The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-03-24
For THE CENTRAL. PRESBYTERIAN.
WINTER EVENINGS.

i
Corinthians xiii: II.
So darkly, indeed, do we see the things of
future life. and so enormously those of
the present, that we form many false esti-
mates of them both, and act still more alb
surdly than we Judge There are few who
are not convinced of future state of retri
button after death, and none who do not
know that the death of every man may be
instantaneous, and cannot be far off; and
yet they take so little care to prepare them
selves for the former, and think so little of
the latter, that on any unexpected event, it
has become proverbial to say thought
of it no more than of my dying day." We
naturally fear nothing so much as death;
and yet there is nothing that we think of so
little. We are more tenacious of riches
the less we need them, and toll away the
best part of our days to enable us to pass
few in quiet leisure, which no man could ever
enjoy who had ever been busy. We train
up our children in the same false ideas, and
thus transmit, through them, absurdities from
generation to generation. We educate them
all most assiduously for this life-but how
much do we care for their school for the rest
What man IS there Of yOu, says Christ,
"who If his son ask for a fish, soiU he give
him serpent9" Few parents, it is true,
with regard to this world are so foolish and
cruel, but with regard to another, it is uni
versally practised Every worldly-wise par
ent endeavors to impart to his son the wis
dom of the serpent, rather than the innocence
of the fish. He sparis no pains to qualify
them for the highest post of honor and profit
in this life, but his ambition does not extend
so far as to gain for them place in the
kingdom of heaven. Do we hear any father,
however worthy and respectable, address his
son in the language of philosopher and a
Christian, after this manner, "My son, l
shall leave you an estate, small it is true, in
the estimation of the world, but sufficient to
afford you, not only the necessaries but the
comforts of life, and sufficient too to ena-
bic you to administer it freely to the wants
of others. | charge you not to waste it in
vice and extravaganza, nor yet to labor to
increase it by frauds or any unfair dealings,
nor even by honest industry in such pursuits
as will not allow you leisure, either to enjoy
this life or prepare for another. Above all
things, my son, pray you not to augment
it by mercenary marriage, which cannot
fail to lead youinto an inextrcable labyrinth
of wickedness and misery; and remember
that mutual fidelity and affection will give
you more happiness than wealth is able to
bestow."
The very reverse of this is the lesson in
culcated by every prudent parent, and rati-
fled by universal appreciation. "My son,
he says, "you will inherit very ample for
tune; but do not let this tempt you to sit
down quietly in insignifcance. There are a
thousand ways by which you may increase it
almost indefinitely, and advance yourself in
the world. By judicious marriage you
may double it, if you do not fooGshly sacri-
fee your interests. All the professions are
open to your ambition, and may reward you
with the highest post of honor and distnc-
tion. But 1 prefer your being another Roths-
child or Astor, and various speculations in
mercantile and commercial pursuits open be-
fore you boundless wealth with such a capital
to begin with. The whole world-.this
country especially-is full of stores, and
they are hardly yet drawn out; all lands
and seas are ready to pour their exhaustless
treasures into the lap of the skillful and en-
ergetic" By such instructions the seeds of
ayarice and ambition are sown in the minds
of youth, which afterwards infalibly pro-
duce the bitter fruits of iniquity and disap-
pointment.
That mankind should thus continue,
through all ages and generations, to think,
speak, and act in contradiction to their COM
mon sense, their principles, and their inter-
est, is a wonderful phenomenon, which can
be occasioned solely by this single circum-
stance, that they ''see through glass dark.
h" Whenever they see clearly, they sell
dom Judge amiss, which shows that the defect
is not in their reason, but in their knowledge
Every one would pursue his own interest, il
he only knew what it was,-and in fact
every one does pursue it, though the gener
atty totally mistake it. No sane man would
prefer riches to happiness, or power to quiet
or fame to safety, if he really knew the true
value of each. No sane man would prefer
} the transitory and worthless enjoyments O
: this world to the permanent and sublime fell
, city of better, if he had clear view O
f them both, and was not '6Hnded By the god Q