Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-07-28
Sermon.
IContinued from last week.

| upon the cdTJus duu tuuS ulO pioSSA 49, w.
trast with "the things that are above" is just
this "loye of money" Il Tim. g. 10) the de
sire to be rich" Il Tim. 6: 81 or, in more
comprehensive word, "covetousness" (Col. =:
g. 1t is tho lone Of money that the apostle
saws is "the root Of all epil" And indeed few
evils, if any, exist that are not more or less
directly caused by, or at least more or less
closely associated with, Covetousness in some
form. Evil of every form and every form OF
| evil have an idolatrous desire to be rich or
some form of covetousness as its root, as It's
producing and efficient cause. Just as the
love of God, which attest itself In love 10
men, is the root of all good we have and show
so 1.-THE love ofmoney," which Is attested by
forsaking God and forgetting to think OF ana
help our fellowmen; SO "the love of money is
the root of all evil" that we cause ourselves
or others.
1. 1.-THE love of money is the root of all
evil we cause ourselves
In the verse preceding the one in which
the text is found, we read that, they that
desire to be rich fall into a temptation and
snare and many foolish and hurttul lusts,
such as drown men in destruction and per-
d;tion. Note it is not said they that are rich,
but they that soiR be rCh,-that their happi.
ness in worldly wealth, that covet it inord'
! nately and are eager and violent in the pur.
suit of it. They that are such, fall into temp
tation and snare. unavoidably for when
Satan 'sees which way their lusts carry
them, he will soon bait his hook according.
w." saws Matt. Henry (Com. Tim. 6: 81
Knowing that Achan had a special fond
ness for such things the sly tempter caught
HIM on the sharp and strong hook he had
quickly and quietly baited and covered with
the "wedge of gold, two hundred sheckels
of silver" and the "goodly Babylonish gar
ments," which Achan took at his instigaticn
! from among the spoils at the capture OF Jer-
icho, although the Lord had told that this
CITY, with ali in it but Rahab and her house
hold, should not be appropriated for private
purposes but should be "accursed" or 'deyo-
ted TO the Lord" (Josh 8: II; II: 49,
Although Satan failed in his repeated at
tempts to cause Christ to yield to tempta-
tons to secure worldly fame and power and
possessions (See G, G. Matt 4: Ill; CT. Lu. d:
| i.13; Heb a. 153 yet he did not have much
difficulty in causing Judas 1scariots down
fall and destruction through the love OF mon
ey (See e. g. John IL 10; II: 4-6; Matt. 26:
14,l6; q: 49,
In the sin and sefcaused destruction of
Achan and Judas lscariot, we have most
sad and solemn warning TO all the race az INST
coyctousness," and we have solemn exhor-
tation to love God and our fellowmen more
than money.
?. But the greater love of money than of
God and Of man generally brings evil upon
others as well as upon ones own self All
Israel suffered for the sin OF Achan at Jerl'
cho. They were accursed, suffered a most
humlliatng defeat at Al and remained nc
cursed until they had taken the proper steps
and measures needed to sanctlfy themselves
, "a ha owl from the Cnmn Inv
DESTROYING Achan with all his family and
possessions. Judas Iscariot also, through
his idolatrous covetousness and sinful be-
travail, caused evil to others as well as him.
self. He caused the shameful crucitxlon OF
the worlds innocent Redcemer, ard that too
even by one of Chrsts own apostolic dlsc'
pies.
That covetOusness brings so many ald
such great evils and sorrows and disasters
upon those who covet ought OF self to suffice
to deter any and all who are aware OF and
fully awake to it's dangers from cOveting an.
other a place or power or possessions. And
how one can still persist in covetinE and low.
ing more than God or man. who knows OF
| the evils ard miseries that covetousness
brings upon others as well as upon one sell,
is applicable only on the ground that such
an one is lost to all that makes man manly
and noble AMI has allowed himself to be con.
verified from human being into virtual
beast of prey, so as "to put to shame the den.
liens of the deep which deyour their KIND
that they may live"
III. But lest we should be misunderstood
as implying or as seeming to imply that
money has not its proper place and power,
let us briefly consider that, Notwithstanding
| the only too frequent wrong use that is made
| of money and worldly means, money has Its
own proper place and power tor good, which
horne never be lost sight of by any one but
borne well in mind.
| While all, whether old or young, rich or
DOOR learned or unlearned, while all have
some knowledge of the art of modern dollar
making aud spending yet how comparative
y few know and adopt the best methods of
| making money and of spending what they
make? Most know how to spend better than
they know how to make money. Seeing
! how iniudiciously much money is expended,
how so much is exchanged for that which
is neither needful nor helpful but is even
worse than needless, is harmful, how much
that is spent for useful things is not spent in
that proportion which the needs of the cause
warrant in each instance; it would seem that
more care and attention should be given to
the value OF money and to the question OF
| how one could hest use the means which
God has enabled him to have and which he
should hold in trust to be used as God may
direct.
The chief value Of money is its purchasing
power, its exchangcability. In this sense, 1t
is of little or no value except as it is used to
procure something else, IL money had no
purchasing power, could rot be exchanged
Tor food and shelter and clothing, nor be used
to make men hoier and happier and more
useful, of what practical use, pray, would 1t
be to us or to anybody else? Who would
then devote his time and talents and altcn'
ton to securing money? But seeing how
desirable and serviccable money is when du.
" valued and when rightly acquired and
uscd-when it is priced and sought, not as
an end in itself and much less as means to
an unholy and undesirable end, but as a very
useful and desirable means to further the in
terests of Christ's cause and kingdom among
men by helping to promote their physical,
mental and spiritual well being seeing how
desirable and seryiceable money is when thus
p1 operly valued and used, may Gods grace
be vouchsafed to make US both willing and
able to SO use our time and talents aid means
as shall best promote His honor and glory
and benefit man.
"Looking unto Christ, the author and per
fecter of our faith, who for the joy that was
set before Him." and out of love for fallen
and needy and helpless men, sc ldurcd the
cross, despislng shame Qieb. II: 2, Rey
Ver.) may our every act and thought and
look attest that we value and desire to use
money only as means to- honor God among
men and by blessing them. Amen.