Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-09-08


the darkness could together Ill the
same room. The love Of silver is from
the devil. The love Of Christ Is of
God The Bible distinctly says II. "Ye
cannot serve God and Maminon" Ye
cannot serve two masters. For either
You will hate the one and love the
other or else YOU will hold 10 the one
and dcspisc the other. The house divld
ell against itself cannot stand. There
fore. my friends. you who are giving
your lives more and more 10 the acqui.
sition Of wealth are NJ the divergent
forks Of two roads. Either you will have
TO surrender your love for gold or else
you will have to surrender your love
for Jesus christ There is no doubt
about IT, The love of silver Is sin.
Aud unless man Is ready TO sur.
render all sin he cannot become one
with Christ
Not impractical.
ooh" says some man to me. that IL
absurd You are taking an impractlca-
BILE view of life DO you mean to tell
me that all merchants who are selling
their goods over n counter. that all real
estate spectators who are trying TO
make profit out OF their land. that all
CLERKS and mechanics and lawyers and
doctors and professors and scientists
and authors aud labOrcrs who are
earning their weekly wages are antag-
Onistic to Jesus Christi" No my
friend. never said that. Thousands
and tens Of thousands aud hundreds OF
thousands OF men who are working In
the busy Inarts Of trade are doing this.
not for love of silver but for what that
silver will do for them and their loved
ONES. They are working for their chill
drcn's education They are working
to put homes over their loved ones
heads. They are working. as did Peter
Cooper to build some institution OF
mercy. But you know Just NJ well rs
| know that there are thousands and
hundreds of thousands of men who.
having all their temporal necessities
supplied. are not working for any com
potency or even for the luxuries OF
life. but In order that they may have
power and fame and position: in order
that they may yet make men how and
worship them: In order that they may
BEHOLD. Is not this great Babylon that
| have built Behold behold Now.
whenever any man comes To the posi-
ton where he Is loving gold for Colds
sake and power for powers sake and
fame for flames sake. then that man Is
crowding the love of Jesus Christ out
of his heart Paul was tentmaker.
But Paul never made tents in order
that he might build n palace and own
thousand acres of land. Paul made
tents In order that lie might earn
enough money 10 pay his way TO
preach the gospel. And when any man
loses sight of the true purpose for
which We are given the opportunities
Of working for money then that man
becomes spiritual outcast. "Ye can
not serve God and MammOn." ie can
not love silver and love Christ AT the
same time
was never more impressed with the
fact that Il false love can crowd out
our love for Jesus Christ than when,
short time ago. | saw the copy of a
picture entitled "Despised and Reject
ed OF Mem" The artist did not de-
pict Christ in the oriental Judgment
hall Of PLATE He did not have Jesus
surrounded by Hebrew scoffers in He
brew dress. while he staggered under
his cross through the Jerusalem gates
on his way TO Calvary. The artist did
not lift that cross. rs we have always
seen IL. between two thieves. But this
cross of Christ seemed 10 be hung upon
one OF the pillars of the subtreasury
building of Wall street. New York.
Then as these American scoifers
passed by wagging their heads and
sneerng. each one seemed 10 he alb
sorbed In just one Illicit love. There
was the druniard clinging TO his bot
tie. There was the libcrtine with wan
ton eyes watching his prey. There was
the bishop In his gorgeous robes think
ing more OF ecclesiastical honors than
OF wOrShlplng AT the cross. There was
the maiden dressed in the latest fash
ion. seeming 10 say. Come. world.
come and worship me and my beauty"
There was the politician renching after
fame. And there was the miser or the
banker whose god was gold. As
watched the long line of men and
women who were rejecting Christ. each
on account of his one Illicit love this
miscr seemed 10 speak and TO stand
out before me rs the most dcspicable
OF all
why They Reject Him.
seemed To see him lift his golden
coins and drop them back into the
wIthered palm OF his hand ~ he said:
"Ah. We beauties. how love Ia hear
the music Of your ring | worship you
for what you have done for me. You
have sent my ships across the sea TO
bring Ia me the wealth Of other lands.
You have made men grunge aud whine
at my feet You have built me houses,
aye. thousand OF them. You have
given me lands and covered them with
rufI,.,,Is Nnu hnVa rnuI.s fhp mines