St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-04-13
Mr.. Moody on Covetousness.

Mr.. Moody on Covetousness.
At the Tabernacle, March %, Mr..
Moody preached sermon on covetous-
ness-taking his text from the parable
in the 18th chapter of Luke, where the
rich man thought he had much goods
laid up for many years; but God told
him, '"ThOu fool, this night thy soul
shall be required of thee" We extract
from the sermon
| want to call your attention to this
parable. A good deal has been said,
night after night, about different kinds
of sin. Hardly night but something
has been said about drunkenness, and
find Il great many people have got an
idea that that is about the only sin
there is at the present time. There are
Il great many men that are looking down
upon the poor unfortunate drunkard in
Il cold, sometimes cOntemptuOus man
ner. ''They are to be pitied, poor
wretches." But there is five times as
much said about cOvetOuSness in the
Bible, and it is condemned five times
Oftener than drunkenness. We find the
Saviour III this parable is talking to his
friends about cOvetOusness, and then he
goes on and draws this picture, which
was scene that might have occurred
in any country at the present time. 1t
is occurring all around us every day.
This man was not a drunkard and he
was not hypOcrite, or at least if he
was, we are not told that he had any
sin of that kind; and he was a man
that Il great many mothers now would
hold up to their sons as model man.
He was what the world would call to-
day successful man. There was not
anything unlawful about his business.
He did not make his money by shaving
notes OF taking advantage to get large
usury, at least, he is not condemned in
Scripture for that. He did not make
his money by gambling-ther is moth
ing said about his gambling or betting,
or getting up a Black Friday and a cor
ner in gold. 1t does not say that he
made it out of railroads by watering the
stock. 1t does not say that he COM
promised with his creditors at 50 cents
on the dollar when he could pay 100,
and so got rich. 1t does not say he
made his money selling rum, or by rent
ing his property for saloons OF for some
house of prostitution. There is no
charge of that kind brought against him.
There is nothing in Scripture said
against this man, except that he was
cOvetOus. He was farmer, and GER
tainly there could be no more honorable
business than that. This man was what
the world calls wise: his neighbors
probably regarded him as long headed
discreet and respectable. If you had
him now in Massachusetts you would
send him to the Legislature, perhaps he
would be in the Senate tonight; or
perhaps you would make him Governor
or Lieutenant Governor, or he might be
up higher in Congress. He is man
every one spoke well of, what you
would call to-day popular man, a sue
cessful man.
But bear in mind God does not see as
you and | see. The thing we call sue
cessful is often the thing God condemns
This very man that the world applaud
ed and so many tried to initiate, and
called successful man, is the very man
that Christ called fool "Thou fool,
thee" What did he gain He got
wealth, but he got leanness of soul. He
owned his farm, probably there was no
mortgage on it, and the neighbors
thought he was getting on very well.
He says to himself, | will tear down nv
barn, and will build larger He prob
ably bought up the farms all around
him. His cOvetous eye rested on all
the beautiful land in that part of the
country before he owned it. Now he
says, | will tear down my barn, and /
will build larger and store away all nv
fruits and my goods, and then | will say
to my soul, Now soul you have many
goods laid up for many days, take thine
ease, eat, drink and be merry.
This man belonged to the regular
church. He went to the synagogue ev-
cry Sunday, and perhaps had the best
pew in it. | have no doubt he had
form of religion, most of these men do
now. Generally they go into church
where there is not much said about the
gospel, because that would trouble their
cOnscieDces. They generally get into
some church where Christ and the Cos
pei is not preached very often, and in
most cities they can find some such hid
ing place. "Of course am religious,
| go to church every Sunday morning
regularly" "Well, suppose you come
round and hear this preacher, John the
Baptlst-wOnt You come and hear him ?n
"No, | don't believe in innovations, |
believe in going to hear the regularly
appointed priests; l always go through
the regular form and am not going to
hear this rowing preacher. Who ordain-
ed him ? Then | am told he dresses like
wild man and when he is done preach
ing he goes into the wilderness and
spends nights there. If l want to hear
any preaching | will hear the regular
preachers"
Talk to him about these meetings,
and he would say, 81 am business man
and business must be attended to; the
Scripture says, "Be not slothful in bus
mess" They stop there. They do not
finish the verse. A man came to Chi
cago few years ago and preached on
that text and stopped right there. The
old pastor thought he was going to take
the last part, too, and go for the people.
When the man got out of the pulpit,
the old minister said, ''Why in the
world did You stop there ?" Don't you
know they came here to make money ??
Why didn't you put in, "Be fervent in
spirit, serving the Lord p;
Though Christ might have preached
within five miles of this mans farm. he
did not have time, business was very
pressing, and he could not go to any of
those irraOUlar meetings Rut looIr o+