Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-11-29
Tne Evils Of Wealth.

When Samuel johnson, the literary
autocrat of London In the last century,
had been shown over a handsome man
sion, he remarked, "All this excludes
only one evil-poverty." Trouble, sor.
row. afaiction. death. are not kept off by
wealth. But DR.. JOhns0n's remark con.
tained only half the truth. Wealth
brings also troubles from which the Door
are free.
1t has Its own annOyancee ard incOn.
veniences which are not seen In the ca.
ger pursuit. The contemplation Of these
may nourish c0ntentment In those who
are not wealthy.
Wealth means care. Riches have
watched. This care takes time and
thought which might be better used on
other subjects. 1t grows as wealth in.
creases 1t Is apt to encroach upon the
Sabbath and invade the sanctuary. It
interferes with the social and intellec-
tual pleasures which might other wise
be enjoyed.
The necessary care Of wealth produces
anxiety. The wealth is necessarily dis
tributed 1t cannot be boarded in one
place. II hidden in the earth It is use-
less to its owner. In order 10 be useful,
it has to be entrusted to others. The
greater the wealth the more pes0ns have
to be trusted. The rich man has no DO
sitive assurance Of the capacity and the
fidelity of his agents and his debtors.
They may not be able to take care of his
pro erty, or they may divert it to their
own uses and possession. Through their
negligence, or their dishonesty, the
property may be lost. Fire may burn
houses and storms may wreck ships -
vY1S q mr. mi I, ScII
There are ten thousand ways In which
property may be lost Thus, in addition
to the labor imposed upon the wealthy
man. he is subject TO perpetual anxiety,
uDrest and apprehension.
Wealth Is barrier TO free social inter.
cOurse-nOt on the part of the rich man,
but on the part OF those who are not
wealthy. Those who are not rich are
not apt to be eunreservedly friendly with
the rich. 1t may be their fault. They
ought not to let wealth stand between
them and q friend, but they do The bar
rier exists, and the rich man cannot re-
move it The greater the wealth, the
more difficult is the barrier to be passed.
Some who would be at their ease with
the owner of q hundred Thousand dollars
will be reserved with q millionaire.
This is another evil incident to great
wealth-the loss of friends.
Wealth is peril % the sons and to
the daughters Of the wealthy. The
school Of application and industry is the
best school for both boys and girls and
wealth removes the incentive to indus
wealthy man feel that It is unnecessary
for them to make their own way In life,
and they are tempted nei her to study
nor work a. diligently as others The
heads of the young men o. wealth In
England (where fortunes are larger and
better secured than in any other coun-
try are the emptiest places to be found
ON earth. And the evil influence of
wealth on the young Is positive as well
as D. nsgative- The possession of money
leads the sons into dissipation and the
daughters into frivolity.
Blu. the greatest danger of wealth re-
mains to be t,Iid. It IL foe to religion.
The rich mans riches are his strong
tower, just as the destruction of the Door
is their property It Is easy and natural
for the wealthy to trust to their riches.
| But Ch rist says: "How hard 1t is for
them that trust In riches to enter into
the kingdom of God 1t is easier for q
camel to 90 through the eye of q needle
than for rich man to enter into the
kingdom of God"
The rich need as much preaching as
the poor, and they get far less. The ap.
plicatiOn of this article to them Is so
plain that it IL not necessary formally
to apply it. Let them THANK God for
the good things of this life which they
have received. But do not let them
pride or value themselves upon the pos
session of wealth. Let them not trust
IN their riches, but in their God Let
them remember that they are stewards
of God-keepers of their property for
the time being-not its absolute owners.