El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-09-24
The Moral Uses of Money.

liz money is In any degree a power,
the notion of morality or OF immortality
must attach TO every use OF 1t. IL Is
thing that must be- accounted Tor 70
God. Every pecuniary transaction, OF
gain or lose, OF Increment or expendl-
ture, comes Clearly under the scrutiny
aud review OF the great judge. There
IL no such thing as q mans serving
God with everything but his meaus'
The Lords eye reads ledRera as well as
hearts, aud he exacts tribute from
pocket-books as we'll as hearts, and he
exacts q tribute from pocket-oooks as
well as hands and lips.
That, broadly speaking, Is an immor-
al use of money which Is misuse,
that Is. q use either distinctly In itseu
wrong. or which Is not made in the
spirit OF an enlightened Christian COO
scientiousuess. Money that Is not
spent for better is spent for worse
Time and again In the couree OF human
history treasure has been sent Out on
the worst Of errands. The devil has
through Ubiquitous speculations, ex-
travagsnt misappropristions, or wide
use of corruption funds, frequently
served himself with the eXche Quers OF
the world. Indeed, at certai" juuc'-
ures, though not always, the monetary
exchanges seem to have been Sstsn's
he ,dquarters, his owe private stamp
ing erouud.
In numerous instances, money has
proven the root OF all evils of intemps-
rately iudulgei appetite, social super
ciliousuess, hardness of b art, and up-
scrupulcus qualification OF ambition.
II has made spendthrlfts, drunksrds,
liberttues, misers, oppressors. IL hss
diva fed characters, narrowed horizons,
aud ruined souls. Making its appeal
to consciousness, IL has led prodigal
sons away from fond fathers into dis
tant. dresr laods OF sinful excess, and,
In the form of sheer materialism, 1t
has blighted whole nations with the
dry rot OF sordid selfshness.
But IL IL be true that the love OF mon
ey is the root OF evil, IL is also true
that the went of money Is the root OF
numerous evils, to say nothing OF In
conveuienccs. The moneyless have
their especial temptations, as well as
trials, from which the rich are exempt
ed. Grinding poverty griuds the hope
~ we'll as the physical vigor out of the
people. Empty stomachs are not "a a
rule hungry for the bread OF life.
Spiritual ambitions are apt 70
bs lscxing when the OUTLOOK on life
is bounded by the gloomy wall OF a
tenement, or the bleak yard Of poor
house. They that have notsing in this
world are too often hopeless regard
ing the next also. The submerRed
classes are not prone TO the angelic
temper. While with GCd nothing is
impossi BILE, ana while grace is equal to
the task of converting even the richest
and the poors st, IL is probable that on
the who e the CO ldition of.lif m 0st fav
orable to the efiecting of conversions is
that middle state which is commend, d
in the prayer OF the wise man: Give
me neither poverty nor'riches."
A shr ewd clergyman remarked to a
man Who demurred at preser ting bin
a wedding fee on the ground of the
Rratuitousuess OF the gospel: saliva
ton Is free, but IL costs to get mar
ried." 1t costs to sustain the instttu-
tiousl connections between abstract
religion and concrete Christianity
Many people remain away from church
simply because they are afraid that IL
they go they will be asked to give
something. though we have never
heard that such av id the ticket office
of q theater for similar reason. Yet
almost in exact proportion as the peo-
pie W o do come contribute to the ex-
penses of religion will be their enjoy
ment of the means of grace.
On returning from church a mother
remarked to her SOD: 81 did not like
nor the choir" Mother" replied
the boy, recalling what his parent had
put on the collection plate, what
could you expect for q cent?" Such
q spirit Of stipginess regarding the
causes of Christianity is worthy oil
decided rebuke. 1t may not
be necessary to return &c
the practice OF a hundred years ago,
when the church collection was tskeo
In a bag at the end of q pole, with g
bell attached to arouse sleepy contribu-
tors, but IL Is needful to insist both on
the duty and the privilege OF givin Q
generously to all good causes in obedi-
euce to the exhortation: ''As we have
therefore opportunity, let us do good
unto all men,"
The familiar couplet is worth repeat
ing:
1.-THE man may be, but viewer lives,
Who mue h receives, but nothing gives"
The mean can never be in any true
sense wealthy. IL was the sage sd Twice
OF an old gentleman to bis daughter
"Be sure that you never marry poor
man; but, remember the poorest mar
In the world Is the one that has money
and nothing else" That money 1,
most securely saved that Is invested in
heavenly realities. The law of tbs
conservation of monetary energy il
well expressed in that cription or
the tomb of Tnomss Ravencroft:
"Whst gave, l have:
What | spent | bad;
What kept, l LOST
New York Observer.