River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-02-10

lie was SHCl SCllS Al
the Fathers business and taught
his followers to be "not slothful in
business, bat fervenr in spirit,
serving the Lord" Nevertheless
his teaching in this lesson is that
our energies are not to take the self
ish form of laying up earthly treas
ures: We are to lay up heavenly
treasures instead. Notwithstand-
ing the reference to moth and rust
and thieves despoiling earthly treas
ures, we understand his teaching
rather on a higher plane, though
the principle is a broad one. All
will admit that it would be folly to
lay up clothing or food far in adj
vance of need, except under very
peculiar circumstances. But gold
might be treasured, or money in the
bank, or bonds, or stocks, or farm
added to farm, and house to house,
and the same principle would be
involved.
Although no moth could touch
the bank account, nor rust inJure
the gold, and no thieves could steal
title to the propertv, the principle
is the same. Treas ures of every
kind may lose their value-do lose
their value 10 us, when we die, If
not before. Death, corruption,
touches everything earthly under
present conditions, no matter how
careful or thoughtful the provision.
NAKED came we into the world,
and naked must leave it" Dob
1:21) Intelligent people are gener-
ally agreed that God has provided a
future life beyond the tomb, attain
able in the resurrection morning
And the Scriptures teach that the
degree of our blessing then will
stand related to our use of the
present life. 1t is this point that
the Great Teacher emphasized in
the study of to-day. All intelligent
minds assent to the reasonableness
of this.
Let us not take the extreme view
entertained by some; let us not sup
pose that the Master taught that
people might not make reasonable
provision for their own comfort,
and that they might not be depend
ent upon charity in old age. Let US
not suppose that he meant that par
ents should be neglectful of their
duties toward dependent members
of their family. The Bible distinct
ly teaches that "he who prov des
not for his own is worse than an un-
believer" The proper thought, then,
is that it is right to economic and,
as ST. Paul expresses it, Ito lay by
in store" for our own future needs
or that we may have to lend to
others, in need. Gods people are
to be frugal, to avoid debts, to be
"forehanded," and with some re-
serve of capital.
But earthly things are not to be
the treasures of their souls, but
merely their servants, conveniences
always ready for use, for every
emergency, freely, Fundamentally.
He who follows this course will
rarely have large earthly wealth.
Only by making wealth treasure
and setting upon it inordinate de-
sire can one become miserly or very
rich. Setting the affections on
things above would signify so loose
a handling of worldly riches as
would hinder the accumulation of
or preservation of great wealth.
The Masters word is, that who
ever sets his affections upon earthly
treasures will become sordid, self
ish, earthly; while he who sets his
affections upon the things above
will become correspondingly heav-
emily, spiritual. blessed, generous.
We have two eyes, and if they be
not properly adjusted with relation
ship to each other our vision of
things will be distorted. Hence we
seek to correct such a difficulty,
that we may get the true view of
matters. So it is with the eye of
our understanding. 1t has both
present and future outlook, an
earthly and a heavenly view. 1t is
important that we get these rightly
adjusted, so that we may see mat
tiers in their true light-see the
great value of the future life in