New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-08
MANS STEWARDSHIP ON EARTH.

IN, Rev. Hugh Miller 1nompson d. d., al chriSs cnure"
The Rev. Hugh Miller Thompson, ID. d.,
preached Yesterday morning, In Christ Church. at ftn
ave- and Thirty -fthst from these words There was
certain rich man. which clothed In purple ana hno
linen, and Jared sumptuously every day"-(St Luxe
chapter xvi, verse 49,
In every view this parable. said the preacher, or
which these words are part flashes out new Vie"soi
truth The name Of the rich man Is not gwen. Inc
Door mans name is mentioned and will be remembered
for all time Christ did not think 1t OF consequence 10
give the rich mans name. He was simply rich man,
one of the undisn guished mass of rich men, In this
parable Is given the only instance In the whole scrip
lures OF PRAYER to saint. The rich man prayed W
Abraham. This prayer came from lost soui III hei'
and was made in vain, and in this instance cannot DC
sdered as an encouragement to the practice. we
NAV consider from what came the condemnation
of this rich man. Lord came on earth, WIN other
aims, TO denounce and conquer sln anu III
and and sinners. bnt not OF the sinners Of this
world not pubicans. OF harlos OF thieves OF
ers i Is the fashion now TO den0unce JUST sucn slhS
"a thers-open and notorious sins. But the Loru ue
nounced another OF sinners those who strangely
enough accounted saints he spoke against Pe9pe
who were living according to the measure OF their day,
sober, gody, orderly, highly respectable lives. Ing
carefully cleaned outside Of the cup and platter;
they SHINING In cleanliness and every one recos
nzed the fact and gave them the place due TO
milton. The rich man in the parable may nave peeu
Pharsee What was his sim IT,
There is no condemnation expressed OF him as
sensualist or gutQp no hint given that he was cruel
unjust or dishonest The Lord accused MN OF none 81
these things. He was simply rlch man ENJOYING nis
riches OF course lie was not condemned on account oi
bis riches Abraham and other men who were av0re1
OF God, nch Riches are worth gaining are worm
striving other things IN lie ana are press
ing IL rightly used People who are poor ana ao)ecs
poor and abiect they Will be saved Ike Lazarus.
The fault Of this rich mans LIE lay IN tae purple
and fine linen with which he was clothed. ana Id
his faring sumpuously. His life was rotten me-
rotten at the very are thousands -, OF yes N
eye they rotten at the heart lust as the lves OF
often rotten and have been rotten from the
il his business to wall himself In from all pain aud
and t ears and back bis hands from
feeling of the worlds sorrow and suffering We are
himself with purple and fine linen and fare sumptu-
Ously live iii this world only for his own happiness
attempt it fail. Let men be grateful when God
breaks in the walls they have reared around
manIiness as the course OF Such as this rich
1t difference whether the wealth be great or
riches in one age may be small at another. IL Is the
motive and principle which is Of consequence Have we
not aims those of the rich man III the parable DO
desire to keep away all sickness and want from
ourselves TO have tasteful and elegant surroundings 70
thousands TO live the precise life which brought that
down to hell making that the ideal OF their NE on
earth The law of life Is that everything man has and
everything man gains is stewardship THIS has be-
come Commonplace but Is eternal truth his arerS Sc
full power, over which he ID more than steward
like Plato Bacon and Shakespeare had the right to
their mighty intellects, the gift Of God. only for
their own advantage. The man who. with great
powers Of staIesmanshp. guides and country
only to make himself despot over it, Is universally
considered to prove himself traitor to God and man.
But If the greater powers may be used for selfish
ends 80 should not the lesser gifts OF God No man has
the right the energies Of his mind and heart for
himself only to thatch himself from pain and SYM
patty with human trials and sorrows. The desperate
and hOrrd sin Of the rich man In the parable lay IN this
and he mstook himself the world. and God and never
awoke from his till he aw0ke IN the fire which
stung through all the outer covering OF selfshness
forced itself through the purple ana nne linen, ana
pierced him through with the arrow OF Gods wrath
God grant that may strip on here our purple and
fine linen and may remember that everything have
is in a stewardship for which We shall be held to
account.