The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-06-26

concsp: ions held by the rich themselves
in relation to wealth. The immense and
fatal error that Is common among
we ,ithy people themselves is othat their
right to IL Is absolute. against God anu
public interests, as against individual
men. Thev are thus led to waste vast
amounts of 1t In Idle luxury and TO ignore
the demands Of legitimate aud proper
charity.
Mark you, speak of idle luxury. for
there is doubtless luxury tnat Is not idle.
Much wealth invested Is needless,
to say nothi g ir positively harmful
things Is lost TO society. Tnls Is
not condemning luxury but only
proiitless and damas ing luxury. IL Is
because Of the immense waste OF wealth
that wealthy people have SO little ~ IL
10 give Tor charitable purposes; TO beoe-
fit the po r; SO little TO buiid churches;
10 support missions; to endow institu-
ticns Of good learning, and for other
such interests. Money Invested in busl-
ness ought not, AS a rule, to be tak,n Tor
these purposes. IL Is uoing good work
where 1t is. IL is mainly the money ex-
pended in vain luxury that ought Do be
saved and applied in charitable directions.
Let Us then remember that on the one
hand that wealth Is absolutely neces-
sary To the life OF mankind,
as an evil but as good.
although evils continually tend TO attach
10 it, Let us remember, however, on the
other hand that IL ~ not an absolute
good, but only relative good, Intended
TO contribute to in, erests Of all sorts
that are higher aud more spiritual than
the mere possession OF wealGh eau be.
Think tor moment " hat would come
10 pass, il people. especially wealthy peo-
lle, Understood the true nature of wealti
ana acted acc Jrdingly. 1 am impressed
that very many nne results woulo ensue.
F,rst, the wealth. amassed by human
beings would be earned, AID not merely
gotten. All people then wealthy could
ne looked upon as properly wealthy
N hereas now 1t is beS ond question thai
maay OF the very rich have detained coh-
dr.erab!e pars oi wnat ,hey legally own
by indefensible process, from gambling,
from railroad wreckins, from forum.
sub-eorporaIi, ns ~ secure all the profits
oil main corporotions under the forms OF
law, or frol the creation OF artificial
fluctuations In prices, meLnods Jnat ars
40 more 10 be deieL ded morally tuau
is the act of hIm VINO deity pleas your
pocket or bravely tarotties you upon The
rad.
Another result would be that the
crater part or povsrJy would dissap-
pear; with IL would 20 all or nearly
al. begging from door TO door.
anu upon the street thers would still
further nish that which is almost as
nagging importantly for gifts 20 which
the wealthy are subjected. no. aloae by
poor persons bat by the representatives. o.
the various cnarity Interests ana organ
,Zations. The necessity OF such lmpor-
iuuity marks a certain imperfection l.
our social and ecoiomic conditions to-
day whic 4 cannot al ways continue.
A thlrd spleldld advantage would be
the healng OF must labor troubles. Let
IL bscomesclear thai every case OF wea th
Is a case Uf nonest wealth.: let vanity
oslentation. and seiiishness or dissacia ed
from the employment or wealth and the
poor.will be very Few who will envy or
curse the rlc D..
Once more, proper under standing
of The subject would accrue 10 the be-
ler,nent VI characters Of veal he
d. ople themselves. When anyone has
am assed great wealth however hon
silly, fearful pr ssurs is at presen.
brought to bear upon the man to reyar.l
IL too ruuCn Hs an enI. He overworks
himself; he takes colossal risks. ne IRE 5:
ne passes sieep.ess nights. lie forgets
his obligations TO ia nlly, society aud
God. lie reads naught but market
reports. Think he does not; he ouly
eckons, Such Ele i, no rational lie,
and. its general prevalence throuyi
generations canuOt bu. make us more A
rale OF Babbage calculators than OF
moral beings.
Gentlemen OF the graduating class:
Hear the conclusion Of the whole mat er
1t is that We are TO use the world ~ "A Jt
abusing 1t, and SO rs not TO let it abuse
US. Really, VIII q snall IL profit a man If
he gain tbs whole world anu lose his
sJulI Wealth Is a means and not an
eud. Happy Is the man VINO. owni *
houses and lands, mills and railways,
stocks aud bouds, IL yet bigger than al.
tbese, usir < them, and forbidding them
to use him, remembering his God, his
church. ms country. his kind, auu 50 ut-
z.ng the opportunities OF earsh TO lay
up treasure IN heaven.
But equally to be commended 1, the
poor mau who Is not overcome by the
world, who does not envy the ricn, or
waste b s existence in struggling to aps
hem, or rave 1T God and Society becauss
his lot is what It Is. or shut his mind To
that blessedness which Is higher tina
what Man non eau Destow. never
chlde the laboring Cla sses Tor their unres
Much OF IT Is from God 1t Ia the glory
and hope of our age that the common
man Is at last astir, aud vocal, and must
be heedel. Nor are men to blame for
wanting more Of the worlds valuables.
The appetite TOR gam Is In selI no part
# our depravity, ami the time is coming
wnen in case vi edcl honest man H.
will be gratiiied.
What Is sad Is that SO many OF us ig-
more the true ultimate meaning of right
eous unrest and of righteous desire for
gain. Walk With God. Get character,
ialth, lite; something to spur good dis
content, and good love OF possessions, TO
guide them to worthy ends; making one
mink IL OF slight moment after all
whether he personally owns little or
much, SO that he only lives aud acts
we'll lnls is the message OF Jesus. THIS
is the gosl el for our Lime. e.-----