Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-09-07
CalnaQe
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Tslmaee, ID. d.

sermon for Labor day the preacher
elbows Il TO be the duty of those who
have prospered 10 make generous
and considerate use of their wealth.
instead of regarding it as means 10
minister to their own selfishness. The
text is Luke xii, II, "What shall no.
because have no room where TO De-
stow my fruits"
The chief character Of my text Is an !
old miser He is just Ike thousands
OF men and women we see IN daily
life or read about in the newspapers
He was evidently one Of the agricui-
tural leaders of the east Perhaps ne
started as a poor boy. He may nave
heen one of the immigrants who came
70 Jerusalem during Herods admins
tration. He may have been Dorm III
italy and have gone TO Syria TO seek
his fortune. In this faron province
of the east he hires himself OUT as
farm hand. He saves his wages ana
works hard. But he has keen nina
os we'll as a willing hand. He buys
n little farm. There Is a period Oh
nrosnerity. The crops grow larger
and larger. He begins to have money
70 invest. and he places mortgages
unon his neighbors' farms and mercl-
Iessly forecloses them. His iandeo
estate widens. He is one OF those ior-
tunate or unfortunate beings who'
having an absorbing passion for gold'
find everything turn to gold that they
touch. He builds great granaries, ana
they are always full. His sheep ana
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 ne
does not know what to do with IT,
He has more than he can use. In
other words, he is embarrassed wltn
the abundance of his riches. "What
shall do with all this crop?' he asks
himself 81 must build larger barns
Then l will store away so much tha'
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 ht
said. This will 1 dol will pull dowI
nv barns and build greater, and there
will l bestow all my fruits ana IN!
GOODS" Though he had more thai
he could use, he still kept gathering Ill
He doubtless thought himself mos
successful man, and his neighbors, i
they were such people as live In ou'
times, envied him and looked up L
him with reverence. But Christ tell
us that there was another opinion o
his life and character, and that, toC
nv one who held life and death in HI
hands. God said he was fool.
Now. 1t is a terrible thing for Co
TO say that Of any one, for his 1uag
ment is true. None Of us would nk
him to say that Of us. Then we mus
be careful to avoid these faults, 10
God Judges now by the same stanC
ard as he did in the time Of this ric
farmer. Now, as his fault related I
his surplus wealth, it is an appropr
ate subject for consideration on tn
Sunday preceding Labor day.
Thoughts on Labor Day.
would say to q successful maj
You know you are In athuence. 70
know YOU have more than you can e'
I'D or wear out. You know that yo
are boarding up more money than WI
ever be good for your children 10
herit. If you are wise father, yC
will compel them to work for the
living, as you worked for yours.
will be better for you, instead OF q
veloping your RIGHTEOUSNESS, to leal
the gospel law of giving and OF bel
ing. And today l want to tell "
whom you ought to help with your 81
plus wealth.
First, when you begin to prosper
life you should be willing to aid tho
who have been directly or Indirect
the means Of making it possible 4
YOU to achieve the success which
yours. You should extend the hand
gratitude to those who helped devel
YOU in your babyhood and bOyhood a
youth and manhood. You should thi
of your father and mother in the
homestead, Of your old teachers a
of your old employers. They have
claim on you, for they devoted tn
lives to your interest, and you shol
fHn
such of them as need your help.
Then, too, there are your employe
No man ever wins his success alo
always like to compare life to gr'
battle. A general has a campaign
fight. What does he do? Does
take a gun and a sword and go TO
and fight that battle single hand'
No. He first collects an army made
of many soldiers. Then he organi
those soldiers and drills them.
drafts those soldiers from the Q
homes all over the land. He gath
them from the stores and the factor
Then he sets his army in motion
burls It against the TANKS of the
envy. and the lines are broken, and
hattie is won. Now, what would
think of a general who should &C
home from q war and say: Il OH
all. The credit is all mine" We
YOU not consider such man sci
man and an migrate? Who were
staff officers and the right hand mel
that general? Who were the sold
who did the weary sentinel duty
stormed the breastworks and ris
their lives to make his victory possi
Are not the soldiers to have any
In the triumph and In the reward
the nation?
A Word to Employers.
All, no! The true general ana