Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-01-28
Wealth in the Service of Ideaijsm

Owe talk too much and think too much
about money. We should talk and think
about men and women" This is the gist
Of an interview of James Creelmar of TIE
New York World with the Rev. DR..
Leighton Parks the great broad church.
man of Boston who is to succeed the Rev
DR.. Greer in the pulpit of st. Bartholo-
news Church in New York with the
richest congregation and the most extern
sive parish organization in the country.
There is a large element of truth in this
ton divine. In far too many directions
money has come to overshadow all other
things. We despise the titled fortune hun
ter who unblushingly comes to our Ameri-
can shores seeking an heiress with a
generous dot regardless of nearly every
other consideration. and yet if we analyze
motives with sufficient care and clear
erous directions, where the seeker after
a matrimonial Eldorado. offcnds in one.
We are inclined to sacrifice everything
else to ealth,-homc, religion and all that
we should hold most dear, as well as the
moralities and the golden rule are in
many instances made to pay the price
of mere acquisition of riches. Culture and
art itself are made secondary considera-
tions, until 1t is to be feared we have
come to merit the reproach. which
even the titled heress hunter himself
with nonchalant Inconsistency docs not
hesitate to heap upon us, of being a ma
ton of money worshippors.
Fortunately there is another side of the
picture, which is not without its mstruc-
tive features. If the Rev. Or. Parks will
consider a moment, he will fully realize
that the magnificent organization of which
he is about to take charge, could not have
been built up by his predecessor without
liberal appeals for money. He will appro-
ciate the fact that but for the generous
some of the grandest institutions of our
land now engaged in the most helpful
forms of service, would not be in exist
ence. In short even the pulpit itself. when
it comes to the great cause Of Christian
service at home and the carrying Of light
to heather lands must talk money and
talk it much, if these commendable lines
Of work are to be continued on an ever
increasing scale and with ever increasing
effectiveness.
We would amend DIR. Parkers dictum
and say that we talk money too much
is some directions. We would not stop
people talking about money and its logi-
gf o ton, e.t,, Lee
change the direction. We would constant
ly emphasize the fact that while personal
service counts it is true in no less degree
that the good that men do with their
money lives after them. We would have
people of wealth constantly Impressed
with the idea that he who aids
poor but deserving young mon and young
women to gain an education ana prepare
for lifes work and who spends part of
his riches in carrying flowers and sun
shine and elevating influences as woll as
necessaries into poverty stricken homes
as truly provides a monument, as lie who
erects memorial structure or builds "A
gorgeous mausoleum. In short We would
talk money as n means of accomplishing
an infinite amount of good in this world
and not as an end in itself to be de-
voted to selfish self-ndugence or nero
ostcntatious display In this way it is I'M
possible to talk too much about money
for it must lead to talk of men and women
and of how to improve their condi-
tons. II this is what DR. Sparks means
when he speaks of idoalism conquering