Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-04-07

| see skuking In the distance other
forms. They are the robbers and the
thieves and the highwaymen. They are
the murderers who for one roll of cloth
would be willing 20 cut n mans throat.
They are the same kind or bloodthirsty
human demons as were those pirates
who were supposed to have captured
the sailing vessels in which the beautl-
fui Theodosia. wife OF Governor Aston
OF South Carolina and daughter Of the
famous Aaron Burr. sailed to meet her
father in New York. Rumor tells us
that this beautiful woman, with her
hands tied behind her back, was com
PEELED TO walk the plank that her cap
tors might possess her wardrobe. So
these dark figures skulkipg behind on
the oriental hillsldes are the robbers w.
ing In wait for their prey. II these mer-
chantmen hesitate one hour I'm unload
Ing their camels and In making them
go through the eye OF the needle, down
these miscreants will swoop. They will
STAY the owners and carry away the
goods as rich spells.
Dangerous Road.
III these two merchants had been only
humble peasants, if they had been go
ing afoot or astride a cheap four foot
ell beast OF burden. such as Mary, the
mother Of Jesus. rode when Joseph, the
carpenter. was taking her down to
Bethlehem the night before the most
memorable OF all Christmas days, no
attention would have been paid them,
but there they are this evening riding
camels. Each camel Is worth q large
| sum OF money. Each one OF these cam.
els was heavily laden with the richest
OF merchandise. DO you wonder that
those robbers skulking upon the hill
| sides are on the aierti And do you also
wonder that rich men always have the
robbers towering around them. ready
to steal their morals. their good names,
their souls as well as their gold? The
Weather man becomes. the higher
up the ladder OF fame he climbs. the
more awful are the destroying mon
sters who hover above him and flank
him and crawl beneath him. II hear
you are In great danger" said friend
10 church member as he was leaving
the service one Sunday morning. why
do you warn me thus?" asked the gen
tieman. BECAUSE" answered the
friend. II hear you are becoming rich.
Take care, for II is the road by which
the devil leads thousands to destruc-
uon. No man has great wealth IN
less at the same time the moral thieves
are ready to steal his good name and
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 ap 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: ''Dr. Chapman. pray
for me. Oh. pray for me hardr' what
Is the matter, many" asked DR. Chan
man. Are you not making n 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 It sweeping me away
from God. oh, DIR. Chapman. pray for
met Pray for me hardr' My friends.
are you making great success In life?
Then the demoniac robbers are ready
to come and steal from you your safe
| ty in Jesus Christ.
Like Man Who Send. . Substitute.
But. after all, / 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 do not mean the rich man is un-
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, be Is like a man
drafted as soldier to fight for his
country who sends a substitute He Is
man who gets others to do bis gospel
singing and others to do his gospel
praying aud others TO do his gospel
preaching anu sometimes others TO do
Ills visiting. and thus he himself be-
/ comes spiritual nonentity.
Let me illustrate my thought by a
simple story. Some years ago one of
the most prominent physicians In the
east had very wealthy patient who
was nervous and for the most part
n bedridden physical wreck. I.istless
and without 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 lie
| hit upon glorious idea. He came Into
the room and said: Madam, / want
you to help a hospital for crippled chill.
drensin' which I am very much iuter.
ested. I want YOU to teke there some
dolls for my little patients" "Oh, doc
tor" said she, ~ cannot go. The sight
or suffering always has a bad effect
upon nae. But &c you wish viii give
you Sl.eOo 10 send some one else In INV
place. Then I viii give another $1,000
Tor my messenger TO buy the dolls"
NO. said the physician, AZ do not
want that. ! want you, and. further.
more. / want you to make the dolls
'feia SSStf VWh tQuI i
| may tell my patients you made them"
Wen, to be brief, the rich lady did as
her physician wanted. She found after
awhile she had enough strength to co
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 n sick woman to be Wis.,
tied you send some one else Go your
self. When there IN n mission TO be
started In the slunis with your pocket
book you hire missionary. You be a
misslonary-go yourself. No one can
DO the work as we'll as you. Ii there
Is a Sunday school superintendent or
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