Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-28
MINISTER IN
SERMON RAPS
SPECTLAT TORS
fWALL STREET, WEIGHED, IS
FOUND WANTING"
RAPID TRANSIT INVESTIGATION
FURNISHES MATERIAL
none Verse Of chrIst's Teaching More
Powerful Than a Volume OF
ZoIa or BaIzac," De-
,cIares Pastor

'"Thli rapid transit investigation of New
York reveals men of high position VINO
have placed wealth before Jesus, SAID
Rev. William Horace Day in his sermon
on Jesus Social Principles as Applied TO
Wealth." at the First Congregations
church last night.
Il "a paper railroad was bought for $780,
10. but it was paid for with check for
$685.. .OoOl' continued Mr.. Day. THE diff
seren. 9 ore man was instructed to pay
with his own checks to six parties as
Sreft
'The whole amount stands to this day
on the books Of the Metropolitan Securi-
ties company as the cost Of the road. The
gambling of the last fat years OF pros
perity has risen to such proportions that
1T took a cataclysm to stun the drunken
gamblers of Wall street.
Last week there flashed out above the
palace of stocks, Weighed In the balance
and found wanting Unless we hear the
voice of Jesus calling and learn Of him
to use money as a means to gaining the
kingdom of neighborliness and love we
shall all likewise perish.
s'The prophet of Nazareth had great
deal to say about wealth: Blessed are ye
poor-woe unto you that are rich; ana
again, How hardly shall they that have
riches enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Do we hear in these sayings the voice OF
abusing the rich? A study of all his
words on this subject shows that he saw
in wealth not that which was evil IN
itself, but something which had possibili-
ties and perils in the relation to life.
Divine Order First
.TIis fundamental principle of life was
tnat which seeks first the kingdom OF
God, or the divine social order, and the
Righteousness of God, or the divine char
acter The abundant life which expressed
the filial spirit toward God and the frater-
nal spirit toward man is to be put first.
When the possession of wealth is put
first 1t Is a peril; when 1t Is confined
within the limits as a means to that life
it has possibilities
There is strange parable in which
Jesus uses an embeZzler to show the
thing really worth while in human rela-
ton. This man was bad, and yet he hit
upon profound fact in providing for his
future needs after losing his place by
using money to promote friendship with
the men who did business with his lord.
He was commended because he had found
what the rich fool of another story and
the cold -blooded but honest Pharisee had
not found-the supreme use of Nancy In
promoting the neighborly spirit.
Because great thing had happened
when the rich publican. Zacchaeus, de-
cfded TO restore fourfold for all he had
defrauded, and to give half Of his goods
to the poor, because his heart was open
to the wish to live the brotherly life, Je-
sus said, Today is salvation como to this
house,
Possibilities of Wealth
''The possibilities of wealth serving in the
cause of life and the kingdom Jesus con-
tinually presents. The parable of the tai
ents commends the thrift of the servants
who used the investment to serve their
lord Even for the very poor. for those
who have very little, two mites Is enough
to win commendation because 1t was gen
erously used. The self-sacridce of wealth
was blessed whether it was much or lit
tie If it was real sacrifice for the sake OF
others.
with terrible distinctness our Lord
warned his time against the perils OF
money. In that wonderful story of the
rich fool he packed into a paragraph what
Balzac or Zola would have attempted in a
yolume-a bit of realism which would
sound It's warning to all time. The brutal
materialism Of self-satisfied wealth. its
blindness to real values. and to the uncer-
tainty of life breathes in the words. Soul
thou hast much goods laid up for many
wears; take thine ease, eat, DRINK and
be merry Absolute disregard of seeking
the kingdom of God or of his righteous
ness Complete unconsciousness of social
obligation-that private wealth is pub
lie trust.
''To them that trust in riches comes the
warning Worship of mammon and the
soul is dead Today we are repeatedly
aware of the difficulty which Jesus ex.
pressed, How hardly shall they that have
riches enter into the kingdom