already been provided for
and it isa denial of the higher demands Of the
soul, after the time has arrived and the means
are possessed of fulfilling those demands.
Great wealth is a misfortune, because it makes
great generosity impossible. There. can be no
generosity where there IS no sacrifice; and
man who is worth million of dollars, though
he gives it hathaway, makes no more of sacli-
flee, than, (ifI may make such a suppostiOn) a
dlopsical man, whose skin holds hogshead of
water, makes sacrifice when he ls tapped for
barrel.
He is in healthier condition after the opera
ton than before it. II donkey would be con-
sidered fool among donkeys, for desiring to
double the burden Of gold which is already
breaking his back, see not why the shorter
cared variety should be Judged by different
rule. The literal declaration that it is easier
for camel to 60 through lhe eye of needle than
for rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven,
not only stands upon sacred authority, but is
confirmed by all human reasoning. For, what
kingdom of heaven can there be, from which
love and sympathy, and the tenderness of a COM
mon brotherhood, are excluded? and the man
who boards up superfluous wealth, while their is
furnishing in the next street; the man who,
through an ostentation Of literature, walls him
self in with libraries which he cannot read,
while thousands ofchildrcn around him are des.
titute even of school books-the very seed wheat
acknowledge; such man has no love no sympa.
thy, no feeling of brotherhood, for his race-and
therefore go where he will, the kingdom of
heaven must be his antipode. One point in the
circumference of a revolving wheel may as we'll
attempt to overtake the opposite point, as he to
reach that kingdom. The casting off of his low
ed burdens will alone give him the agility to OBJ
tain it.
All above q fortune is often misfortune to
children. BY taking the stimulus to effort
and especially, by taking away the restraints
from indulgence, it takes the muscles out of the
limbs, the brain out of the head, and virtue out
of the heart.
The same young man, who with a moderate
sa~.. NO. ..,;sr+ --.-;- .h F.il yiGer of his sY~-
tenn til sixty, and be blessing to the world all
his life long, under the depraving influence Oft
vast patrimony is likely to die SOFT Of dcbouch.
ee at forty five, if he does not shoot himself as
non compus at thirty. The father may feel
proud of his twenty per cent. stocks; but when
the devil clutches his son for guiltily spending
what he clutches the father for gutily amassing,
he surely proves himself tho better fnancer; for
he doubles his capital by single speculation
Universal experience shows that the inheritor of
a penny has better chance for success in life
than the ilheritor Of plum. But better far
tnan either is the golden mean of Auger's per-
feet prayer.
The following anecdote, which believe to be
authentic, is related of the late Stephen Grard.
) Meeting a wealthy and active business man he
accosted him thus: "Mr. A am surprised
that man having SO much property as yourself
should be SO anxious to increase it." "You
cannot be SO much surprised at my COURSE re-
torted his friend, "as am at your remark, COM
ing as it does from man who has much grea-
ter fortune than | have, and seem much more
desirous of cnlarging it," "Oh, yes" said Mr..
Girard, " but you forget that have no children
to be spoiled by it,