The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-06-26
GOLD AND GOODNESS
President B. BENZ. Andrews Delivered
the BaCcaIaureale Address
At THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH,
Rev. DE. II. Winchester Donald the
Rector OF Trinity Church, Doston'
Addressed the Various Religions So
cicties OF Brown Last Evening.


and large congregation at 4 o'clock
yesterday afternoon. taking for mis- sub
ject "Gold and Godliness." the text being
Matthew 25-27. ''Than ouGhtest there
fore to have put my money to the bankers.
and at my coming should have received
mine own with interest" He said:
The primary thought or this para BILE is,
of course, a spiritual and moral one.
The great teacher wis hes to reproove the
Jewish people. They have been blessed
with extraordinary spiritual privi-
leges and have not used them so as
TO increase them, or with them to
benefit the world. They therefore stan d
condemned. We have right to infer
from Christ's way OF framing our para
BILE that he approves as morally just the
habit OF receiving interest on loaned
funds. That Christ, therefore, had a
reasonable view in this matter Is another
striking proof how marvellous was bis
fo-e-knowledge of economic and social
life as destined TO unfold by-and-by,
showing him TO be a moral teacher, not
for his own aye alone but Tor every age.
We lhus see that the great teacner an
ticipates certain discussions OF our own
time There is hard y n matter of human
thought or practice wha ever, about
which SO many mistakes, RADICAL, tena-
cious, and harmful, have beel enter
wish in this discourse. To speak, first,
of those errors concerning wrath which
are entertained mostly by people who
possess either 90 wrath At AL, or very
little or II. When we COZ ider the fer
wish rush and strug lie for lucre going Oh
all about us todly, 1t IS surprising To
md among the chief errors II people
who are not wealthy, tne nation, verJ
prevalent la earlier times, that wealth is
unnecessary, that the world could get In
just as well without IL, anu perhaps even
better. Yet all will RECOGNIZES that with
out a large supply OF wealth the Very ex-
istence or the human race IN its present
extent would be impossible. Wealth may
DC put TO wrong uses any blessing OF
God can be misused and turned into
curses, but this fact does not at ali vitiate
their intrinsic ex.ellsnce, and It does 20
no u: ore in the case vi weaisn. wealth is
absolutely indispensable to any Sort OF
life among huniaa beings that shall he
worthy TO be lived.
Again. we sometimes hear people al.
miting that wealth is necessary, while
at the same time, they declare it o he u
necessary evil IL seems to me no Detver
than blaspbemy 20 cali anything that is
triDsically an evil. Massed wealth has
lis accompanis Mt Of evil and dancer. 1t
is among the most priceless OF blessings
which God has sent US.
A great many peopie abuse themselves
with another viscious notion. to the effect
that the wealth OF the world or Of ahy
communityis Is fixed. limited sum. Have
you not seen people ol 20 teIder con-
science that 4. tney cEancei to nnd
themselves getting little ahead hnau-
clally, they would literally be- in Distress
for lear that their gain would invo.ve loss
TO otherss
have; not many, but here aud there
= god saint.
Now that Is a very honorable scruple.
but for an honest man needless aud
foolish because. In the ho est doing OF
business 1t Is not true tat wholly ials
that one mans blessing need BE- auotber's
loss. Every day. In the market you may
convinco yoursel. that the tendency O
natural trade is TO tnrlch ali the parties
TO L.. There Is point aud truth 10 H.
when We sp .ak OF making" money and
property. Wealth, in whosoever hands
It may be is humanny's unacnin r.,
wherewith t. get its iivlnz. Money viii
place it Is great good; so tnat, IL it
comes 10 you as fruit of hores,
toll, thank God for IL without reserve.
Gou has blessed all the rest OF Us in
blessing you.
A Iursher haIluclnations ON the subj ct
Is the idea that wealth Is not only not
an evil but almost tho absolu1. good.
wealthy. Friends. God Is not arbitrary
or psrtlcal In the placing OF his gifts, but
wise. just and loving. That iJ Is we'll
win tue reg ligious AMI i'll with tlewickei
Is law OF tremendous sweep. Men
settle their own fortunes mailly by their
volitions, tleir character, their con-
quot. Poverty and nunAer are not
Pheasant, but tell you, the man VINO
- totally lgnoranJ y: .hem has defec-
tive educati on. SO o. sickness aud dis
appointment, and dainty ot every kind:
he who rs never borne sucd thin IS is
on tho whole not To be congratulate /,
but verify To be pitieu. DO not conclude
from tLis mat IL Is OF no use to try To
cha.ge your estate and seC on in Lille.
The right lesson IS that nV mere change
In your external estate Will enable you
20 le. enc whit moro actual good ouG o.
life.
Stil another set of human beiugs
will concur in nearly ali that has
been said. but they are continu-
ally affirming that mass ), wealth in
private hands is Of necessity calamity
aud "a curse. They canno. loJk upol a
very rich man as good man. II seems
To me that man displays little III
telligeDce in making such All assertion as
that. 1 frankly ayow my belief, D.
ut least my nope, that the trend
oil things Is in the uIrs ction OF such reia-
tive equality In temporal fortunes that
many OF the immense and needtul under
taklngs, for which we nave now to rely
on millionaires, will be assumed by the
state. Let all Christians ever pray
and work for this timel But IL il
certain that no such ideal state
of things is possible without
pretty radical reorganization OF human
society. Meantime, IL Is inevitable aud
Indispensable that great fortunes should
exist. We will hasten forward TO "A bel-
ter day In the distribution OF wealth,
just fast AS evolution will carry u,
but meantime, let US admit the advan.
tages. along with the disadvantages, II
you please. OF these mountains of wealth
In private hands Without them comfort
and civllz ttion would be far less COM
plete aud widely diifuss than they are.
l mention still ono IN re source
Of confusion on this important mat
ter. We hear remarks .to tue effect
that wrath il a good, but that H. is only
good to do good with. people meaning by
this simply that IL Is good to give ava,
In bonevoience. Those who so speak
ignore the fact which, according to tn.
text. our Lord Jesus recognizes that to
Invest money and cause it TO prouuce
~ income In the way OF business Is not
only legitimate use OF Il. but very
valuable use OF IT,, helpful 10 the poor as
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