The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-18
of Coo

of Goo
Rev. James Mcleod, y. D., pastor of
the First Presbyterian church, deliv-
cred an interesting sermon last evening
to his congregation, dealing with the
lessons to be drawn from the life of the
late Cornelius Vanderbilt, whom he
spoke of as "a good man with great
riches"
He took for his text Proverbs, 22,l
"a good name is rather to be chosen
than great riches, and loving favor
rather than silver and gold He
spoke in part as follows.
THE Bible contains many warnings
and cautions concerning riches. In
fact they are so numerous that some
excellent people have fallen into the
error of thinking that God has no love
for the rich. They even go so far as
to state that he hates riches and loves
poverty. God doesn't despise riches;
those who say he does, only tell half
the truth. 1t is Godlke to be poor it
is also GodlilSe to be rich.
There are many ways of becoming
rich like Mr. Vanderbilt. who was a
good man with great riches, by inher-
itance There are other ways: by hon
est industry or by speculation. There
is also another way. namely, absolute
dishonesty and l desire to state that
consider this last method to he close
ly allied to what is termed lucky spec
ulation.
"All the charity in the world won't
make a good name, which is more
precious than great riches. When a
mans pocketbook is greater than him
self he is not very well off. There are
| those who, as did MI. Vanderbilt, rise
above their riches like an eagle above
the mountains. This is because they
become the masters Of their wealth
| and not it's slaves.
MADE LARGE DONATIONS.
"Mr. Vanderbilt made many very
| large donations which were never pub
| lished Such men as these are stewards
Of God, because they make a wise use
| of their wealth. They devise useful
/ things for the benefit Of humanity and
they are always willing to aid a good
cause. If there were many such as
these it would he better for the poor
and better for the church and it should
| be our constant prayer that the men
who rise above their wealth should in
| crease
| There are many Young men at the
present time who are placed in a DO.
| sitiOn where they have 10 decide be.
| tween good name and riches. Tl.ote
are many small men who sell their votes
| for beer. There are smaller men who
| sell their good name for riches. Rich
| men with good name are too often
| praised and bowed down to.
| Wealth means many things. 1t
means the power to transorm wishes
| into realities. 1t means leisure and Il
| means the privilege Of travel 1t also
| means friends. Whoever saw a rich
man without a troop of friends? But
the assertion that wealth brings abso-
| Lutte happiness I dissent from in toto.
There are many poor men. who are
happier today than some of the richest.
| IF wealth could only buy fame WeS-
minister Abbey would be full of mil
lionaires instead Of poets, none II
| whom We're rich.
| "A good name means good reputation
and good character. But as / have
| repeatedly said before from this pul-
| pit, these two terms, character and
reputation, are not synonymous. Many
men manage to sustain a good repu-
tation on a bad character and there
| are many men whose regulations are
bad whose characters are good and
| pure.
NOT TO BE DESPISED.
Great riches are not to be despised.
but If the time should come when the
young or the old men cannlt have
riches and a good name, let him choose
the good name.
No man should be indiffe 'eut to
what his neghbors think of him. 7
do care what people think and sav Of
me. In fact no man has right to he
Indifferent to the worlds opinion re-
garding him.
Its the worlds opinion of a mars
character as a rule that makes his
reputation. We seldom make 4 mis-
take regarding the moral character OF
our neighbOr. This is why this fellow
! citizen and American, who has lust
died, is held up as steward o. God
He placed his good name above his
riches. We must place our characters
upon a throne and bow before them
rather than before our wealth.
"There are so many, many men, who
sit in the shadow of their riches ana
are miserable. They don't evan know
who they're going to leave thcm to,
whether to a fool Of a wiseman.
There are comparatively cnN who
leave the church, their children or
their friends great wealth, therefore
there are many who have only a good
| name to leave behind them when they
pass from this life. Therefore, may
God in his great mercy so guide aud
direct us that we may presA. e our
good names to bequeath as a precious
| legacy to our children.