Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-16
GAIN.
Now York Journal OF Commerce.l

tio,,s and IN our day the divergence Of
views seems to be as great as ever. With
many people all questions OF gain are re-
ferred to the ledger and large balance
on the right side Of the proht-and-loss"
account is the only satisfactory answer.
In olJen times this balance was represented
bv a storehOuse full Of articles subject TO
attacks from the moth and rust and The ma
raudlng thief. There were no banks, no
stock investments, andr estate was not
fayorite purchase. Gold ana SILVER could
be Gathered and laid away, but there were
no safe-depOsit vaults, and the slltterlng
metals were held by very insecure
tenure. Rich garments were oiten ac-
ouired and formed q largo part OF estl-
mated wealth, but these were subject TO
other depredations beside the "gnawlng
tooth of Time" With all forms OF visible
cain in material things the one element OK
uncertainty was true and passed into
proverb that was old three thousand years
ago: "Riches certainly make themselves
wlngs-they fly away" ,...,.
I'm our day mon seem to have little
STRONGER GRIP on their acquired posses
sions, but this l. more apparent than real.
1t IS nearly az difficult TO hoard securely
now as IL was when the treasure consisted
of movable and decaying materials; But
suppose this was not the case and all that
a man gathered in a long life he could
keep intact until it's close would oil TINS
store be so much gainy If held IN the
hand unused what good Goes ~ 40
to the possessor? Nearly 1900 years ago
the Great Teacher called attention to the
fact that ono might gain the whole world
without any actual profit 10 himself. And
there is story told OF one whose store
houses we're filed to overhowlng with
goods and chattels enough TO supply every
possible need of long life, but theY were
no gain TO him, as the very night ne com,
pleted his inventory his hands, relaxed
their grasp on bis possessions, ana ne W1 W.
called away. Can that be gain to which
the hands must relinQush all clam when
thew are folded across the silent breasts
There is a form of acquisition that IS
much more secure than mere outward pos
sessions. The intellect may be cultured,
and this il free from many OF the fpouers
that assail visible wealth. Ihe poet gave
ms the reason why tho man OF culture was
so little courted that wisdom none can
borrow. none can lend" But Is the storage
Of knowledge in the brain certain galnI
Does not tho question OF proht de-
mend ON the use that IL made or
lie acouisitiOnI Tho man represented
as the largest holder of such wealth
the world has ever known, and who
could say without dispute, have gotten
more wisdom than all they that have been
before me.n testified as his bitter expert
ence. In much wisdom = mucn grlef, ana
he that increaseth knowledge lncreaseth
sorrow TO him the intellectual attain
ment was no gain, but. "a he solemnly de-
clares. only vanity and yexation OF spirit "
If this il the witness OF one VINO reached
the pinnacle then surely those olthelower
slopes can furnish no better answer.
There are many who affect 10 desplse
mere riches aud who give little time 70 the
culture OF the intellect but who are greedy
for personal renoWn. Fame Is their 1901
some seek 1t at the lannon's mou5h'
Others aim at place and power that they
NAV thus be exalted over their fellows, and
| n still larger number by thousand other
devices too numerous to mention ann ~
the same coveted goal. IL is the most dlii-
! cult of all pursuits. Those who chase after
| n lofty reputation, like the seeker tor hap
| piness. seldom, if ever, oyertake the oDlect
! Of their search. II is bubble OF ar ND
| den in a thin tissue of alluring coloIs that
/ long eyades the outstretehed manu- luu
! even if grasped yanisheS before the eyes
/ like the fading image of dream. 1t can
| not be reckoned as q substantial gam.
| If We asked the preacher this stirring
| question he would quoteto Us perhaps the
| words of an old writer OF much repute;
Goodness with contentment IS, great
/ cainn: but to many these would be I'M
| meaning wordA How can the restless
| heart. warming evermore for something
! +bot eludes the search be contentY Is still
! the ouestion Of the hour. And what IS
| "godlinessn that is here defined as such
| vast acouirement2 There il no God"
saws the skeptic. It's true thatthe author
of the saving was long ago quoted as
! "foOln who found this trite remark IN his
| empty heart, but not a few who PRIDE
themselves on their intellect III our day
! echo the phrase from their bps or Illustrate
il in their life. II there is God IL II posi-
be for man TO be like Him? Laying aside
all the cant of the schools, what IS II that
man NAV attain that will give him this re-
| semblance!
Ne are satisfied that here is the secret Of
true gain If the searcher may discover II.
| This likeness is something that cannot DO
| stolen, and will not be subject to decay.
Ii is not in the eyes 10 fade when the white
lids are brought over them as the last
| hiding curtain. 1t Is not IN words only 70
be lost in perpetual silence when the lips
are forever closed. IL IS not within the
| CRASH OF the hand TO be relInquished when
these are folded for the final sleep. 10
goes not with the mourning procession
when the body is laid away TO moulder into
dust This likeness 10 the Deity IS as
deathless as the original Of the image. IL
has no hiding west like the setting sun. IL
will never grow pale as tho stars that burn
out their fuel in the lapse OF ages. 10 VIII
glow with an eyer-increasing light as the
cycles come and 30 forever more.
And 10 is prize for the humblest and
poorest of the race, as well as for those in
ioftier station. IL is faint outline of the
image as II first appears, and II deepens,
line after line, as 1t grows into the chaIac-
ter and Il Incorporated INTO the very tex
ture Of the being. The one who Is the sub
iect of this process may not be clothed
in fine garments. 1t may be poor
laborer digging in the field or a
humble mechanic toiling at his bench.
1t may be O lowly housewife spending the
most Of her days in the kitchen or wearing
herself out IN the care and training OF a
troop Of children. IL may be tho child,
young in years, but growing. into salnth-
ness with each passing month. The man
of might, who bears the likeness and is set
up in high station. reaching out his strong
hand to the aid of others, will be better
known to the world. but there are many in
the humber walks of life who have the
image in deeper lines than he. and moro
resemble in temper and spirit the great
Original.
Ii is unselfsh living that is the begin
ming and end of this great transformation
of human character. All sin Is mere sell
fshness. and thoroughly unselfsh life Is
perfection here, but those who purpose and
aim and struggle for it will reach it at the
last, and when the likeness is perfected
will be called to the Fathers house with
those of the family already there Any one
who tries to work this change in him
self will find it a task too great for
his unaided strength. and viii need
no divine revelation 20 assure him that
he must have the help of one stronger
than himself. Man can be lifted out OF
tho depths of his low estate and made to
resemble the Infinite only by the grasp OF
On unseen Hand. But this help Is offered
to every one. and this is the sum and sub
stance Of all that is worth having in life,
and of all that is worth hoping for in the
life to come. 1t is the gain OF eternal
riches in likeness to the Great Father.
Indiana's Democratic Piuraisttes.
(By telegraph to tho Dispatch.l