The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-05-28
WHOSE MONEY 4


subjects, it is sometimes safer to question
than to affirm. A little whilef ago, if you
happen to remember, we were treating on
"Living, or Dying" the "or" being used
as strong distinctive. Our object, which
you are too sharp-sighted not to have discov-
cred, was, to point our disappearing finger
at few current faults which ought to be
amended. We live too much in the eye,
and not nearly enough in the conscience.
What is style? is great question with us ;
and, What is duty? small one. In deco
rating the living and burying the dead, we
act like people who imagine that they rest
on original proprietary rights, and are law
unto themselves. If that were really so, We
should lay our pen right down; for who may
question sovereignty? If it is not so, but a
grave and damaging mistake, then we ought
to take up our pen, and the pulpit its tongue,
and the freside its gentle admonitions, again
and again and again, till the contagion abates.
No mean skill is needful to the hand that
would handle so strong and sensitive an evil.
"Do we not earn our money, and may not a
man do what he will with his own?" In
some sense you do and may. In some sense
you do not and may not. Here is a machine
that | have invented. Endow it with voli.
ton, then let it say, "Do not concentrate
force, and utilize thought, and work out pro-
fitable results? and may not sink my earn
ings in the sea, or burn them in the fire? ="
Poor piece of mechanism how it tries to lift
itself up against the hand that formed it!
God made us, fearfully and wonderfully,
and for ends worthy of his fashioning wis
dom. He gives life, strength, skill, oppor-
tunity, raw material, everything. And we
are reluctant to admit to so much as silent
partnership in the product of his own hand-
work. Here is the most dishonorable rob-
berry, and the most baseless self-suficiency of
which the mind can think. "The OK know
eth his owner, and the ass his masters crib, 7"
but we are full, and forget God. Let US
stop and think.
Do we not begin to retrench on the wrong
side of the ledgerY God has important in
terests in this world that need money? Yes,
that is it. They need money, and are suffer-
ing for want of it. He honors us with a
copartnership in these great enterprises, with
the definite understanding that their claims
are to be preferred and paramount. This
arrangement greatly exalts and honors as,
ennobling all our labor, broadening and deep
ening our character by the refined greatness
of its motives, and is so contrived that we are
finally and all along to receive more good than
we impart. 1t is very wonderful, and one
would think that our zeal would never flag.
Money, which otherwise would be almost
sure to minister to sordid desires, becomes a
mighty instrument for works so noble that
the tallest angels would be glad to take them
off our hands. We may we'll stand among
the wonders to-day, when we think of all
this, and of the promises, which seem to say
that God, who is able, will make all grace
abound toward US, that we, always having
all suficiency in all things, may abound to
every good work.
On one side are the claims of life" and
death" }" of pride and fashion, and greed
and pleasure; and on the other, the claims
of the causes dear to God. In making our
outlays, of course, as Christians, We shall
first consider the demands of duty. If in
comes are smaller, or necessary expenses
larger. we must retrench somewhere. If we
have not heretofore misappropriated any Of
the Lords money, then we must curtail by
average. Buff We have, in a needlessly ex-
pensive style of building, dressing, riding,
eating, drinking, sleeping, entertaining, or
what not, then we ought to curtail wholly on
the side where the abuse of trust has been.
If we have robbed God heretofore, habitual-
ly, systematically, let US not rob him again
under new pretenses. The cause of missions
can spare nothing; it ought to have much
more. The same is true of the Bible cause.
Tracts, Education, Church Extension, the
poor. the unfortunate. No retrenchment is
practicable here. Our luxuries can spare q
good deal; SO we will begin with our luxu
ries, the luxuries of fashionable living and
fashionable dying.
One question will settle the right and the
wrong of this entire account; namely, Whose
money is it? If it is ours by indefeasibl'
right, and we owe nothing, and are low-na
tured enough to think it better to eat an(
sleep and roll in splendor than to co-worl
with the Redeemer in soothing grief ant
saving men, then let US build palaces ant
Aaunt our fnery, while unSaVed million
perish in their gloom.
But if it is Gods money, and strength
and skill and influential name are intruste'
to our fidelity for Christian uses, we ma
reyelers had better make haste, or there vii
be more to receive US into everlasting habi
tations. There is no wickeder thing beneat
the sun than the use which Christ's pro
fessed friends are making of their Lord
money.
"Where is that spirit, Lord, which dwet
In Abraham's breast, and scale him thine?
Which made Pauls heart with sorrow melt,
And glow with energy divine"
Money, which has been the most ensnarin