The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-11-06
The Danger Of Covetousness-A Death.
Bed Witness.

Some time ago the following case was
given by the Baztimorean, secular
paper published in the city Of Balti-
more. I ask that you reproduce it in
the Adrocate for the warning Of others
like the ''poor rich" man therein re-
ferred to. The Baztimorean says:
"a gentleman died last week at his
residence, in one of our uptown fash
ionable streets, leaving $11, 100000.
He was member of the Presbyterian
Church, in excellent standing, good
husband and father and a thriving
citizen. On his death-bed, lingering
long, he suffered with great agony Of
mind, and gave continual expression
to his remorse at what his conscience
told him had been an ill-spent life.
'Oh,' he exclaimed, as his weeping
friends and relations gathered about
his bed: 'Oh if I could only live my
life over again. If I could be spared
for few years, I would give all the
wealth I have amassed in lifetime.
It is a life devoted to money-getting
that regret. 1t is this which weighs
me down, and makes me despair Of the
life hereafter 7 His clergyman en-
deavored to soothe him, but he turned
his face to the wall. you have never
reproved my avaricious spirit, he said
to the minister. 'You have called it
a wise economy and forethought, but
my riches have been only snare for
my soul 1 would give all / possess
to have hope for my poor soul I In
this state of mind, refusing to be con-
soled, this poor-rich man bewailed a
life devoted to the mere acquisition
of riches. Many came away from his
bedside impressed with the useless
ness of such an existence as the
wealthy man had spent, adding house
to house, and dollor to dollar, until he
became a millionaire. All knew him
to be a professed Christian and good
man, as the world goes, but the terror
and remorse Of his death-bed admins
tered lesson. not to be lightly dis
missed from memory. He would have
given all his wealth for single hope
Of heaven.
Now, in considering this case, let us
remember,
l. That it is given by secular, not
q religious paper. Also that it is not
the story of a preacher who is trying
to "scare' men into the support Of
the Church or his pet enterprises.
2. That this experience is in har-
mony with the teaching Of Scripture
as to the danger and effect of covet-
BUSINESS and riches. Let us study our
Lord lesson in Luke 12:13-2l, where
He enforces His warning to "take
heed and beware of covetousness.
Let us ponder the pregnant words OF
Paul, used in l Tim. 6:6-12 in con-
nection with his startling declaration
that "the love of money is the root OF
all evil" And let US prayerfully con-
slider the prescription for this disease
of covetousness which he gives in the
chapter, from the 18th to the 18th
verse, inclusive. Now, let us lay
down this paper until we read these
words of Jesus and the great apostle.
8. Let US remember that the mil
lionaire is not the only one who is in
danger at this point, and who needs
to heed the warning of Jesus and
Paul. Notice Paul's incidental teach
ing as to how much it takes to make
o man "rich"-the having "food and
raiment' and something besides. Let
us read the 9th and 9th verses of that
chapter again. Does the apostle not
mean to say that all who are Content"
with having these and like necessary
things, but are determined to be
erich, to have more than this-are
those who "fall into the temptation
and snare" of covetousness Does
he not teach that all we have above
these necessaries, no matter hcw much
nor how little it is, constitutes our
"riches 2" And that every one who
has dollar above this is, in strict
and Scriptural sense, "rich' man ?
If not, then at what point does
man become rich ? Is it when he has
secured or invested $1,000 (? 10000?
s1OO, 900? s1,OOO,OOO? s1O,0O0,OOO ?
800, 900, 900 or when ?
And, does not the popular and loose
meaning of the term rich vary with
circumstances ? The tenant of an
almshouse, who has S. in his purse,
would be regarded by his associates as
being quite "rich," while in Wall
street the possessor of 100000 would
by the multimilionaires, Of that money
centre, be regarded as little better
than pauper.
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