Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-25

IDOL or WEALTH.
A second reason for attention to the
second half OF our text Is that IL rs
harder TO make wise use of plenty than
Il is 60 make wise use OF want You
think not2 To the law and the testi-
monN. The New Testament Is explicit
not only In its warnings against the
love OF riches but against the perils
which go with the very possession OF
them. How hardly shall they that
nave riches enter into the Kingdom OF
heaven" The rich man, whatever the
nature OF his abundance. Is tempted TO-
trust i'm his riches. In the parable ol
the sOwer the thorns are not sore trib-
ulatlons. but 1.-THE tarcs OF the world
and the deceitfuiness Of riches" IN
The parable OF the great supper, the cx-
cuscs are not. I'm sick OF a wasting
fever worn out with my days work
or imprisoned for debit" but. rive
bought a piece OF ground. or Ave yoke
of oxen. or I've married a wife ana
therefore ] cannot come" In each in
stance these men are hindcred by abun-
dance rather than want, by their oppor-
tuuities rather than by their limita-
tons. They didn't know how to
abound
MISUSE OF OPPORTUNITY
Others less strenuous. are like the
rich fool who said. Soul, take thine
ease. thou hast much goods laid up for
many years: eat, drink and be merry
Such live on the possessions they should
put to unselfish uses. they become par
asitcs OF their own abundance. IN the
end they are possessed by that which
they should possess Such misuse Of
ease. comfort, opportunity or album
dance Is not confined to those who are
rich in gold. The quest for pain for it's
own sake is like the pursuit Of pleasure
for It's own sake, at once an abuse OF
good raw material and a fools errand
As the ascetic despises the pleasures
of life, the epicurean abuses them. He
looks upon them not as "A means but
as the end. and becomes a mere pleas
urs seeker.
For the majority Of us the Valley OF
Humiliation is safer ground than the
Delectable Mountains Adam was no
safer In Paradise with all its hapTi-
ness than we may be in the outside
world Noah was safer during the
flood than after II. David the shepherd
boy worked more securely than David
the king
The primary duty Of the man who
abounds Is gratitude We need the
spirit of him who said. both riches and
nOnAI tnIilt lIOIn lilttf anu III AiAAilN
hand IL is to make great and to give
strength unto all Now therefore our
God we thank thee and praise thy glor-
ious name. Such gratitude begets rev
erence or humility. Who am / aud
what is this people that We should
have enough and TO spare, yea good
measure, PRESSED down and running
over; all our abundance IL from thee.
SO the goodness Of God may lead
to repentance. Indeed the grace Of God
Is the supreme appeal OF his love. He
who knows how to abound can say.
how good God has been 90 me: the
very thought OF II chastens, sobers,
subdues me. I am not worthy OF the
least Of all his mercies.
There IS one wealth which has no
peril--onc fuIness OF life too much
cannot harm--the more abundant life
OF Christ. We cannot have too much
Of his spirit. we cannot make too
much OF the riches Of his grace. For
grace Is a name for the energy Of
love US Il goes out towards the un-
deserving. This is a disVensation Of
grace The whole world Is fun Of It,
Where sin abounds grace doth much
more abound. Such grace Is not
sentiment, but an energy ana may
work in us to viii and do with al the
power Of the love OF Christ, in whom
We have redemption according TO the
riches OF his grace wherein he hath
abounded toward us" "Oh that men
would praise the Lord for his goodness
and for his wonderful works towards
the children OF men,