The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-09-14
RICHES NOT A BAR TO RIGHT
EOCSNEsS.


EOCSNEsS.
by the Proper Use Of Our Money VIC
Nav Add to Our Crown Of Glory.
The following is on extract from a sermon
recently preached ty Rev. +. y. Pressy from
the text: "Make to yourselves friends OF Tor
by means oG the mammon OF unrlghteonS
ness; that, when ye fail, they may receive
you into everlasting habitations Luke 10y:
The phrase "mammon of funrighteousness,
interpreted in the light Of the preceding con-
text, means the world and It's possessions. IL
includes. too, the whole method OF the world
life, of which money-getting Is the centre.
And now the question at once arises, How
should the Christian stand related to II? How
can he obey conscience and God on the one
hand, and serve his business interests on the
othero This Is a vital question that presses
tor an answer, and ofttimes with an insistence
that will take no denial.
There are three ways Of looking al II. Some
regard the whole world as an enemy to the
soul, They interpret those Scriptures which
refer to the love of The world and the love OF
money as meaning that the world and It's NJ
fairs are inimical TO the soul and all its spir'
itunl interests. They regard all business pur-
suits as hostile to religion, and hlnurance 10
all growth in spirituality.
In all ages men have attempted 10 escape
the evils OF the world by separation from IL.
Refuge has been sought in monaSteries and
nunneries and other secluded retreats; pnv-
erty has been made a virtue. and solitude has
been offered as means OF grace But we
need not tell you that the world cannot
be escaped in this way. Monastery walls and
monks coralS and nuns wells furnish no de-
fence against this foe. 1t is in vain that they
try 10 escape the world by iSoating them
battle must be fought in some place, at some
time. There Is no freedom but in victory over
the power of tins enemy. This is the victo-
ry that overcometh the world. even our faith.
Who Is he that overcom eth the world but he
that belitvcth that Jesus is the Snn OF Ged?'
There are Others who ignomlniously Surren-
der to the world. and confess mammon their
master. They bow their necks To his yoke
slaves, without the disposition or power to re-
fuse his most arbitrary demands. And he Is
a hard master, INSCRIPTIONS and mercilesS In
his eXactions. His service involves all that Is
highest, noblest, purest and best IN man. ne
ruthlesSy strangleS and crushes out every
spiritual yearning, and binds down all uprls-
ing aspirtt tons Of the soul with the fetters OF
a coupleter subjugatiOn.
\ third class put the enemy under tribute.
They use this world us not abusing 1t. They
do not attem pit To shun the world, with It's dn-
ties, pleasures, struggles, cares, und templa-
tions; nor do they yield to 1t and thus be.
things OF the world in such way as 10 make
them means TO spiritual ends-helpful allies
in the struggle for 1.-THE true Riches" This Is
surely what the Saviour means by the injunc-
OF the mammon of funrightcousness."
He would have us initiate the wisdom, fore-
sight and prudence OF the unjust steward In
the use OF The unrighteous mammon, that we
may tranSmute II into forms OF enduring
blcssedness, so employ 1t as TO make it bser-
Went 10 the good Of our own souls, both in
this life and the next. 1t Is just here that we
see the true functions OF renewed life. II j.
to exhibit amid all the activities, Strifes and
temptations of life an example Of unselSh-
ness. unSullied purity, spiritual mindcdnesS,
and loyalty TO truth and right.
TO he "dilgent In business" stands beside
the injunction To be "fervent in spirit: one
is not less nor more religious duty than the
other. The two are insrparable in Il well or
dercd Christian life. Much that Is found in
our religious literature encourages the idea
that they are Incompatible. but the mistake
arises from failure To observe certain broad
and obvious distinctions.
We need TO learn that unworldlinesS Is NOT
to be had by mere separation from the world.
its business and pursuits and possessions; nor
by a contcmptuous disregard OF the obliga-
tions and duties which grow out OF our earth
~ relationships. tnworldlinrss Is to be in
the world but not OF IT, to rise above the
world in our aims and purpoSeS-to live apart
from its ioIlies, vani!ics, temptations. sinful
maXimS and practices. Sniniliness Is not
sort of idle rcposc and meditative quictism.
1t is life OF earnest activity in the cause Of
God. Christ selected the yoke as the badge OF
discipleship, and paul's avOrite symbols OF
the Christian life were warfare and Il race.
There is q place and a use for temporal
things In making sure Of the life eternal.
There has always been Il tendency among
men tO run TO opposite extremes OF error. Be
cause ltomaniSn huS given too large place
worldly possessions in the concerns OF the
soul, Professionalism has in turn touched the
other extreme by allowing them no place al
all. We rightly refuse to make money the d.
rect price of our admission to heaven-hut we
may not therefore conclude that II has no
bearing on our eternal veal
nnSSpSSinnS whatever
may and must instrnnentally effect for good
or evil our efforts to lay up treasure in heav-
en-. According as they arc employed. they
become either helps or hindrancCS In spirit
ual development and growth in divine life.
They are trusts, and like all other trusts i'm
pose obligations that reach into eternity.
They enter into character-they become an
inSrperable part OF ourselves.
We would not be understood rs affirming
that these earthly possessions are the direct
course of our being saved or lost: but that
they may and do become importun. factors
in the salvation or destruction OF our souls
as they are wisely used or fUolishy abused.
1t was sin and not wealth that ruined Dives.
Many rich men have walked with God here
below and entered into his rest above. Dives
wealth was an aggravation of his fearful
doom. An abused trust, IL hung uS 81 mill
stone about his neck. 1t might as well, il
wisely used, have been n stepping stone To an
exalted state of bcSSedncSS. ON the other
hand IL was neither the poverty, nor the rags.
nor the sores of Lazarus that saved him.
Gods SOVEREIGN grace did that. HIS poverty
and bodily aillictonS may have been the In
sIruments of shielding him from the tcmpta.
fiouS to which Dives yielded: Of teaching
him his dependence Oh God and IN turning
away his eyes and heart from earth to heav-
ell.
The text recognizes the unrighteOuSncss OF
unmmOn but proceeds at once To cnlnin such
a wise and prudent use of 1t as to transform
IL into an eternal habiation for the soul.
The skilliul seaman can make the hcauwlnu
carry him forward TO the very point from
which il blows So we may transinutc the
uuriuhtcous mammOn into trne riches, and
LAY up treasure in heaven where moth and
rust doth not corrupt, and where lhlcVes 40
not break through nor steal"