The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-10-22
PUTTING ON STYLE.
Rev. j. L. Seudder Denounees
the Tendency to Show and
Extravaganza.

Inc Kew. JOnQ l.. DCuuu6T III the ldD-
ernacle last night, told his congregation
that the peacock is the more fitting
emblem for Americans than the Eagle
because of the tendency today of eX-
travagance and show. He said
"As a nation we are much 6 n to
living for show. We do not make q
show of our religion as did the ancient
Pharisee, for that is a conspicuously
Oriental weakness. If we see a man too
outwardly pious, We Immediately sus-
pect him and are inclined to do business
with him on a cash basis. There is no
danger of an overdisplay of piety among
Americans. Our weakness lies in max
ing a show of wealth in social life and
pretending to have more OF this Worlds
goods than we really possess. The pea,
cock would be a more fitting national
emblem than the eagle.
1.-The ideal of the average young Amer
lean is to make money fast and cut a
dash In the world, to lead a snowy and
~extravagant life and initiate the mush-
room aristocracy of our day. SWIFT &C
emulation is the popular craze, and he
that hath not must appear as If he had:
AS a people we are e~xtravagant and
have no proper sense of the value of
money.
"A man can be poor, and yet e%xtrava-
| CANT, for the latter may be defined as
| consuming ones income, and is opposed
thereof for a rainy day and the latter
end of life.
W may be extravagant without
| spending $15o, 900 for a single supper, as
did Caligula, or $27, coo for a pearl, as did
| Julius Caesar, or bathing in milk and
shoeing horses with gold, as did Pop
| paea Sabina. Rothschild spent $4,000
on a box stall for one of his horses,
but for him this was not extravaganza,
| for he could afford it.
THESE ARE SNOBS.
There is marked tendency among
| ape those above them OF the financial
| ladder. Those who suddenly become
wealthy are over anxious to let the
be lavish in their expenditures; their
servants must be dressed in livery, and
the panels of their coach must have
| some heraldic device in which a %coronet
history a pick-axe or a shovel would be
| more appropriate. They must eat on
fancy China, though unable at times
to overcome the early habit Of eating
with their knives. Their meals must be
| served in French, though they murder
the Kings English. They call soup
live abroad a part of every year, and If
one of the daughters can marry a for
eign count, no matter how much run
down in morals or in fortune, their cup
| of happiness is OVERCOMING.
Nov, this is a wrong conception Of
| life, and has a bad influence upon peo-
pie of moderate means; II puts Nam
| ideals of happiness. 1t leads to all man
ner of trickeries in business, attempted
| short cuts to afiiuence, and holds up
the wicked motto Dimes and dollars,
| dollars and dimes an empty pocket is
| the worst of crimes 1t leads to en-
beZzlements, speculation and swtndies,
| both wholesale and retail 1t generates
| social hypocrisy and hollowness of life.
THE PROPER WAY TO LIVE.
Now the only way to enjoy life is to
| live for comfort rather than for show;
| to look ~squarely at our incomes and
| live resolutely within our means; not
| pretend to occupy a station we cannot
| afford to maintain. There is a great
| ciety,' as popularity understood. II /
| had to choose between being a society
man n a home-body' l would be the
home-body every time.
."There is one circle into which n
| man can get. 1t is a small circle, but
in it there is no end of happiness. The
name of this circle is home. II a man
makes the family altar the centre of the
domestic circle and allows the sweet
fragrance of piety to fill the house, he
has a home and a heaven all in one. He
has the society OF a loving VIE, happy
children, and a few choice friends, and
of God. That is enough society for any
man. 1t is about all he can attend to
and do it well. This circle Is within the
reach of every Industrious man, for |
care not how poor a man is, he will
always find a woman to share his lot
with him, if he will give her his love.
l have married people too poor to pay
nv little homes, where by sobriety and
economy, they led peaceful, sunshiny
lives. If husband and wife live for each
tum Of our times, and live to be seen OF
men, their existence will be successful
and satisfactory. Better IS q board
floor and two rooms where love is than
the choicest Administer carpet with sell
fishness n surliness on top of II"