Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-04-08

the devil leads thousands to destruc-
ton" No man has great wealth un-
less ut the same time the moral thieves
are ready to steal his good name ana
head him of from finding safety in the
city of God.
oh. the moral temptations which con-
front the rich. Only the power of the
Holy Spirit can safely overcome them.
One day gentleman entered the study
Of prominent New York pastor. This
pastor had once been leading minister
of the city of Philadelphia. where the
visitor had grown up under his preach
Ing as poor young man. But the
wheel of fortune had turned. From be-
Ing poor he was now growing fabu-
lousy rich. The wealth of Monte
Christie seemed to be his. No sooner did
he enter the pastors study in New
York than he said: DIR. Chapman. pray
for me. Oh. pray for me hard" what
Is the matter. MANI" asked DIR. Chap
man. Are you not making great sue
cess? Is not the world practically at
your feet?' "Ah, yesr came the blunt
answer. THAT is just the trouble. This
awful, whirling, rushing life of sue
cessful New Yorker is not only mad
dening. but feel 1t sweeping me away
from God. Oh, DIR. Chapman. pray for
me! Pray for me hardv' My friends,
are you making great success In life?
Then the demoniac robbers are ready
to come and steal from you your safe
ty i'm Jesus Christ
Like a Man who Sends a Substitute.
But. after all, l believe one of the
greatest moral and spiritual dangers
besetting the rich man is not innate
hardness of heart or selfishness, but
lack of personal Christian service. BY
this l do not mean the rich man is I'M
willing to do anything for Jesus Christ:
but, being rich, he gets others to do the
work he should be willing to do him
self. In other words. he is like a man
drafted as soldier to fight for his
country who sends a substitute. He is
a man who gets others to do his gospel
singing and others to do his gospel
praying and others to do his gospel
preaching and sometimes others to do
his visiting, and thus he himself be-
comes a spiritual nonentity.
Let me illustrate my thought by a
simple story. Some years ago one Of
the most prominent physicians in the
east had a very wealthy patient who
was a nervous and for the most part
q bedridden physical wreck. Listless
and without a particle Of ambition. she
stayed In her room week in and week
out, month after month. What to do
with her he knew not. But one day he
hit upon a glorious idea. He came into
the room and said: Madam. l want
you to help hospital for crippled chill
dren In which l am very much inter
ested. want you to take there some
dolls for my little patients" ''Oh. doe
tor" said she. Il cannot so. The sight
Of suffering always has bad effect
upon me- But If you wish | will give
place. Then l will give another $1,000
for my messenger to buy the dolls"
'No." said the physician. Il do not
want that l want you. and, further
more, / want you to make the dolls
dresses with your own hands. that
may tell my patients you made them"
Well, to be brief, the rich lady did as
her physician wanted She found after
awhile she had enough strength to go
downtown and buy the dolls. She
made the dolls dresses with her own
| fingers. She after awhile became
strong enough to visit the little pa
tients in their wards. And In caring
for and making them happy she made
her own self happy and well.
Rich man, rich woman. the reason
you do not grow in grace is because
you do not work for Jesus Christ.
When there is sick woman to be WIS.,
tied you send some one else. Go your
self. When there is a mission to be
started in the slums with your pocket
book you hire a missionary. You be a
missionary-go yourself. No one can
do the work as well as you. If there
is Sunday school superintendent or a
Sunday school teacher needed and your
pastor does not know where to turn do
not say: Pastor, here Is money. Hire
an assistant" Say: Pastor, here am
I. i want to help others, but l also
want to get the good which alone can
come from Christian service" Lord,
send me!' should be the cry of every
Christian man. whether he be rich or
poor.
Rich man. God is calling you to go
and work in his vineyard. The harvest
Is ripe; the laborers are few. What
would you think If when the thirteen
colonies We're in death grapple for
their liberties George Washington had
stayed at home and sent substitute
to the war? If George Washington. the
rich man. could afford to give up ev-
erything for his native land. you can
afford to give Christ your personal
service. Christ wants your money.
Yes, he also wants you. Woman. soci-
ETY. woman, woman with your dia-
monds and silks. you cannot afford to
send servant to represent you in
service for Jesus Christ. The reason
you and your husband are drifting