Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-03-16
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning March 20, 1910.

Topic.-Money a curse or a blessing
Luke xii, 1874; Matt. vi. 1874 Comment
BY Rev. Sherman H. Doyle, D. D.
Everything that God has made In
this word is good if properly used.
But unfortunately since sin came into
the world it is possible for man to
make good or evil out of that which
Il sin had not come would only have
been used in right and proper way.
Moreover, weak and sinfully inclined,
man has not always the power or the
inclination to use the good things of
the world and not to abuse them.
What a valuable organ in life il the
tongue, and yet, as James says:
"Therewith bless we God, and
herewith curse we men, which are
made after the similitude Of God. Out
of the same mouth proceedeth blessing
and cursing" Alcohol as medicine
has been great blessing to the hui
man race, yet this same liquid used as
a beverage, used to excess where 1t Is
not needed, has been and is one Of
the greatest curses Of mankind. So
money may be blessing or a curse,
according to the use to which 1t is put.
Used Alright, it is a means OF great
blessing; used wrongfully, there is
scarcely crime for which 1t may not
be responsible and, indeed. has not been
responsible. In the hands of men with
out consciences, who care for nothing
but their own will. it has been an aw-
full power for evil. 1t has debauched
the purity of womanhood, bribed law
makers and the executors of the law,
debauched the ballot box, inspired
murders, and the desire for 1t has
wrecked the lives Of thousands of men
in all classes of society. For it Judas
Iscariot sold his Master, the Saviour
of the world; Francis Bacon, the great
jurist, despoiled his high office. and
Benedict Arnold became traitor to
his country. On the other hand, mon
ey in the possession Of men or right
principles has been Of incalculable
value to the world. The thousands OF
charitable institutions throughout the
world, built to care for the poor, the
sick, the feeble minded and insane,
the parentless children, the Christian
churches Of the world and the support
Of this great worldwide work, all go to
testify in favor Of the value Of money.
whether given by rich or the COM
paratively poor. The wholesale de-
nunciation of wealth and Its possessors
therefore is absolutely unwarranted.
Whether they deserve condemnation or
not depends upon the disposition made
Of wealth by those who possess It
When, however, broad view Is
taken of the subject, it must be ad-
mitted that the temptations OF money
are great and that men are to be urged
to use it right and not disabuse Its
possession. No man, whether be be
rich or poor, should love money to the
extent that it dwarfs his soul or shuts
out of him the spirit Of mercy and
compassion toward his fellow man.
This is clearly the attitude of the
teaching Of Christ and the Scriptures
toward money. 1t does not condemn
riches SO much as it warns the rich
man against its dangers and especial
" the danger Of putting all trust In 1t,
even to the extent Of forgetting to
make sure the salvation Of the soul.
"What shall it profit a man." says
Christ, IF he shall gain the whole
world and lose his own soul?' The
immense fortunes of today do not ap-
proach the value of the world, and If
for the whole world we would make
q bad bargain, If it cost us the loss Of
our souls, how much less would it pay
us to lose our souls for the infinitely
small part Of the world that the rich
est man in it possesses? Money that
loses the soul is the greatest of curses;
money that leads the soul closer to
God in Christ Jesus is one Of life's
greatest blessings. Worldly riches are
not equivalent to heavenly treasures,
which the soul alone can enjoy. The
soul cannot be fed upon gold, as the
man in the parable of Christ seemed
to think when he said. Soul, thou
hast much goods laid up for many
years." Many years? Why, that night
his soul was required CT him. and the
next day others possessed his goods.
What more uncertain than life? What
more uncertain than earthly riches?
With what reason, therefore, Christ
says. LAY up treasure in heaven.
where moth doth not rust nor thieves
do not break in and steal" Why
should we eat our souls and hearts
out struggling for that which is so
uncertain, which may leave us in
moments time or from which we may
be called? Let US all, therefore, both
rich and nonrich, above all see to 1t
that we lay up treasure in heaven by
faith in Christ and the performance
of good deeds based upon this Chris
tan faith. Such treasures will never
leave US, and we shall never be sepa
rated from them. It's eternal wealth
against temporal wealth. Which shall
we choose?
BIBLE READINGS.
Gen. xiii, lob; xix, Is; lisa. xviii
Is; w, II; Matt. xiii, %: xvi, 2428;
xvii, $3.50; Luke will, l-3; Acts v,