The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-02-11
Saturday Digit
TSoIkc BY Rev. F. E. DAWSON
/uasAS Rutland, VT
y ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
FINANCES OF KINGDOM
international Bible Lesson for Feb. 49,,
'1o.-(Matt. 6:19-34).


gers which the great warrior encount-
cred was the peril Of sailing his yes.
sci between Scylla and Charybdis
Scilla was a snaky female monster
who dwelt in a cave high up on a cliff.
from whence she was accustomed to
thrust forth her long necks. for he
had six heads. and in each Of her
mouths to seize one of the crew OF
every passing vessel. On the other
side OF this narrow strait was another
menster, Charybdis, who was in real.
ity q whirlpool. which three times
day drew the water into a frighuul
chasm. from which not even Neptune
himself could protect and rescue any
ill-fated ship. So there was a fright
ful peril on either side of the narrow
passage to guard against. And the
poet says, that while Ulysses and his
men were keeping strict watch ior
the whirlpool they forgot the six.
headed monster Scylla, and were on
made aware of the danger on that
side, when six of the sailors we're
snatched out of the boat and bone
away shrieking to her den. Thus We
get the proverbal expression, "He
runs on Scylla, wishing TO ayU.d
Charybdis.'
Money and Trust.
In the teachings of Christ, in the
Sermon on the Mount, we meet with
a statement concerning the finances
of the kingdom, that this old story
seems vividly to illustrate. The sub
! jects of the kingdom of heaven are
nevertheless in this world, and they
| cannot do without the things of this
! world. money, property possessions,
| houses. lands, real estate wages or
| income, whatever form their acquisi.
tions may take They have to eat and
drink and wear clothing, and pay
! house rent and taxes and support
those dependent upon them. They
| cannot cut themselves loose from the
use Of money. from its possession and
! its employment.
On the other hand real piety and
trust in a Heavenly Fathers care
cannot possibly have anything in com
mon with feverish anxiety, worry, per
pleyity, nervous prostration over the
/ d
SCRABBLE after the Almighty Dollar.
The path between these two extremes
yoI observe. is straight and danger
Gus. 1t is like the voyage Of Ulysses.
On one side the whirlpool; on the
other side the rock. The yawning jaws
of Scylla are on this side, the engulf-
ing waves OF Charybdis are on that
side. In trying to escape this peril,
we must keep a sharp look out for
that.
On the one side must be Stunned
the Scylla Of greed; on the other side
the Charybdis of care. The one is
the real danger of seeking too much,
the other the supposed danger of hav-
ing too little of the good things of
life. And this is not as some suppose
one caution for the rich and another
for the poor. For the rich may be
eaten up with care and anxiety and
worry in his desire to keep what he
has and to get little more; and the
poor may have his heart as anxiou8ly
and sinfully set upon the increase of
his dimes as the other man upon his
millions. II is not question of classes
but of qualities of soul.
Commercialism Condemned.
The warning on one side is against
making money our treasure. The
literal translation is, Treasure not
for yourselves treasures upon the
earth" 1t is not a prohibition OF
wealth but prohibition of wealth as
treasure. And this for the reason
that such treasures will perish they
will darken the spiritual vision and
they will destroy the heart; to set the
heart upon the world means to give uI
the kingdom, for no man can serve
two masters. 1t is true of many g
man that riches possess the man
rather than man the riches. He is the
bond slave of his pocketbook.
Anxiety ReproVed.
That is one side of it. The othel
side Is, a warning against anxiety
The words Take no thought" in tha
day meant to everybody, BE not over
anxious" In other words, Do no
fill your life with worry, do not be /;
slave to anxious care Look at thu
birds, and the flowers in their free
dom from covetousness. and discon
tent. We cannot escape from trou
BILE, but we can avoid crossing tn,
bridge until we come to it, A vas
amount OF trouble in this world is Onl,
imaginary. we suffer because We pei
sist in bearing not only the trouble
we have now, but those we had yes
terday and those %e are going L
, have tomorrow. Sufficient into tn
day is the evil thereof, Don't troubl
I trouble till trouble troubles you
II Is we'll to remember that tn
eye that watches the sparrow will nc
overlook us. In sailing along owe
this sea OF life keep one eye out 10
, ScyllS ard the other for ChSrybdis.
8 Foresight.
, Christ does not forbid foresight an
a provision for the future; for the bird
neither SOW nor reap nor gather int
barns, yet they do build their nest
> gather their food, and make their al