Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1856-02-07
What is he Worth 2"

John Doe is man of large possessions
lie has houses, lands, stocks, and all the ap
purtenances of man of wealth. He is indus
trious, shrewd. and successful. His neigh
bors and the money-changers say he is i0orth
great deal, and so he is, if a mans worth
must be measured BY the length of his purse.
But real man is something else, and more
than the gold and silver he happens To own,
and therefore, the gospel of Mammon, and its
credulous dupes, err in opinion, and lie
against the truth, when they pronounce John
Doe worth great deal, merely because he is
rich. For worth and wealth are not synony-
nous or convertible terms and very rich
man may be a worthless one.
None are really worth any more or less than
than the characters they possess and their fit
ness of doing good to others. If one be igno-
rant, selfish, and miserly, he may sport car
riage in Broadway, yawn at the opera, lodge
in the Fifth Avenue, and create great sensa-
ton in Wall street, where
Money makes the man !; the want oft the fellow;
And all the rest is leather and prunellA.
But if he be asked TO what purpose does
this man lvel What is he worth to his fel-
low ment What good Goes he do in the
world Echo answers, What! Like a
sponge, he grows disiended and dropsical with
borrowed matter; and if he be thoroughly
squeezed, and made to part with his fictitious
weight, he becomes as light and worthless as
gossamer, for he has no internal solidity of
character. He has transmitted himself into
gold, and when that is gone, the man is, gone
too.
There are some everywhere, in our pros
porous country, of great possessions, who re-
senble nothing SO much as the receiving vault
OF cemetery, which locks up in darkness and
death all that comes within its dreary precincts.
No appeal of sorrow no cry for aid no glo-
rious promise of future good; no prophetic
voice, or angel whisper OF love can penetrate
or dispel the putrid composure that reigns
within.
And thus Mr.. John Doe may fill up his cof-
iCiS ouo ihSiCoSC hiS pClSOhoI ACoooiOCo, out ~
his heart be pitiless, devoid of generous SYM
pathies and humane desires if riches are with
him the end of existence, if he can find no 9TH
er use for his money than TO employ it in pur-
chasing base indulgence, or laying it BY for
uncertain and perhaps profiiga,e heirs if he
finds not pleasure in the charities of life. or
institutions devoted to human veal; if he is
always greedy receiver, and never liberal
dispenser alas, then, for the so called rich,
but actually poor John Doe. HIS penury is
worse than that of Lazarus. He is more
worthless than the beggar child, who shares
her crust with others, remembering and feeling
that lit is more blessed to give than TO receive.
what is man worth Z! He is worth pre-
cisely just SO much as he has capacity anc in
clination to be useful. He has to be estimated
by the good he attempts or accomplishes. Not
the tax gatherer, but the Word of God, car
decide his true value. Neither polished mar
BILE, nor lying epitaph can ever preserve the
memory or ennoble the life of him who, dying
leaves behind no monument of mercy, and nc
remembrancers OF generous and benevolent
worthiness. t5
aOh brother man ! fold to thy heart thy brother;
Where pity dwells, the peace of God is there. f-t
| To worship rightly is to love each other
Each smile hymn, each kindly deed prayer.
Follow with reverent steps the great example
or him whose holy work was doing good
So shall the wide earth seem our Fathers temple;
Each loving life psalm of gratitudeA
| . .t .a fv Christian Intelligence.