The record-union., 1892-12-05
" TOO PROSPEROUS" :"
Things That Drag Men Down and Run
Their Lives to Waste.
Rev. ". :. Hosl1inson's Warming to the
Younger People 10 Avoid the
Pitfalls of Life.

English Lutheran Church on Sixteenth
street, is giving a series of interesting dis
courses, and has announced his subjects
for a couple of weeks yet to come. Next
Sunday evening his topic viii be, Lack
ing in Heart-Failure," and on the Sun
day evening following, "How to Sue
ceed." Last evening he spoke on TOO
Prosperous" using as his text, He was
marvelously helped till he was strong.
But when he was strong, his heart was
lifted up to his destruction. ."-2 Chron.
XVI, 10.
This, remarked the speaker, was said
of very prosperous young man. NO
man of his day was so prosperous, but
this very prosperity tilted the scales, and
down he plunged into shame and forget
fulness. You hardly ever heard OF him
even you who have read your Bibles
most. David and Moses you know, and
Gideon and Joshua and Joseph and Dan
iel you know. You remember things
about these meu. Incidents about their
lives come up as soon as their names are
mentioned. But who was Uzzlah, the
person referred to in the text? You
don't know an incident IN this man )
life. Let me tell you tonight that he
was one of the greatest kings Of Judah,
and reigned longer than any other king;
and the fame Of no king, save Sol
omon, reached farther than that OF z
Ziah. He was wonderfully successful.
The story OF Huntington and Stanford,
rising from comparative poverty to be-
come princes of fortune, is not more ro-
mantle than that of King | zZiah OF judah.
AT II years of age he became King. And
he had not ancestral greatness to build on,
either, for his father was worthless
King and the people rose against him and
killed him. \ mere boy we ma thls
Uzziah on the throne of Judah. Favored
by fortune. step by step he arose, till he
reached the very pinnacle OF success;
and then in one fatal hour, giddy with
the nights on which he stood, topping
over he fell into ruin and ignomluy. 1t
was living illustration of the prOVerb,
pride gOeth before destruction, and a
naughty spirit before fall" Too much
honor, too much money, TOO prosperous.
But, you say, the story of this man S
life cannot find any application here. No
one in this audience can repeat the
records OF this life. There can be no sec
ond | zZiah from the number OT those
here present; no young man can reach
the nights which he reached; no one can
be spoiled and ruined by the prosperity
that spoiled and ruined him. prosperity
is a thing of degrees. One boy, not
worth a million, not worth thousand,
may be spoiled, may DC ruined by pros
peritv. one man may hardly nave q
name to live, in honor or lame, beyond
the circle of home, and yet may be
ruined by prosperity as thoroughly as
I zziah, King of Judah. The same causes
that secured to him safety in prosperity
will bring safety III prosperity TO any
young man. The same causes that
brought danger with prosperity to him
will bring danger with prosperity TO any
young man. 1t is against these dangers
that we wish to warn you.
We do not wish to discourage in you
the desire for prosperity, wealth and
honor. This is a worthy desire. No
where does the Bible discourage the
legitimate getting of wealth. We love to
see frugality, industry, integrity, skill,
rewarded with wealth. 1t looks like
God wanted some people TO be rich, and
we are glad of it. A man of wealth may
be wonderfully useful. The community
and the world owe very much 10 a noble
minded rich man, but where can there
be a greater curse to any community
than wealthy men who are mlsers.
wasters and tyrants? We like to go
down our streets or into the country and
see men driving good trade. 1t is good
for society, and there is healthy dlSci-
pline in it, if a man will allow it to build
on the noble side of his nature.
Young people, we would have you de-
sire wealth; but remember whence it
comes, and what forces and issues it in
wolves. 1t is fine thing to be rich, pro-
vided men do not bow to and bury
themselves in their riches. No material
thing can have higher use in Gods mind
than riches. 1t is not shadow, but a
reality; it is an instrument of untold
good; it brings refinement, civilization,
education; it may contribute to virtue,
morality, home happiness, religion.
When the motive is pure, it is a
proper desire to be rich. But see,
as an end merely to be rich only for the
sake of being rich is fatal delusion; as
a means to the attainment of better and
nobler things it is proper desire.
But this is peculiar work this business
of getting riches. 1t is perilous, and only
the strong man can engage in it very
long without danger. Uzziah was not
strong enough. The evil is not in the
money sought, but in the person seeking
it. This greed for riches among men and
women in all grades of society is one of
the greatest perils young people have to
meet. Thousands have gone down be-
fore it, and still it goes on imperiling
many more. The age is material. Never
did money represent SO much as it does
to-day, and money mas too often become
the master instead of the servant. "And
so before the millions OF our young peo-
pie shines star unworthy to guide the
spirit, yellow star, lurid as Mars,
sickly as the Dog star in August.
IF only a few men in generation
were struggling for gold the world could
bear the strain; but when the public
philosophy is material, and all the sweet
infants are born into the passion for
money as they are born into liberty and
language, the outlook seems draped with
Clouds"
In the coming time, when the history
of the nlnetpentl cputurV ia Vrittar, II
will be put down as the chief character
istic that it was money-loving age-an
era when fortunes were rapidly made and
rapidly lost. Then, methinks. there NAV
be very long chapter, with a black mar
gin around 1t, and on one side the picture
of fine residence with splendid span
of horses waiting at the front door and
on the other side of this residence is seen
the auctiOneer on the steps disposing OF
the rosewood furniture, the line plates
and ornaments to the highest bidder, and
the following pages will then relate 1.-THE
ways that were dark and tricks that were
vain' in the business world-gettinr
goods on false pretenses, options y
''watered stocks" corners" inVestiga-
tions. trials and all the long run of scan
dals and rascalities that come in the wake
OF the love of money.
Young men and young women are i'm
periled, influenced by the bewitching
sorcery, the intense fever for getting
money. There is deception here. voupg
people look out for it. Christ told Of the
temptation.
listen: The care of this world and
tho ueceitfJI<ness OF riches choke the
word" cold has its enchantment 1t
had FOR Uzziah; it will have Tor YOU.
Seek wealth. but do not give yourself up
to II as an end to life, else it viii destroy
YOU as il destroyed UZZiah. III you are
in moral ~ and s~r4,.,