The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-03
USE AND ABUSE Of
VEAL I'll AND POWER.
Poverty No Possession and Classes
of Men Analysed By Rev. A. E.
!, KrOm in Eloquent Sermon.


yesterday the pastor. Rev. Asbury r.
krom. ofhciated and preached eloquent
sermons to large congrega tons. The
music was in fitting keeping with the inn
pressive character of the services and his
evening discourse psrtook OF a Christian
Endeavor character.
At the morning service he dwelt ef-
fectively on the following text:
Luke 12:l5: ~ mans life consisteth
not in the abundance OF the things which
he possesseth."
The thought OF the text at once sug-
Eests a contrast. A contrast between the
material and the spiritual The contrast
is furthered by the context A man comes
10 Jesus and asks him 10 use His infu-
ence with his brother TO lead him TO di-
vide the inheritance This Inheritance,
which could be transmitted and divided,
must necessarily, We think. have con-
sisted IN material things. Furthermore.
Jesus illustrates the Thought OF covet-
business by the man whose soil bore 40
plentfuily that he had no place 10 be-
STOW his fruit The barns are torn down
ana built larger and To his soul he says:
TAKE thine ease eat, drink aud be
merry
These incidents coming from = far OF
time recall 10 us the condition that Off
times exists In modern society. We nave
in mind two classes OF men The one
selfish. seeking after material possessions
alone, anxious about the affairs OF this
world. sordld. The other class OF men
who place above wealth character and all
1ss spiT,tssl era xrsess s Their hearts & are
down To men. There may be times when
we are prone TO envy the man who Is
able To lie back comfortably OF com
future is secure. Yet In our best mo-
nents We confess that our admiration for
the other class OF men is more worthy
life. would think of citing Croesus an
example to his son. but every man would
be proud 20 have his son emulsting the
plain living and hish thinking OF Marcus
Aurelius
II is. worth while. too. at times TO look
hack for our ideals. IL Is hard TO choose
them In the present for envy and the
heat or the battle warp our judkment.
Those We create for ourselves that lie
i'm the future awaiting their realization
are often but vain and empty imaginings.
Ideals that have never been tried in re-
lation TO their facts But as we look
back to history We are able TO see the
man not only as he was in himself. but
as he ifsduenced others The increasing
OF the latent talents OF other men is the
s1rest sign Gf Stsnins ger ,o ,a..,s who
chooses a high standard from the past.
for those whom he loves. is revealing his
knowledge OF the contrast between the
material and spiritual and al the same
time putting his stamp Of approval on
the latter, which the common sense OF
hamsn,s Ws USUALLY spPrsvessb sb,, nost men
will say that life does not consist in ma
teriai things.
DEPTH OF TRUTH DEEPER.
But draw this contrast as vividly as one
VIII; enforce IL with tllustra ton and
gument and most men will feel that how
ever much Of truth there may be in y
there IL still a truth that lies deeper and
conseouently Is Of more significance TO
life. IL is r. noble and dlgnihed position
that man assumes when he places him
self above the plane OF the material and
temporal and saws that these cannot af-
feet him. That he beins spiritual and
eternal can rise abcye l",, them Let poy
the loved ones ana stil he remains calm
and self;possesed Yet no man can deny
that ones life 10 large measure consists
in them.
When the business. man lose. his prop
erty and ceases 10 transact business
real and vital part Of his life has gone
from him. His life aid consist in that:
And how many men ard women now feel
since a friend or loved one has dropped
by the wayside and they must 60 on
Then life consisted In tho life OF the
other For the self. that is the true self.
Is n complex self. and 10 take away from
IL It's many possessions is TO rob IL OF
This is as true IN relation 10 business
as II is in relation 30 friendship, love
and religion.
sense consist in the material as we'll as
IN the spiritual and no such contrast eS-
lists in practice 90 the extent that we
into the text itself II must occur 20
everyone that there IL no such contrast
there mans hfe consistent not In
the abundance Of the things which ne
possesseth. but those things may be spir-
itual as well as material
II may BE that in placins the smphs-
word II presnan, with meaning The word
pss,ssssth ,s. ;s;i Suppose rsss g9s gggs sent n
Il ift'Sr matters T no, no whether tncs. things be
iffs consist. IL them; il does not consist
IN them because Of ,hs mere ,s., rse, OF ,f pIs
q all things whether II be gold or the
We are aware that there are people
IN this world who struggle to obtain
many things In life for the mere sake OF
pofsession.
The character OF the nnissr is farIlia, 70
goods. not that they procure for him
any OF the JOYS cf life outside the rner.
joy o. possession. He loves 10 count
one source ~ pleasure that OF seeing
the pile increase,
But rnisnrlv habits NAV extend ts wei
~ other things as 10 gold. A man may
Geek knowledge purely for its own sake
The spur that urges him on Is the wish
TO see deeper. TO penetrate farther INTO
the realm OF the unknown. To penetrate
into the mysteries OF things and have the
satisfaction of having united the Cor
dian knot. when We pass into the realm
of spiritual graces the same pracuce
may be found Men and women seeking
sympathy and love purely for The cont
fort and satisfaction ~ srinss TO them.
Men and women seeking the gifts or Ood g
forgiveness that they NAV save. and no
more. their own souls
To possess knowledge. wealth. syrnpa-
thy and forgiveness Il the great end and
aim of their striving.
N any use ia made or these possessions
n is 70 the end OF further personal adj
vantage and comfort knowledge is Sc
cured of our laws ana administration.
~ is not used go quicken the public CON
science or create q better public opinion
hut 10 criticise and nnd fault To criti-
else and find fault. too. because these DO
not conform to oar Individual opinion and
minister 10 our individual good. There
are plenty ~ such nncn in every corrn1u-
nitv who use their polltieai knowledge.
not In way that viil he ~ service 10
the eurmunity. but IN = way that will