Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-04-22
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher on Money.

Rev. Henry Ward Beecher on Money.
Rev. Henry Ward Bcecher praeched on
Sunday morning on Money and its Uses. As
usual, his audience was very large, and the
attention throughout profound and earnest
He said that ours is the age of wealth. The
world has had its age of war, its age of art,
its age of chivalry, and its age when political
economy was the controlling idea; but ours
is the age of commerce. Money is the worlds
power to-day. 1t rules the state and settles
political questions 1t is stronger than reli-
gion-stronger than any principle of morality
or political economy-stronger than all COM
bined. For money the worlds spirit would
adopt any government or any religion.
If the Pope of Rome could convince the
world that his religion was money-making
religion, he could send his golden bulls from
pole to pole; and there is not native that
would not carry them. IF the Gar of Rus
sia could convince the world that czarism was
the government most profitable, czarism
would be the worlds government; and there
is no power on earth that could prevent it.
For money the worlds spirit would cruelty
Christ in whatsoever form he might appear.
There is no such thing as meeting this desire
for money in successful conflict. 1t would
be thankless and unsuccessful task, to urge
upon the world any principle which it believed
to be opposed to its pecuniary interests; and
they who do thus stand out are few, and their
task is hard one Happily, there is no oc-
casion for warning with desire for wealth.
The desire to be rich is not an evil of itself.
1t is nonsense for man to stand up and dis
claim the desire for wealth, and to urge upon
the world the idea that it should be poor.
Money is neither an evil nor good of itself;
ii has not a moral character. 1t is simply
an agent, and whether it be good or evil, de-
lpends upon the manner in which it is used.
1t is like sword. Whether sword be in
the hands of Benedict Arnold, bathcd in
his country's blood, or in the hands of a
Washington, welded for justice and liberty
it is a sword only, and has not character
Whether it be an instrument for good Or evil
depends upon the character of him that holds
tee hilt and not on the sword itself. So it is
with money. II is an agent it is a gigantic
motive-power that thunders around the world.
IF the Devil stands engineer, it thunders on,
freighted with untold mischief, scattering OPP
preston, and cruelty, and wong. But if it
is guided by the spirit of love and truth, it is
like the sun, shedding light and summer upon
the world. 1t is an angel of mercy and love
when directed by the spirit of Christ
1t is the duty of the pulpit, then, to direct
and instruct in the use of wealth, and not
preach against it, 1t has grown to be a great
power in the church, and it must be preach.
ed to- He doubted whether, in this city, al
equal amount of wealth could be found among
any other equal number of men as among
our church members. Mammon has Joined
the church, but he is not converted; and it is
the duty of the pulpit to urge upon the
church the true uses of wealth In primitive
days, mems usefulness in the church was
measured by their character and their piety
Now unfortunately, piety has become fashion
able and we are more accustomed to meas.
urd their usefulness by the amount of theil
money
Suppose, said he, that twenty poor but very
pious and good men were to come here, ant
should apply to our examining committee fol
admission to this church. The COMMITTEES
would tell it to our members, and they would
say, "Oh, wel that is very we'll we ar,
glad Of it." Suppose that they were to hea
that twenty men, worth half million each
had been to all the congregations in the cit,
and had concluded to join this one. ooh,
(said the speaker, putting his thumbs behin'
his vest, and assuming a most pompous att
tnde,) "Oh we are delighted to hear it,!
We should all examine ourselves to see if W
have not more or less of this spirit. If
minister recieves call from an obscure vii
lage, and one from great city, is he not yer
likely, perhaps uuconsciously, to think he ca
do more good were the large church and sala
ry are located?
A legitimate use Of money is to adorn an
strengthen the family The Household
should be built deep and broad an
strong. lie cared not how costly am
beautiful and convenient man makes hi
home The house is typical of heaven, am
, Of the most exalted relationship between
God and man. But it should be indeed
home. 1t should not be nice, costly palace
prostituted to fashion and vanity, wher
trained monkeys perform their various tricks
and where mean se6shness and narrow am
bltion smile from shallow hearts. it Shout
be sanctuary of love, and not of idenes
and folly. 1t should be the home of tn
3 purest and most exalted Affection place G
conltort-a sanctuary of rest into which
man may withdraw from the cares and strua
gles OF life. Itmay be lined with gold, an
its walls hung with the works of the master
Of art the more the better, if it be indee
the abode Of pure love and the spirit
Christ.
; The BUSINESS man who is struggling to g
rich should earnestly weigh and scan his pul
pose. Does he desire to be rich that he ma
= bless humanity, or is it merely that he ma
make show These are the questions tina
God is calling upon him to decide, in til
store and in the shop. The man already rio
should question himself as to whether h
loves Christ, and justice and truth, NOR
than he loves his money; and whether, fc
the sake Of these, he could give up h
: house, his lands, his library, his carpets, an
i all his little realm of wealth and art
RFspoNsIBILITY.-I am utterly astonishe
when think upon such treasure as II
~ ha,... ~ 1