Mexico Missouri message., 1905-04-20

resist saying TO those Concerned: take
care; do not confound what you possess
with what you are. Go learn to know
the underside of worldly splendor.
that you may feel its moral misery and
its pucrllity." The traps pride sets
for us ara too ridiculous. We should
dlstrust association with n thing that
makes us hateful to our nclghbors and
rObs us Of clearness of vision
lie who yields to the pride Of riches
fOrgets this other point, the most i'm
portant - all, that possession is a pub
lie trust. Without doubt Individual
wealth is ~ legitimate MS individual
existence and liberty These things
are inscparablc, ard It is dream
pregnant with dangers that offers bat.
tie to such Fundamentals OF life. But
the individual touches society at every
point, and ill he docs should he done
with the whole IN view. Possession,
then, is less q privilege Of which to he
proud than charge whose gravity
should be felt. As there is an appren-
ticcship, often very difficult to serve,
for the exercise OF every social office, so
this profession we call wealth demands
an apprenticeship TO know how to
be rich is an art, and one Of the least
easy Of arts to master. Most people,
rich and poor alike, imagine that in
opulencc one has nothing 10 do but to
take life easy. That Is why SO few
men know how TO he rich. In the hands
Of too many wealth, according to the
genial and redOuhtnblc comparison Of
Luther is like a harp in the hoofs of
an ass. They have no idea Of the man.
nor Of its use
SO when we encounter man at once
rich and simple-that is to say, who
considers his wealth as n means Of full
filling his mission I'm the wOrld-wc
should offer him our homage, for he Is
surely mark worthy. lie has sur
mounted obstacles, borne trials and trl-
umphcd in temptations, both gross and
subtle. lie does not fail to discrmi-
nate between the contents of his pock-
ctbOOk and the contents Of his head or
heart and lie does not estimate his
follow men i'm figures. His exceptional
position, instead OF CXalting him.
makes him humble, for he is very sen
slble Of how far he falls short of reach
Ing the level OF his duty. lie has re.
manned n man. That says 1t ALL lie
is accessible, helpful and far from
of his wealth n barrier to sep
aratc him from other men; he makes it !
Il means for coming nearer ana nearer
to them. Although the profession Of |
riches has been so dishOnorcd by the |
selfish and the proud, such man as |
this always makes his worth felt by |
every one not devoid of sense Of jus. |
tice. Each of us who comes in contact |
with him and sees him live is forced to |
look within and ask himself the uues.
ton, what would become of me in |
such a situatlOn-shOuld / keep this |
modesty, this naturalness, this upright. /
ness which uses its own rs though it .
belonged to others" SO long as there
IS human society in the world 50 long
rs there are bitterly conflicting inter
osts, so long as envy ana CgOism exist
IN the earth, nothing will be worthicr
IF honor than wealth permeated by the
spirit Of simplicity. And it will do
more than make itself forgiven; it will
make itself beloved.
More dangerous than pride inspired
~ wealth is that inspired by power,
md l mean by the word every preroga-
i've that enc man has over another, be
It unlimited or restricted. l see no
means Of preventing the existence in
he world of men of unequal authority.
Every organism suppOses a hierarchy
If powers; we shall never escape from
hat law. But l fear that if the love
If power is 50 widespread the spirit of
power is almost impossible to find.
From wrong understanding and mis-.
Use Of it those who keep even n frac-
ion Of authority almost everywhere
succeed in compromising it.
Power exercises great influence
Dver him who holds it. \ head must