The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-09-03
Calnna9e
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talma6e. D. d.

Los Angeles, Cal. Sept. LIN this
sermon for Labor day the preacher
shows 1t to be the duty of those who
have prospered to make generous
and coIlsiderate use of their wealth,
instead Of regarding it as a means to
minister to their own seltishness. The
text is Luke xii. II. What shall do
because ! have 70 room where to l.,
stow my fruits?''
The chief character Of my text is an
old miser. He is just like thousands
of men and women we see in daily
life or read about In the newspapers
He was evidently one of the agricul-
tural leaders of the east Perhaps he
started as poor boy. He may have
been one Of the immigrants who came
to Jerusalem during HerOds admins
tration. He may have been born in
Italy and have gone to Syria to seek
his fortune. In this faroff province
of the east he hires himself out as a
farm hand. He saves his wages and
works hard. But he has keen mind
as we'll as a willing hand. He buys
little farm. There is a period of
prosperity. The crops grow larger
and larger He begins to have money
to invest. and he places mortgages
upon his neighbors' farms and merci-
lessly forecloses them. His landed
estate widens. He is one of those for
tunate or unfortunate beings who.
having an absorbing passion for gold
find everything turn to gold that they
touch. He builds great granaries. and
they are always full. His sheep AMI
cattle are browsing everywhere. His
horses are the finest. His soil is the
richest Though he has many barns.
the increasing crop is SO great that he
does not know what to do with it.
He has more than he can use. In
other words. he is embarrassed with
the abundance of his riches. What
shall do with all this crop!' he asks
himself. Il must build larger barns.
Then l will store away 50 much that
/ will never have to work any more
and Just live to enjoy my wealth"
Folly Of Surplus Wealth.
Let me read you the story: "And he
said, This will l dol will pull down
my barns and build greater, and there
will l bestOw all my fruits and my
goods" Though he had more than
he could use, he still kept gathering In
He doubtless thought himself a most
successful man, and his neighb0rs, If
they were such people as live in our
times, envied him and looked up to
him with reverence. But Christ tells
us that there was another opinion Of
his life and character, and that. too,
by one who held life and death In his
hands. God said he was fool.
Now, it is terrible thing for God
to say that of any one. for his judg
ment is true. None Of us would like
him to say that Of us. Then we must
be careful to avoid these faults, for
God judges now by the same stand
ard as he did in the time of this rich
farmer Now, as his fault related to
his surplus wealth, it is an appropri-
ate subject for consideration on this
Sunday preceding Labor day.
Thoughts on Labor Day.
would say to successful man:
You know you are in affiuence. You
know you have more than you can eat
up or wear out. You know that you
are boarding up more money than will
ever be good for your children to in
herit. II you are a wise father. you
will compel them to work for their
living, as you worked for yours. 1t
will be better for you, instead Of de-
veloping your Righteousness, to learn
the gospel law Of giving and Of help
ing. And today want to tell you
whom you ought to help with your sur
plus wealth.
First, when you begin to prosper in
life you should be willing to aid those
who have been directly or Indirectly
the means Of making 1t possible for
you to achieve the success which is
yours. You should extend the hand Of
gratitude to those who helped develop
you In your babyhood and boyhood and
youth and manhood. You should think
Of your father and mother in the old
homestead, of your old teachers and
Of your old employers. They have a
claim on you, for they devoted their
lives to your interest, and you should
now recognize the obligation to help
such of them as need your help.
Then, too, there are your employees.
No man ever wins his success alone.
l always like to compare life to great
battle. A general has campaign to
fight. What does he do? Does he
take gun and a sword and go forth
and fight that battle single handed?
No. He first collects an army made up
Of many soldiers. Then he organizes
those soldiers and drills them. He
drafts those soldiers from the best
homes all over the land He gathers
them from the stores and the factories.
Then he sets his army in motion and