The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-12-13

blameworthy. The Bible nowhere con-
demns it. Indeed, in the Old Testament
we read that riches, consisting of corn
fields, vineyards and olive yards were
promised those who walked in the paths
OF truth and pTobity The New Testa-
ment also, though very emphatic on the
dangers of wealth, says not word
against its acquisition by proper means,
or its possession, if rightly used.
The love o money is pronounced the
rooto all evil, - or, perhaps more strictly
rendered, the root OF all kinds of evil.
This is a sordid thirst Of gain as a pos,
session merely, and not as a power to be
used for the glory of God and the good
Of men. 1t increases with the increase
of wealth, crying More, more" ike
the horse-leech and the grave. "This
disposition" says another, becomes
first kind o. intemperance, and then
like intemPerance, it becomes a disease,
and finally a species of insanity" It's
first manifestation IS tenacity to hold
money; its second Is 10 use it for no
other purpose than to increase it; its last
/ Is to regard it only as capital 10 be in
vested for tie sake of its interest, and to
regard the interest "a intended only to
/ re turned agrin into capital.
+ This disposition grows insensibly upon
person. Fer years, If not Tor a life
time, ne has not the slightest suspicion
/ that he comes under the tremendous
middleton Of Paul in the sixth chapter
of his First Epistle to Timothy. When
he discovers that some OF his unchari-
!, table neigbbors are classifying him with
Pine lovers of money, he deludes himself
I by saying: They sre ignorant of my
plans When I have amassed a large
/ fortune, I mean to endow colleges, erect
orphan asylums, support hospitals and
I pour streams Of gold into the treasury OF
the Church" Under such delusion,
even good men rob Goi for years and
iDjure their own souls.
This disposition not only grows insen-
I sibly, but eats up all the vitality of the
soul. 1t c0ols its warm currents and
/ kills its nOblest sensibilities. 1t renders
it suspicious of the value or success of
any measure or undertaking that has not
Tor It's end the coming of money. It
casts around it an encrustation of earth
I that keeps it aloof from all the benign
and softeniDg influences of society. It
sips its wings and keeps it tied down to
the dust Of earth. 1t leaves nothing for
it to enjoy with its wealth when it has
acquired it. It has consumed everything
I else.
The love of money plunges a man into
moral evils of the most destructive kind.
According to the teaching of the Apostle
it exposes him to temptation. 1t tends
20 make him untruthful.
The love of money exposes a man also
to dishonesty. If he is a merchant, he
is tempted to give short weights and
measures, to adulterate his goods, or to
make false entries when he gives credit,
justifying it on the ground OF small
profits in consequence of competition.
If he is a banker or broker, he is tempted
to take advantage of the crippled condi-
ton of the borrower. or to press too
hard the man whom he knows to be in
his power. II be is q real estate owner,
he is tempted to extort the last cent from
the poor tenant and to Cypress even the
widow and the orphan. If he is the
manager of other mems estates, he is
tempted to run up long list of expenses
that are purely imaginary, for the sake
of filing his Golfers.
The man who exposes himself TO
temptation is almost sure to fall into
snare. Before he knows it, he finds his
foot fast in its snare. An opportunity
of realizing large sum of money opens
before him. There is the temptation.
Having no money of his own to secure
the coveted prize, he uses the means of
others lying idle in his hands, or in the
vault to which he has access, without
their knowledge or consent, in the hope
of replacing it after securing handsome
sum for himself. Here is the snare. He |
soon finds that his calculations were
faulty and that ruin stares him in the |
face. Though he is not as sure of sue
cess the second time, yet necessity is
laid upon him to throw for the saving |
prize. He resorts to more desperate
measures, as false entries, perjury and
the like. But he only gets more and
more entangled, until he finds himself |
beating his once generous breast against
the sides of an iron cage.
When fairly caught in the smear and
10 extricate himself, he is liable
to fall into many foolish and hurtful
lusts." Whilst he has possession of mo
ney he often INDUCES IN extravaganza
in costly dwelling, expensive furniture,
feasts, elegant equipages
munifcent presents and prineely dis
plays. He easily glides from these fool,
ism to hurttul lusts. As his condition
grows desperate and dangerous, he resorts
to the intoxicating cup to strengthen his
nerves and brace him for the struggle
He is led, by an awful secret he dust not
livulga to his wife, to the company of
he dissipated and reckless, and with
hem gees down to the gates of He'll