Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-01-01

WHO IS YOUR MASTER?
By Rev. P. A. Halpl1

By Rev. z. a. Halpln.
Ye cannot serve Sod and Mam1non.-
Matt vi, "a.
Christian ethics is logical, comprehen-
sive and immutable. Like its founder,
it is simple and unequivocal as well.
Theoretically, it appeals to reason II
experience. Practically, it is uplifting
and calls out what Is best i'll highest
manhood. 1t is for heroes and not for
weaklings.
That no man can serve God and
Mammon IS an %irrefutable inference
from the larger principle that no maj
can serve two masters. 1t implies that
man must have a master, that there are
but two masters-God and MammOn-
End that he annot serve both. 1t Oil
vidcs the race into three classes.
There are those who serve God, those
who serve MammOn and those who en-
deavor to serve both God inc Mammon.
1t is to these last that this particular
utteranCe Is made. The first Christ
embraces as His brethren. For the
second He has infinite pity. Fol the
last His scorn Is almost as
as His mercy. They are numerous,
these wastrels of humanity. What their
number God alone knows. In the blind
ness which seems their curse they act
as If they could hoodwink God. Christ
,.onfronts them with a dilemma which
they cannot escape. Both masters they
cannot serve, so they must come from
under cover and declare themselves. All
hat is left for them to do is to give up
one or the other master. Let them adj
vance to the opcn and fling concealment
to the winds. Away with compromise
Away with c~owardice! Away with ny
pocrisy. This is their best, their only
chance of regeneration.
Nothing will ever come from dupllc-
lty save dishonOr and ruin. Inc SOL
der Who rudely smoto Christ on the
cheek did not inflict a 1.-THE of the
agony which followed the kiss Of Judas.
Compromisers are Judases, every one OF
them, and the mulediction Of their pro-
totype is on them all Living. they are
traitors to both masters. Dying. they
confound and betray themselves. Llv-
ing honestly is better tina trucking,
and even the honor that Is found among
thieves is honor Of II kind, whereas
knavery is always degradation While
angry with your brother the sacrlffce
you place upon the altar is insult, and
the widows mite counts more with
God than the mammoth requests to
church and to charity extended by
hands tainted by the oppression of the
laborer and the orphan.
Let, then, every man unmask. Who 1s
to be the master? God or Mammon
Let each one be mercenary and adhere
to the employer who gives the bigger,
the better wages.
what Is the security?
The collateral is uncertain and the
end slavery, not freedom, and servitude
the vilest. Is there Il human being so
prone as the slave of wealth, n OF
all that it inspires and procures in the
way of pleasure n crime? What does
it not do against ems and brain and
heart. bringing disease and madness
and cruelty?
What remuneration does 1t ven
promise to render after death? Gods
hire is exceeding great-here freedom
and not chains; hereafter a compensa-
ton which eye hath not seen nor ear
heard, nor mind conceived. With this
Master no panic, no failure, no bank
ruptcy. He will not leave His servant
naked to his enemies. Surely God Is a
better master than Mammon.