Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-15
LOVE NOT YOUR GOLD.
Sermon for Those Kept from Church on
the American HereSy.
ITS CAUSES AND THE CURE.
DIR. Landrum Discusses the Evils of
Covetousncss In Contrast with the
Rich Blessings That Come from
Conservation. =
written for the Dispatch by Rev. w. W
Iandrum. -. D.

| Conservation.
| written for the Dispatch by Rev. w. W.
Iandrum. y. D.
l. Timothy. Vi. 10 and 11.-"Which, while
some coveted after they have erred from
the faith and pierced themselves through
with many sorrows. But. thou. o, man
OF God, fee these things. and follow
after righteousness. godliness. faith, love.
patience, meekness."
The money question" is a great prob
lem agitatng the minds Of the American
people. Why not hear what the Bible
has to say on the money question? Most
Christians accept as authoritative. suii-
cient, and final all that the Bible has 70
say on any question. You know, OF
course. that the Bible does not condemn
money itself. 1t is a most valuable cir
culating medium Of commerce. and pro-
duct and test Of civilization. The Bible
does not condemn the possession OF
money. for IT points as examples to men
as rich as Abraham as well as to men as
poor as Lazarus What the Bible roundly
and soundly denounces is the love Of
money, the coveting of money, the mis-
appropriation and abuse Of money. 1t
also everywhere declares that there IS
something infinitely TO be preferred above
money
Goodness. with contentment," II says,
"is great gain" Goodness. with only
food. raiment, and shelter is great gain.
For We brought nothing into this world
and IL Is certain we can carry notn.ng
e.fr.f.. A. Ca .|ss
this: Happiness is within the soul and
not outside Of IL; happiness is IN our
selves and not in our circumstances,
happiness consists Ina what we are and
I not in what we have. SO IL comes 10
pass that the average Christian can be
happiest and most useful with a maxi
mum Of goodness, and a minimum Of
gold. with much salvation and little silver,
with character; I'm word, rather than
with cash or coin.
AN ENSNARING TEMPTATION.
Covetousness is a powerful and en-
sharing temptation. Mammon worship is
the great temptation Of the Church to-day.
Sins OF the gross animal nature such as
gluttony, intemperance, or lust may not
so much threaten some Of Us, but the
sly seductions Of mOney-getting are ever
| present. The attack IS made on ministers
as well as on private members Of our
/ churches; on old Christians more hercely
than on young members; on women as
constantly and as vigorously as on men,,
on poor Christians as readily as on the
Well-to-do or rich members Of the visible
body Of Christ II we fan into this sin
we "err from the faith" and pierce our
selves through with many sorrows.
Surely every man OF wide observation
If of but little experience, must accept
the Bible estimate Of earthly riches
Gods Word says riches are uncertain.
Riches take 10 themselves wings and
fly away" In our country one generation
makes the fortune another generation
spends the fortune, and the third gene
ration starts life again in poverty Riches
are unsatisfying. "Iiow much money will
satisfy youY' inquired a calm, sweet
soul OF an American multimillionaire. The
answer came Just a little more Ten
years afterwards The same query was
put: How much money will satisfy you
now?' SIN the same answer: Just @
little more Twenty years afterwards
Just little more" Riches are like sea-
water; the more you drink the thirsuer
YOU are. Riches are rerilOus &C 1le soul.
How hardly shall they that have riches. "
said the Saviour. center into the King
dom Of Godr Tue there are. / doubt no.
rich men, gooC- rich men IN the Church
Of Christ. but when you inquire YOU learn
that they became converted to Christ
before they grew rich. IL was IN h.,
boyh as Mr. John u. Rockefeller
now richest man in the world tod
! me, tD4t he felt himself a sinner and
gave himself TO Christ for personal sal
! walton.
. LEADS TO EVIL RESULTS.
I Covetousness, OF the lnordinate desire
for money, leads to two results. one is
b | heresy: "They have erred from the
2 faith" Wrong views on the subject of
3 | money put the Christian wrong on every
religious subject See il this is not So
The covetous man is wrong in theology
his doctrine Of God. "COvetousness is
ldolatry," Gods Word says. Better fal
y worship sun. moon, or stars or your dead
s ancestors, or IRE, or sea, or mountains
than worship money. Any ldolatry al.
most is less base than the American idol
: airy which bows down before the golden
calf OF Wall street If wrong on the
J money question you are wrong on your
o. doctrine Of man. You become a disciple
Of Cain and cry out Am my brother
9 keeper? You blurt out Let every man
look out for himself: competition is the
life OF trade" You are no more a phi
lanthropist What are the sick the ignO
rant neglected children, or distressed
j widows to you? II wrong on the money
D. question you get wrong as a citizen. and
. become 2 traitor 10 your city. State. and
country in your efforts 70 beat them out
Q OF lawful taxes. You get wrong IN your
s doctrine Of domestic duty. You get wrong
s as father. stintng your children; wrong
e as a husband. actually prosecuting your
3 wife for every necessary and reasonable
household expenditure. Inwardly the
covetous man Is actually eaten up by a
cancerous affection for gold.
Another result Of cOvetousness is dis
tressng unhappiness. pierce themselve.
n through with many sorrows.'
n CONFINEMENT BRINGS HEALTH
o Health, my friends, is the first wealth
d Contentment brings health Be virtuous
and you'll be healthy. Covetousness de.
stroys health. The richest country OF
the globe is America, but alasi the mel
ancholy America" has become a proverb
Dyspepsia is the national disease. and CO.
vetousness Is at the bottom Of much oil
z IL. Nervous prostration, brain-fag heart
o failure insanity, suicide are alarminglS
common. and covetousness is the root Of
d the deadly Upas tree that yields sucf
10 fruit. Physical breakdown" Is only on,
= symptom Of the disease OF covetousness
l. Moral breakdown" came first then do
a nestle breakdown" social breakdown
l. poiitical "brea kdOwn," religious break
r down" One Of the wealthiest men ir
virginia remarked sadly TO a minister
r "AIoney Is an article which may be uset
l. as an universal passport-except to Hea
= ven. Money Is an universal provider o.
s everything in this world-except happi
ness"
. A minister visited one Of the wealthies
% farmers In Illinois. on the top Of who's,
: stately mansion was an observatory Tn,
" man Of acres took the man OF God al
there and Invited him 70 survey IN,