Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-07-16
II 1nev nao. more money. Our mis-.

Il Iney nad more money. Our mis-
sionary societies are all poverty
stricken. The missionary force In
the great cities, on the. frontiers and
in heather lands could all be doubled
In twelve months II we had sufficient
means. This is true of all Christian
denominations. May God prosper the
people and then make them willing to
lay their gold at His feet!
Business men, exhort yon In the
name of the King to be diligent and
self-denying and frugal that success
may crown your efforts; for no one
can estimate the good that your
wealth can do to yourself, to your
family, to society, and to the kingdom
Of God in the world.
Let us now consider the perils OF
business success.
have exhorted you to fidelity
persistency, energy in your businest
life l have told you Of the glory
which comes with wealth, but would
be false to your highest interests II
| did not hold up before you some Of
the awful perils which confront the
man who makes great success In
business.
"What shall 1t profit man II he
gain the whole world and lose his OWE
soul?' No man can gain the whole
world, or millionth part OF the
world, but IL he gained the whole OF
1t at the cost of his soul 1t would be
calamitous bargain. The text means
simply that in the effort to gain
wealth many forfeit their own souls
The temptation is TO neglect the nigh
er for the lower, to give up the spir.
itual for the temporal, to give up the
unseen for the seen. How pitiful the
thought that men spend lifetime In
the vain effort to corral the world and
find themselves at last without soul
What does 1t mean by losing ones
soul? The expression is not eQuiva'
lent to being condemned, though Of
course it leads to perdition. The sou.
here spoken Of by Jesus means the
faculty In man which apprehends God
and goodness. Jesus says that the
man who pays too much attention tt
money getting is apt to lose the fac,
ulty by which he apprehends God and
spiritual things. He loses the faculty
because he refuses to use 1t. His eai
is dull to the voice Of God. His eye
Is clouded so that he cannot see the
beauty OF God, and by and by through
process of deterioration death comet
and the faculty Is lost. Oh, men, dc
not lose your souls! Keep your cal
open to the voice of God. Keep your
heart attuned to the will Of God; but
alas, alas! some before me have al
most lost their souls. In seeking Q
good thing they are giving up the
best thing.
Jesus said: ct Is easier for
camel to go through the eye Of {
needle than for rich man to enter
into the kingdom of God" and. "How
hardly shall a rich man enter the
kingdom of heaven" There are man!
peri,s about the gaining OF wealth
and the using OF it. We have al
seen the influence of wealth upoI
character. Too often 1t makes the
humble man proud. the generous mar
stingy, the charitable man suspicious
and the honest man dishonest. Some
times the man who makes the none,
escapes the perils. but succeeding gen
erations are almost inevitably cursed
by the wealth which they inherited
The Master knew human nature per
fectly, and so He said, "How hardl,
shall a rich man enter into the king
dom of heaven" There is one wa,
to escape from these perils, and
commend 1t to the rich, to those who
would be rich. and to all Christian
business men alike. Write the word,
Of my text in the front of your ledger
and on the tablets of your hearts
Thou shalt remember the Lord tn.
God, for 1t is He that giveth the,
power to get wealth"