The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-04

The Saviour said to His disciples,
"Beware Of covetousnessn and by way
of illustrating His meaning, or rather,
giving a definition Of covetousness, He
gave them an account of farmer
who made u fine crop. and instead of
paving tithes, he built bigger barns,
hacked all his stuff away in them,
and congratulated himself upon the
abundance he had; but, the reader
will remember that the poor fellow
died that night and lost everything
he had
Covetousness wants everything in
sight. instead of being satisfied with
a sufficiency. The dog that had a
hone in his mouth became dissatisfied
when he saw his shadow in the water
Thinl<ing that shadow was another
doe. with another bone in his mouth,
he coveted that other bone, and all
tha world knows what happened--he
lost the bone that he had.
Abab was the X ing of Israel and had
everything or could have had every
thing. that ought to have satisfied
reasonable man; but, he saw. close
bv. a man who owned little vine
ward, and, as great, and as rich as
Ahab was. he got mad because
Naboth. the owner OF the little VINE
ward would not let him have it for
an herb patch. He went home and
fell down i'm a fit of the sulks and be-
haved very much like a spoiled child
All Bible readers viii remember how
Jezebel advised, and what means were
used to get that little piece of land.
The subsequent events are very thrill
ing. and. withal, should serve as
warming to all covetous people.
The great Alexander, history tells
MS. sull<ed i'm his palace because he
oil WV in r
dens. in Babylon. He had every other
kind of vine and flower and herb, but
he coveted one that would not grow
for him; and so he, like Ahab, was
miserable.
don't blame a mortal for desiring
to possess. to the extent of having
food and raiment, and a house to
shelter him from the storm; but when
n man wants everything he sees, and
lies awake at night devising schemes
that will enable him to crafty his
covetousness, he is getting to be
dangerous character-an enemy to his
race and a curse to himself.
Covetousness is the greatest sin of
this age. far surprising in its tenden-
cies and results any evil with which
we mortals have to contend. In sup
port of this statement, / point to the
combinations and monopolies which
have for their Interior purpose the
ruin of the poorer classes 1t is so, al
ready, that an individual enterprise
cannot sustain itself. However prom
Using it may be, it is only matter of
time when, larger enterprises, of like
character, managed by strong cor
porations, will either freeze it out,
perish ii out or absorb lit.
What does that mean? 1t means
that men, who were once independent,
must drop down to lower positions and
become the subordinate operatives, the
hired laborers of, and be subject to,
the control and direction of their mas
tiers, who. instigated. by covetousness,
formed combinations to enable them TO
disposses the weaker ones of what they
had and ought to have been permitted
to keep.
Naboth was put to death that Ahab
might get his little vineyard, and, in
like manner, the poor men of this
day, who own small business enter
prises and little farms are put to
death. financially, that the Ahabs may
make herb patches of their little pos
sessions.
In our imagination let US go to the
Judgment and watch the proceedings.
which are to be in accordance with
Justice The millionaires are there.
but, at first we do not recognize
them, they have shrunk SO, and look
so i'll at ease The Naboths have
smiles on their faces for ii seems that
the Judge is smiling upon them; and
think / hear Him saying, 'All the
wrongs you suffered there will be
righted here. They took from you
there, but they cannot take from you
here. Come We blessed of my father.
inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world"
"Step forth We oppressors of the
poor--ye mllionaires who, by your
covetousness and cruelty, made it so
hard for the poor to live; stand up
here, and give account of yourselves;
we rich men who rode in palace cars
and for a pretence worshipped on
Sundays, while your slaves We're toll
ing for you, when they should have
been resting; what have you to say
for yourselves"
They don look like millionaires-I
think they are trying to look like the
poor men and could they do so, /
think they would be glad to exchange
garments with the poorest mortal that
ever toiied and sweated. But they are
standing before the Judge, and they
know their cases are hopeless. They
remember that Abraham said to Dives:
Thou in thy lifetime hadst thy good
things, and Lazarus his evil things
and they can make no defence-offer
no plea.