Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-05-04
TRUE HAPPINESS NOT IN GOLD.
By Rev. j. Falk Vidaver.

And the Lord said unto Aaron: In
their land shalt thou have no inner.
itance, and no portion shalt thou
have among them. l am they portion
and thy Inheritance among the chill.
dren of Israel.-Numbers 1S 20.
Signs, emblems, symbols, examples
Illustrations and pictures are the best
the most effective means of instruction
The ardent Biblical prophets re-
celved and delivered divine messages
by signs and symbols. The power, the
influence of religious instruction by
signs and symbols, is unspeakably
great.
The idea of imparting religious les
sons by signs and symbols was first
conceived by the Prophet Moses. He
was unquestionably the most practical
pedagogue that the world has ever pro-
duced. He undertook to educate re-
liglously 100000 ignorant slaves with
out the assistance of teachers and
without the aid of textbooks, but mere
ly by signs and symbols.
He also appointed his brother as
high priest, who, by his mode Of liv-
ing and by his apparel, should serve
his people as a model and living eX-
ample. His white linen garments
should teach them a lesson Of purity,
cleanliness and neatness. His mode
of living, again, should enable them to
attain true happiness.
I'm their land shalt thou have no in
heritance and no portion" etc. 81 am
thy portion and thy inheritance" etc.
From these words we plainly see that
the high priest was strictly prohibited
from owning any property, from pos
sessing earthly goods.
1t seems to me tnat in our present
day and more especially in this cOun-
try, an Office like that Of the high
priest of old could not so easily be
filled because it would debar its in
cumbent from the acquisition Of riches.
In this country it is generally con-
ceded that life without ambition to
be wealthy is not worth living. But
In order fully to appreciate the wis
dom contained in our text we must as
certain the meaning of the word riches
as understood by the great men Of all
ages. In common parlance, the term
riches expresses an abundance Of valu-
able properties and large bank &c.
count. The lack Of all these Is called
poverty.
In the estimation of the great men of
the Biblical and post-Blbllcal history
riches consisted in spiritual treasures,
in the possession of fertile imaglna-
tion, a clean conscience, a pure mind.
q noble character and a heart over
flowing with Righteousness. These
heaven-born qualities are productive of
true happiness with them the poorest
man Is rich; without them the rich
est man Is poor.
Hence the Lord said to the high
priest in the words of our text, II am
thy portion and thy inheritance.
These words suggested to Aaron that
godliness, holiness and ideallsm are
superior to. all earthly possessions.
King Midas, who was so happy and
overjoyed in the realization of his wish
to see everything he touched trans
formed into gold, and whose happiness
soon was marred when discovering
also that his food which he would eat
and water and wine which he would
drink turned to Jumps Of gold, may be
looked upon as prototype Of innum-
cradle individuals who In their
greed for riches render their lives I'M
happy and miserable. In vain, there
fore, may we ask for true happiness
In the mansions of millonaires, In the
palaces of kings and sovereigns.
There is, however, in the human
body little organ, the size of an
orange, which everyone wears In his
bosom. mean the heart-wherein
true happiness sometimes dwells. If
the heart Is faithful, devotional, God
loving If the heart Is free from selfish
ness, envy, Jealousy, and discomfort,
then 1t becomes an abode Of true hap
piness.