The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-03-22
IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD
What Church Folk Are Think
ina About and Doing
i;N WILLIAM I. ELLIS.

himself becaus OF money uouo'oo
Most Of the wrinkles on mems race,
were pencilled there by no,es; .ha
lawyer says that more thah ha!l lie
divorce cases have their rise in money
troubles. Avowedly, the corruption
of politics is due to money. 9pol,,
The drama, literature and art, haHe ~
felt the same blightine touch. lherT
are more people concerned touay, !
fear. OYER the high price OF llVlnS than
over the coming of the Kingdom OF
heaven. 1t is no steretyped hypeboie
to cali the money question a burning
ouestion." 1t is Fundamental and
abiding. Everybody is affected py II,
the common wish, ON, IL ohls :.
didn't have to think about money IS
vain: everybody has to think about
money. and it makes more trouble Tor
the man who thinks in terms Oh NH
lions than for the one who THINKS III
dollars and dimes. Surely, then enere
should be some basis Tor deallhS Win
money: q permanent PLATFORM anu
principle tor the Christian.
Here is the Bible law: Money has
a place in life, but 1t is not q first
place. Money may not properly be
made a supreme objective or a SUI
prenle reliance 1t Is n vain prop.
But money may be made to minister
To ali the higher needs Of self and
neighbor, and so ma not he despised
OF disregarded.
Given the chance between character
ana money. between usefulness and
prosperity, between wealth AND happi-
ness, vote instantly against money.
While money may buy many de-
sirable things il cannot purchase the
best, It is literally true that the su-
premc possessions of life-honor,
health, love. happiness, usefulness
are not dependent upon the size OF
ones bank account.
The blood atonement" idea Of the
Old Testament has given way. in these
times. To 8 sort OF money atone
ment" Money is supposed to make
all things right, No matter how I'M
7crupulously great fortunes may be
acquired. il they are used in part (and
1t may be but an infiniteslmal part)
for works Of religion and philan-
thropy, there IS at once shown d dis
position on the part OF many persons
10 condone the past and to treat the
donor as honorable and praisewOrtny.
This Is the pernfcious modern form
OF the old doctrine of good works.
Men openly expect to buy their way
into favor in two worlds. When
brought into the clear light OF the
teachings of Jesus the error Of this
becomes straightWay apparent. The
snare OF the rich mar is his riches
That Is why the teacher used the su-
periaLIYe expression about it's being
harder for q rich man to enter the
kingdom OF heaven than for a camel
10 90 through q needles eye. God
not only may not be bribed, but He
also does not look kindly upon the
n who attempts it.
When q Christian has money It is
Well; when money has a Christian it
is Ill.
Money Is the best servant in the
world; ana the worst master.
a great deal is said about the
American love Of money. Americans
dc love money; SO DO the English and
! fehch n Germans and Japanese,
and pretty much every other nation.
Doubtless it IS true, hough that
Americans are more outspoken and
russ t1an other nations in applying
fiehtly fidlcuiad and ScOrned for this.
re money standard is absurdly in
adequate and improper, in most mat
ters. To care for q person because of
1iis money, to fix social position by
money. to assume that money can buy
eVcrytiinS--that is to betray a lack of
FtNAAI VI / I'LL e
tneIQent,
a God. a mar may be rich in
eternal wealth, and possessed Of a
peace which millions of money cannot
purchase, even though he has not a
dollar in his pocket.
The world can get along without it's
m~1llionaires more easily than without
IT'S Pennies prophets poets and
saints.
There is something wrong in q per
sons conception Of values when he
thinks more about money than about
Cod Il we think about rules us:
happY they who make Jehovah their
meditation day and night.
THE GOLDEN PAGOnA
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