The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-09-01
Or. CURRY breaches
ON COVETOUSNESS
No Sin TO Want What We
Don't Possess
GODS LAWS MUST BE KEPT
If 1t is Unlawful for Us to Obtain
the Thing Desired Then it is
Covetousness to
Want 1t.
GODS LAWS MUST BE KEPT

The Rev. DR. A b. Curry preached
asst night at the First Presbyterian
church on the sin of covetousness, TAX
ing. as his text, Joshua, 7th chapter 2lst
verse; when l saw among the spells
a goodly Babylonish garment, and 200
shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold
Of 90 sheSels weight then 1 coveted them,
and took them; and, behold, they are hid
n the earth in the midst of my tent,
and the silver under it,.
"Covetousness, said Doctor Curry, lis
not commonly understood. 1t is no sin
to want that which we do not possess
There is nothing wrong in wanting more
money than we have or in greater honor
than we have achieved or in more pleas
ure than is afforded us, provided We de-
sire it in a manner not in conflict with
the laws of God or the rights of our
fellow men. 1t is natural for mankind
to want and endeavor to possess that
which they have not All progress and
all civilization is based on this. Take,
for example, a man or nation that is
satisfied with what they have, who have
no ambition for greater wealth or greater
honor, and no advancement in any lines
will ever be made. The sin of covet-
BUSINESS is in wanting that which would
be opposition to the laws of God and
man for u5 to obtain"
Accumulation of Wealth.
Some young men look upon the ac-
emulation of wealth. by whatever
means, as success" continued Doctor
Curry. Sometime ago l read an inter-
view with a man worth probably $4,000
QO0 in which he stated that he approved
of gambling, that he gambled himself,
and that he thought it should be licensed.
Is this mans life a success? Is any life
a success which defies all the laws of
God and tramples under foot all the
rights of humanity? 1t matters not how
much a man may be worth, if he has
gained wealth and distinction by these
methods, he will have his just reward
either in this life or in the next probably
In both. What doth it profiteth a man
If he gain the whole world and lose his
own soulY
Achan the man referred to in the text,
was a soldier in the army of Joshua.
There were three steps to his downfall,
two of which led TO the final and sinful
che which caused him to be stoned and
burned by the children of Israel as the
penalty for his crime. He states that he
nrst saw the treasures and then TOOK
them. In these two acts there was no
sin If he had not coveted. Covetousness
led him TO hide them in his tent and to
appropriate them FOR his own use.
Desire of Obtaining Money.
Il believe that NEST of the sins of this
earth are traced directly and indirectly
TO desiring to obtain those things when
we DO not have in a dishonorable way.
Sunday freight trains, sunday papers.
saloons and gambling can all be at
triouted to covetousness. 1 do not be-
lieve the saloon-keerer conducts his bust
ness through any love for 1t. He does it to
acquire The money which he could not
earn in any other capacity. Gambling
can be ascribed to no other reason than
that of 0oYetousness. The gambler seeks
to obtain the money Of his fellow men in
a dishonest way. and which he could not
obtain in an honorable one"
DR.. Curry made a special appeal to the
young men to rid themselves of the sin
OF covetousness. and to aspire to those
things which were right and honorable In
the sight of Gcd and man, to keep their
hearts and minds pure and to seek di-
vine guidance in all things IIe cited
numerous instances of history where the
subject of his sermon had caused the
downfall and destruction of great men.
and called on his hear ers to profit by tie
disgrace and death Of Achan and 20 keep
their lives in accord with the will OF God.