Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-11-06
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning Nov. 10, 1907.
Rv REV. s. a. DOYlE.

Topic.-The greed for gold-Prov. xxiii,
4, 5; Luke xii, 1871.
The emphasis in Ibis topic must be
right enough. in itself ana is wonder
full blessing to mankind, but that
which needs to be condemned is the
lnsatiate greed for gold that leads men
to sacrifice their honor. their friends,
their regulations and their very hope
for heaven. 1t is to be denounced and
preached against. Fer gold Benedict
ARNOLD sold his country, Lord Bacon
his judicial honor and Judas Iscariot
his Lord Men high in financial insti-
buttons have become defaulters, and
widows and orphans have suffered,
and men who have had their all in
trusted to their care have lost it and
have often been driven to dependency
and despair.
The astounding and revolving reve-
1ations in recent years of the financial
frauds in car political and business
life have ap!a.,ed the people. But, aft
Ter all, the.e is more honesty in the
world thSn the average man imagines.
I'VE only Lear tae stories of the COM
paratively fes-- rascals who defraud
the public. ruin banks and deceive the
people il various ways to satisfy their
greed for gold Of the vast thousands
who ho@cs IL fulfill their trusts. who
honestl,' &c. u.ce a fortune, not word
is SAL. AID therefore we think often
that there is no honesty in the world;
that eg-e-y rich man is scoundrel.
Moreover, It is q serious question If
I'VE have not taken a wrong attitude IN
dealing with mans desire for gold.
1T is practically universal desire.
Few men would refuse fortune. Gold
has its value, and to despise it is to
show spirit of hypocrisy or of fool
dshness. 1t can be used as powerfully
for good as for evil.
Gold plays prominent part in every
phase of life--the individual. home.
church and state. 1t erects our hos
pitfalls. asylums, philanthropic homes,
and makes possible the necessities and
comforts of life; hence it does seem
that the keynote in relation to money
should be its proper accumulation and
dts proper use. Trades and denuncia-
tions, should have little place in deal
Ding with such tremendous problems.
Men need instruction in finding the
proper solution of their attitude to-
ward the natural craving for wealth.
Honesty in requirement should be en-
phasized, and the dangerous results Of
dishonesty should be made prominent.
Furthermore, men should be taught
that the greatest joy in gold is not
simply the use of it for self, but for
the good and happiness Of others.
But, after all is said, gold has its
dangers. The desire for it is great
and often turns to sinful greed,
whether a man has much or little. 1t
Is the love of money, a false. insatiate
love of it, that is root of evil. The
poorest may sinfully love 1t as well as
the richest Of men.
There are several serious facts that
should warn US against a sinful greed
for gold: a. It's uncertainty. Labor
not to be rich, for riches GER
tainly make themselves wings Moth
ing of great importance in life is so
uncertain as riches. In a moment, in
a day, our money may take wings.
Should we set our hearts wholly and
absolutely upon such an uncertain
factor in our lives? ~ The sinful
greed for gold may lead us to take a
false attitude toward Christ. 1t did
so with the man who came to Christ to
ask Him to divide the inheritance. He
saw in Christ petty judge instead of
a mighty Saviour. The rich young
man who came to Christ could give
up all for Him but his money. and in
stead Of following Him he went away
from Him. How many are kept from
Christ because Of their evil love for
money and their evil use of it! 81 The
sinful greed for gold leads us to over
rate Its value. Gold will do much, but
1t won't save the soul or feed it. This
was the mistake of the rich fool in
Christ's parable. He thought he could
feed his soul on material things. He
said. Soul, thou hast much goods laid
up for many years-eat drink and be
merry" as If the soul could be fed on
his much goods. Only Christ, the
bread of life, can satisfy our souls.
All the gold and all earth's other treas
ures cannot save or support the soul.
Make no mistake in thinking that 1t
can do so in your case.
RIFLE READINGS.
Deut. wifi. Hill; Job xviii, 12-1S;
xxi. 24-2S; Ps. xix, 40; Prov. iii.
ITO; xviii, 20; Tim. vi, 9-12; Jas. v.
Is; Rev. iii, 1922.