The Detroit times., 1910-12-05
Text: Luke l9.ll-27.


I recently visited great metropoll-
tan bank #ith DEPOSITS OF one hundrcd
million dollars. | saw the great Dulld-
ing. the army Of clerks the onlcets
who direct them the president in his
private office went to the vault
where the money and securities are
kept The great door welsnlns
eighteen tons yet baluuI ed SO dcl-
cateiy that IL may bc moved by inc
pressure o. finger. swung open. With
IA the armor plate vault were nilHlohS
of money and moro millions OF se'uil-
ties. SO they told me ala not
see it, ia like to see what million
dollars looks like.
But | am afraid we miss one point
'fhe money itself means Mite. II -
only so much metal or paper or prom
ises TO pay. hut ii stands for so muth
labor, SO much long sacrihce ana pa
tient denial How many years OF toii
were there How many burrows had
been turned How many hammers
strokes had fallen. How many Nears
have been spent IN mines, upon the
aea, or amidst the whirling wheels or
Great factories, one hundred million
collars means more than one hundred
thousand men receive in wages for Or
binary work in year. w I'm their
families, this would mean perhaps five
hundred Thousand. half million
men. women. and children There In
mat vault were stored the results Of
the years OF toll ~ an army.
Money, a symbol of Power.
And how great the power OF massed
money. OF centralized wealth. What
II has done and can do in the building
81 civilization. in the opening of new
territory in the upbuild!ng Of vast en-
tcrDrises. Ii represents power. II
turns the currents OF population. 1t
determines the direction of the path OF
civilization. ! do not worder that there
is a mighty satisfaction. an eNaltation,
"a sense OF power which comes with the
massing OF great financial resources.
mt l. IN
YOU Of a greater power, OF mightier
realm and OF greater investment.
rhe theme il drawn from the parable
which Jesus spoke 10 His disciples
upon the money in the0bank." 1t Is
the parable of the ten pounds given To
the ten servants and their trading
herewith and their return again to
their master of their gains. one ten AMI
another five pounds. Aud then came
the fearful-hearted man, who hid his
pound Ia napkin ana buried IL in the
carth. 10 whom the Master said,
Wherefore GaNest thou not my money
into the bank. that at my coming !
should have received II with INTEREST,""
II was the oft,repeated excuse OF
limited power What ear | do? / can
not reform society. cannot save the
world. There ~ no use for me 20 try.
The Masters condemnation of this ser
want was because he did not use what
he had, because he did not put II where
IL could he used. but hid II away where
neither he nor anyone else could aC-
c,mElish anything with IL. That was
his sin Tie did not join his means with
others, sc that together they might ac-
cnmplish what they could not accom-
pliSh alone.
There are four applications to our
modern lie which may bc Justly drawn
nom this parable The FIRST OF these
has 10 do with joining the church
How 10 ! get such AN application?
Very easily ana very property IL is
every mans duty To invest his life IN
lta an 90 fl Ia I,..ff
the world.
Church n branch 0r Gods bank
Men have no right To ignore the
church and tn refuse TO support il and
10 help It, II IL the mcst valuable in
stitttlon In the world In spite Of all
is defects aud its failures il IS Tho
one institution which TX forever striy-
ing Tor tire highest things I'm life. FOR
the redemption of society for the
bringing OF Kingdom OF righteous