The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-05
ELDER PHELPS, THE ADVENTIST,
FINDS A HINT OF THE 1890
CAMPAIGN.
BIBLE AuTHoflTY ON MONEY.
TT SEEMS TO BE- IMPARTIAL AMI
NOT AT ALL AMBIGU-
Gus.
LOVE OF MONEY THE EVIL ROOT,
And Not the Money Itself. which II
Good Thing IL Properly
Used.

The Gold and Silver Question From
prophetic Standpoint" was the sub
Ject OF discourse last evening by Pas
tor h. f. Phelps. at Wacouta Street
Adventist chapel. The speaker did not
think 1t In the province of a minister
of the gospel to discuss any question
from a political or partisan standpoint
His purpose was to present certain
prophetic declarations found in the BIZ
bic, leaving the listener to draw con-
illusions. He said in part:
1t Is often stated that money Is the
root Of all evil This Is incorrect. That
some kind of exchange among nations
and men is necessity is evident, and
II is so recognized in the Bible. Money
Is a necessary article. It is a good
thing; when properly used it is a great
blessing. That which the Word of God
does say is this; For the love Of
money is the root of all evil; which
some have coveted after they have de-
MED the faith and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows."-I. Tim.
VI, 10. Let this be our text: 1.-THE love
OF money Is the root of all evil" It
Is this lnordinate love for money, this
selfish greed for wealth. that is the
root Of all evil.
Comparatively speaking, but very few
are aware Of the fact that the present
financial condition Of the world is a
subject Of prophecy It is SO, never
theless. Gold seems to have the prece-
dent In the Bible in that, of the pre-
c1ous metals, 1t Is first and last to be
mentioned, while silver seems to have
been much more common in CONNER
clal aHa1rS; so much so that at one
time 1t Is stated that certain king
mace silver as common as stones In the
streets OF JerusaIeIfi. But as to wheth-
er this superabundance of the metal
had any speciat~ influence upon prices
OF the necessities Of life, or upon labor
ltselr, is not stated But of one thing
the Blple IS very aoutspoken; that Of
covetlng aftermoney This inordinate
love OF wealth would result In the last
Gays In the afiaassing Of great fortunes
Ia the hands OF the few, bringing a
consequent stringency of financial mat
ters and distress upon the many. The
Apostle James says of certain classes.
Ye have heaped treasure together In
the last days. Revised Version Thus
we see that the present system of
trusts and combines, by which giean-
nc fortunes are built up by oppression
-Oo~N~-OA
Bible comment. And this amassing Of
wealth. IN this nation has reached that
extent that, according to reliable sta
tistics, no less than II per cent of the
nauons wealth is controlled by about
y per cent of the population. That is
SAYING that one man of the wealthy
class sis equal ITO r122 of the w,o,,lxino.
class. Is it any wonder then that t,a1
are able to control and defy all leeis-
slat1on looking toward a remedvp Ts II
any wonder thata prophet saws thar
justice Is fallen in the streets. and
equity cannot enter?"
But a day Of reckoning is coming ON
apace' Tor the inspired penman de-
clares: The cries Of them that have
reaped down your fields have entered
into the ears of the Lord" The Eter-
nal One has heard the cries of the on
pressed, and woe Is pronounced
against the oppressor. Listen to the
word Of inspiration: Go to now. We
rich men; weep and howl for the mis-
cries that shall come upon you. Your
riches are corrupted, your garments
are moth-eaten. And the rust Of then,
shall be witness against YOU and
snail eat your flesh as it were fire
Another prophet has also spoken: seWoe
unto them that join house to house
that lay field to field, till there is no
place; OF truth many houses shall be
oesoiate, even great and fair, without
inhabitant." And yet again: Woe
unto him that buildeth a town by
blood, and establisheth a city by IN
EQUITY" Is 1t not time that the rich.
whether in the church or out. Should
repent before God and make a. wise dis
tribution of his wealth for the good
Of humanity He can thus Law IN
treasure in heaven
Lord Macaulaysi about forty years
ago, said: The day will come in the
United States when the multitude. dis
tressed by hard times, will be called
upon to choose a Legislature. On one
side is statesman, preaching patience.
respect for vested rights, strict observ-
ance of public faith. On the other are
demagogues ranting about the tyranny
OF capitalists and Insurers I seriously
apprehend that the people Of the United
States will In some such season of adj
versity do things which will prevent
prosperity from returning; that they
will act like people who should In a
year Of scarcity devour all the seed
corn, and thus make the next year. not
Of scarcity, but of absolute famine.
There will be. / fear. spoliation; the
spoliation will increase the distress, the
distress will produce fresh spoliation
When society has once entered upon
this downward course there is nothing
to stop 1t. Either civilization or lib
500 -~l-I