New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-19
THE SOUL As THE PRICE OF WEALTH.

SERMON by THE REV. WILLIAM II. BELDEN IN THE
CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Rev. William Ii. Belden, who was on
last Wednesday night engaged stated supply b. the
session OF the Central Presbyterian Church,
I'm West Fifty-seventh-st, preached his hrs'
sermon in the relation yesterday forenoon.
His text was Matthew xvi, 26: What is man prohted
II he shall gain the whole world and lose his sOulf
or what shall give in exchange for his souli"
Mr. Belden said In substance Life has two parts-a
now and hereafter Our daily concerns do not always
keep us IN mind Of this double sphere Of existence but
the Bible does. To lose ones own soul means mere IN
comparably more than dying IN this word, ana more
also even than ccasing altogether to De- III Is cQnhu-
ing to be- but ceasing TO control ohes being IS 70
weld up that glorious privilege OF seIdirccOn, now
Inc chief delight In living; TO continue hVhg IN q
world where the penalty OF Offended Justice follows
doing instantly and invariably. However much IN tho
present life man may have enjoyed me possessions
which sought and gained the new conditions OF hVng
IN that other life may be 50 plainly different ina ne iy
then desire even at the cost OF those oDan
anew his old powers his life gift second uiue
nnxtbng in Gods sight Nor will any man have them IN
that day When the hour shall arrive which reveals aud
determines gain loss of the soul there Will be be-
holding worlds tie Divine Judge ana the naked soul
nothing more Yet there is a prize which God does es
TEEN. The man can command. II lie chooses. thls
instead OF those worthless worldly clements Is hOu
ness; not material any material temporal gain, but
character thing 10 be hai 10y choce ana eHof IN tns
world good winch is not external TO the soul but the
souls own Development ana consequently as durable
- Tnf snnpose the ultimate result OF mans devotion 70
the getting o this worlds goods To be the loss OF MIS- NJ
tire happiness what present happiness does he secures
would The gaming of the whole world relieve It's Tor
inmate possessur labor the rht and lowest distress
OF man and the most Xpeci thus 70 shunf NO.
he who wins his his wealth Or his power must
'shun delights and live labonous days.
"Aud the inexorabo law OF habit Will, when the ooecs
OF his ambition gained still drive him TO familiar tOu,
crown earer even than its rewards and necessary as
M first 90 s preservation. The lot OF the pOssesSOr or
the whole would moreover contain peculiar la'
convenience OF labor even when seeming 10 be the
rthest removed from II. TO familiar words, IS
harder work live without the ordinary necessities OF
work than 10 toll day by day through lie Ennul 10
more distressing than any occupations killing time Is
more laboriOis than using IL Alright. Besides 10 say
thar one has possessions ia only say that he Is an aA
ions man. The most bowed forms that we pass are
those of the most famous and II 10 proyerO that me
lll Grain bends under it, weight while the empty
only stands upright Even power cannot chase away
anxiety In the late miserable end OF Alexander III
what source OF power has not been cut OH ron
other living prlnces Power over man 10 an uncertain
force the mind recognizes its unct ranty ana refuses
TO rest Neither the power OF the world 10 save
from grief or 10 ward of disease. Wealth eanuOt liue
cannot power cannot. God has not made the worn
with All KS mseres. with its death, 20 be sought anu
used for its own sake. Ont that this world Il not
home but "A school; not All end but means MOI nEnEs
but learning live Labor is not curse ana the Vao
aud grief and disease which are found III lts coure 49,
Gods Instructors. seat 10 turn Us ouV VI "i0ne No..
IL Il INTO right ones"