The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-22
PEACOCK FILTER rnay EAGLE
To Ne Our National Esnbieu,, Says Dr.
SENDER In . Sermon on ExtrnvaSsrce

To Ne Our National Eu,bieu,, Says mr..
SENDER In = Sermon on ExtrnvaSsuce
The Rev. John L. Scuddcr, pastor OF the Con-
gregational Tabernacle in Jersey City last night
preached the fourth OF n series Of sermons 10
young people. His subject was "Extravagance."
tho discourse being also entitled Living Be-
yond Your Means" He said, In part,
AS nation VIC are much given to living for
show. We do not make show Of our religion.
as did the ancient Pharisee for that is n con-
spicuously Oriental weakness. II we see man
too outwardly pious we Immediately suspect
him, and are inclined to do business with him
on cash basis. There is no danger OF an over
display OF piety among Americans. Our weak
ness lies in making show of wealth in social
life, ana in pretending to have more Of this
worlds goods than we really possess.
THE peacock would be a more fitting nationa,
emblem than the eagle. The ideal of the aver
age young American Is TO make money fast and
cut dash In the world: to lead snowy, ex-
travagant life, and initiate the mushroom aris-
tocracy OF our day. Swift accumulation Is the
popular craze, and he that hath not must appear
as IL he had. Under these circumstances the
temptation to live beyond our means is potent
and pernicious. As people we are extravasant
and have no proper sense OF the value of money.
A man can be poor, and yet extravaganza for the
latter may be defined az consuming ones In
come, aud Is Opposed to thrift, which is saving
end Of life.
I'VE may be extravagant without spending
100000 for single supper, as did CaliRula, or
$4,000 for pearl did Julius Cesar, or
bathing in milk and shoeing horses with gold,
as did Poppea Sabina. Rothschild spent 81 1000
box stall for one of his horses. but for him
this was not extravaganza, for lie could afford II,
pie to live for appearance and ape those above
them on the financial ladder. Those who
suddenly become wealthy are overanxious
to let the rest OF the world know II, They must
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 coronet appears, whereas In point of
early history pickaxe 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 he served In French, though they
murder the Queens English; They call soup
'potage' or 'consOmme.' They must live
abroad part OF every year, and IL one OF the
daughters can marry a foreign count, no mat
ter how much run down In morals or In fortune,
their cup of happiness Is overlooking.
Now this Is wrong conception Of life and
has bad influence upon people OF moderate
means. II puts Mammon In the place OF God
and gives false ideals OF happiness 1t leads To
all manner Of trickeries in business, ATTEMPTED
short cuts to affiuence, and holds up the wicked
motto, Dimes and dollars. dollars and dimes I;
an empty pocket Is the worst Of crimes II
leads to entertainments, speculations, and swim
dies both Wholesale and retail II generates So
cial hypocrisics and hullowness Of life.
Now the only way to enjoy life Is to live for
comfort rather than for show; to look sguaroly
at our incomes and live resoutely within our
means; not to pretend to occupy n station we
cannot Afford to maintain"