Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1865-07-13
The Soul Market.

A volume of sermons preached in the
Church of St. Paul the Apostle (Catho-
lic) at New York, has just been pub
lished. They are all stirring and vigo-
rous, and some quite Spurgeon like in
their quaintness. The following is sam
pie:
"The real value Of the soul, there
fore, is much greater than its market
value. Market value = [ hear some
one say; why father, what do you
mean?' | mean by market value the
price that souls commonly sell for. Sell
for why, human souls are not in market
to be bought and sold. Indeed my
brethren. I fear they are. The Devil is
bidding for souls all the while, and the
market value Of each soul may be said
to De that for which its owner is willing
to let it go for. Every time that man,
under the influence Of some temptation
deliberately commits grievous sin, does
he not know the consequence is the for
feiture Of his souls eternal liberty and
happiness What is that but trading
with the Devil, who takes nothing but
souls in payment?
"The Devil is peddler, and goes
about to sell his ill-gotten wares for
souls. All how many clerk has sold
himself to the Devil for few pieces of
stolen silver from the drawer How
many driver or car conductor for the
privilege to embezzls few half-dimes
in the day? How many a miserable
girl, for stolen dress, a pair If shoes
or stockings, bracelet, ring or a
breastpin.
"The Devil is a smuggler. How
mary a merchant has traded away his
soul for fraudulent return to the Gus
tom house, or the tax commissioner !;
sealing the horrible contract with an
oath
'.The Devil is a pawnbroker That
girl pawns away to him her religion and
her soul for the sake of marriage, ay !!
and pledges away beforehand the souls
of the children that may be born to her.
"Tbe Devil is an attorney. When
people buy and sell real estate, there is
always third party, the lawyer. The
same rule holds in every sinful transac-
tion. See that ragged, wretched man
leaning on the counter at the grocery :?
It is not only dime he gives for his
drink ? No but he lays down on the
counter his wife's heart and his chill
dren's bread. And that other man that
sells it to him behind the bar Is it
only so much fiery drink he sells, to
help his nei ghbor on to ruin? No but
as he empties that decanter, he pours
away his own hopes of heaven. his part
in God, the water that baptized him,
the share he has in the blood of Christ
that died for him. There is the third
party here, a hdeous thing curled up
like black ape on the counter. He
acts as attorney between the parties
He claims his fees. and for payment
takes mortgage on the souls of both.
ooh If had the power, | would
compel that wicked fend to come here
in his own shape, and make him point
out the unfortunate creatures that be has
bought, and confess what he has paid for
each. I can imagine his confession to
be something like this: Il bought that
miserly looking man for few promissory
notes and some tenement houses. The
other one near him cost me corporation
contract. Some Of my bargains were
cheaper. I bought two or three Of them
soul and all, for the right to vote upon a
false oath That young girl with paint
on her face, for nights dance and a
beau. That other one for new cape );
and that old woman sold out for some
blankets, anu few bars of stolen soap.
That little politician gave me his soul
for an office; and-do you see that man
that looks as if the wages of all the la
borers of the parish had gone into his
one body-he and [ trade in souls; |
bought bis for corner grocery, and he
brings me in whole army of drunk ards
And then when the wicked Spirit had
ended his confession, I would ask for an
angels trumpet, that | might shout over
the heads of the whole congregation,
with voice like that which one day
will startle the dead in their cofins,
those words of Jesus Christ what
profit shall man have if he gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul or
what exchange shall man make for his
soul 2"