Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-07-08


his discourse from st. Luke XII, p:
$50 Is he that layeth up treasure for
himself, and Is not rich toward Cod
After calling attention to the fact
TINT there never wns such day as
ours for the accumulation Of wealth.
Pastor Russell declared that the wealth
itself was not condemned by our Lore,
hut the love Of 1t: THE love Of money
IS n root Of all evil" Nor should lie
be understood to be q denouncer OF
wealth and the wealthy. The outpour
of Divine favor in the multiplying In
vcntions Of our day had poured wealth
into the lap of some out OF all proper
tion 70 their covetousness Indeed,
some of the most covetous people the
Pastor knew we're poor people VINO
seemed so anxious to get rich that
their overstraining led them into na-
merous financial pitfalls and kept them
poor. The happiest people In the
world. he said. are those who nave
.yndliness with contentment-gTeat
onIn." These nre rich toward God. FOR
thov possess what money cannot pur-
chose-contentment and the peace Oh
| God.
Pastor Russell Reported Wealthy.
Many such people. with heavily mort
gagged properties. come to me under the
supposition that am rich. Indeed. l
am told Tint have the reputation OF
being fabulously rich. WheD ut Corinth
I learned that the report was current
that | WIS rcputcd to be O multi
millionaire and thnt my library alone
was worth millions. Servants and por-
tiers. OF course. expected tips to CORE
spond with TINT reputation aud was
comDellcd to seem ungenerous.
Indeed. learned that even In Amer
lea am credited with being very rich.
If other peoples books sell for Que or
two dollars per volume and mine are
sold by the Bible Students Society for
one-sixth the price. In order to put
them into the hands Of the people, 1t Is
surmiscQ that ] must reap q royalty
Of millions, whereas | receive nothing.
| do not mind telling you, my fellow
Bible Students, that long years ago !
took the advice that Jesus gave in our
context. recognized the trltle OF
wealth in my possession as steward
ship, the proper use Of which In Coos
service might make me rich toward
God. | invested all that | had in His
service and spent 1t all long ago. be-
came 81 spender instead Of nm accumu-
ator Of money Others. percelvinG my
ability as n Spender. have since been
putting into my hands for similar use
such Of their consecrated means as
they desired so to use.
In proportion rs the money has come
in it has gone out in the service OF
Gods Word. in the service OF those
hungcring and thirstinC after the
Truth. The Lord is blessing His work
in every direction We never lack. We
never solicit. Our experience is more
or less contagious. Many others are
learning to be rich toward God by not
holding too tightly to earthly riches.
"Go to, Now, Ye Rich Men,
st. james. by Divine inspiration. ut
tered q word Of warning TO the rich or
orr day. 10 longer do the rich add
barn to barn. That is too slow way.
Now they add bond to bond and bank
TO bank. With many Of them. money
grabbing has become disease. Iney
arc TO be nitieQ. Accustomed to the
battlings Of trade they have no other
Measure in life. A few of them turn
nlea but. alas. they rare
" are pleasurc-tinders. for he who
seeks to please himself rarely succeeds.
I shall not address this audience as
wealthy and urge you to spend all sur
nlus wealth and spend it rapidly in
the service of God. in the service OF hui
manitv, before 1t takes wings, before
It becomes canker.
Why not? Because l shall assume
that rs true Bible Students You have
not great wealth to dispose Of. i
would assume that either like myself
Vol have disposed Of your steward
ship. or that you were perhaps DlesSeu
by never possessing more than q COM
potency. would. however, urge upon
YOU the general principle of our Lords
teaching that the possession Of money
In ary amount more than meets our
necessities is stewardship, and that
each has responsibility toward the
6r1 for rh,, use of such q talent
whether large or small.
To each one of the Lords covenant
ed Household found faithful He will
say, We'll done. good and faithful
servant: thou hast been faithful over
few things. will make thee ruler
over many things: enter thou into the
10y of thy IOrd"-into the Kingdom
which shortly is to bless and uplfft the
world of mankind.