Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-03-07
* A MANS EFFECTS ~

A Sermon by Bishop w. A. Gambler.
In the commonplace phrases cur
REM among men. very insignificant
convictions are often registered.
For example, we speak of the doc
ument by which one disposes of hts
property after his death as his
viii" We do not call II his intellect
nor his conscience. but his will. =
And such. indeed. II is. In wills Of
ten there is neither intelligence nor
conscience revealed. but only capri
cious. prejudiced, eccentric will
Not a few men who leave estates
are found at the close OF life TO be
decrepit in mind and infirm in con-
science, but endowed with athletic
wills. The law allows them to have
their will, and even their wilfulness
within certain limits. when they
come TO dispose OF their property.
Another significant phrase with
which we describe the holding OF n
man wnen ne departs this life is
that which stands as the caption OF
this article; we call what he has left
his effects" Now, an effect points
TO cause. ana partakes OF the ma
ture OF the cause from which 1t
arises. What a commentary is ex-
pressed upon a life when we de-
scribe all its effects" as so much
property! A man came through the
world I'm which good and evil were
struggling for the mastery, and
when he finished his career the re-
suit of his life, his total consequence
as a living cause in the earth, we
reckon to be so much effects" in
the region of finance and money
getting.
His. chief characteristic is found
not in what he was. but in what he
had. not in himself. but in his pos
sessions. He is spoken of in terms
OF revenue. Detached from what he
possessed perhaps he would not be
thought OF at ALL At his death his
contemporaries think more of the
destination OF his estate than the
destination of his soul. for his accu-
mutations bulk larger in public es-
TEEN than his self. Manifestly his
friends and neighbors regard such a
man as an instrument OF acquisi-
ton only, since the main result of
his heying lived in the earth is his
effects" His name Is a convenient
label for his lands and houses, but
suggests little else. He is described
in one OF the psalms in these words
Their inward thought is that their
houses shall continue forever, and
their dwelling places to all genera
tons; they call their lands after
their own name"
But can man afford to be only
an instrument OF acquisition? Is
It worthy thing for one to so live
that as a force among men he takes
effect only through his "effects?"
The winning OF wealth is not in
itself an ignoble thing. But 1t may
easily become so. If the effort TO win
wealth aims at wealth as an end in
itself. rather than as means to
higher ends, it becomes thoroughly
ignoble and positively degrading.
But II one who has the power to
get gain, looks beyond what he gets,
and seeks to transform his accumu-
lations into higher forces for the
welfare of men and the glory of God,
his efforts may rise to the level of
worship and his success become al
most sacramental.
We have heard much talk Of "
tainted money" but the discussion
has proceeded foi the most part on
the false theory that money can
only be tainted by the methods by
which It is acquired. But money
may be tainted by the way it Is
made, or by the way 1t is kept. OF
by the way It is expended. The
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