Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-07-01
MISCELLAN N Y .
+" I am a Poor Man"

]. Then certainly you are exempt from
some of the heaviest burdens that crush
many other men. Wealth muItplies the
sorrows of its possessor. Anxiety 10 keep
safe what is already gained, and restless ea-
gerness to gain more, keeps the souls Of
mulIitudes tossing like the troubled sea. If
you are poor, then certainly you cannot have
the trouble of the care of gain however much
you may vex Yourself with the desire Of gain
9. Then you have some special advantng-
es for spiritual elevation of character, 1t
was to The poor Of this world that the gospel
PAID lis first address, and from their ranks
have come the greatest number into the fam
lily Of God. The world does not press so
hard upon you as upon those who are laden
with its good things. Tie leaden weights
are not upon your wings that are on theirs,
who have so much Of earth TO love and care
for, and be entangled by. Your thoughts
have not SO many directions TO take, SO many
things TO pursue, and can more easily be sent
into that channel where il is most important
TO the souls best welfare that they go.
3. Then you may be confronted in the
fact that you tread the same path irodden by
many OF the best inhabitants of our world
YOU need not be ashamed of your company,
for your Lord Himself 'Iad not where 10 lay
his head and there was not an apostle If
His but knew how TO be in want AID
but few eminent servants Of God, since Cos
pei times, have been above knowing the va.
rious incidents Of poverty it was doubt.
less that very poverty that caused them to
seek, with the more zeal and greater sue
cess. those spiritual riches in which they
abounded.
a. Besides, it is as likely as not TINT you
are the very poor who could not, with any
safety, be trusted with wealth. You have
much confidence in the irmness of the tex
ture Of your brain, but prosperity might turn
it. Money has sent many lover Of il TO
the insane hospital, and it might have done
the same for you. Or it might have struck
the chords of otherwise sumbering passions,
victim to their power. Money might have
shriveled up all the benevolent sensbilities s
of your SOUL rs it has done for thousands,
and fastened you down to the iron grippe Of
coveiousoess or it might have caused you
TO throw loose the reins Of self-indulgence,
and sent you through all the scenes Of sensu-
ally, dissipation and extravaganza, to mis-
erable end.
1t will not do for you to complain that you
are poor. Probably you have done this often.
B ut you have never penny in your pocket
by that process. Your signs have been like
snow-fakes falling into the ocean. They
have effected no change.
You would have been rich long ago, you
could have been. Tho dazzling gold has had
your heart upon it. But all unseen hand has
prevented your grasping it. Your will has
been overrued by higher will. The In
fintely Wise judged it best' that you should
walk in the valley, rather than on the noun
tain top. He that knows you better than
you know yourself, assigned poverty as The
snfest and best allotment You may be OF
His mind before you die. At any rate,
cheerfully submitting TO His will, you will
have just as much worldly good as is best
for you, and as much spiritual wealth in
Heaven as will make you rich to all eternity.
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