Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-02-17
Twice Yesterday.

blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich;
and He addeth no sorrow herewith
proverbs K, 22) Hessaid:--
The thing which strikes me specially
as | visit your great city for the first
time is the marked contrast between
the palaces Of your superior quarter
and the novels of Blacktown-the con-
trast between great riches and great
poverty. But think not that have
come to speak words which would en-
gender strife or even discomfort Rath-
er my message Is one Of peace,
The inequalities, mental and phys
tcal, which prevail amongst us as men,
bers of fallen race, produce natural
ly our inequalities as respects wealth
and social conditions; 1t is well, there
fore, that we should not accept the
rabid views entertained by many, but
we should think soberly, dispassionate-
ly. We should remember that God
Himself is very rich. All the gold and
silver are His, and the cattle upon
thousand bills, with Infinite power,
beyond human comprehension.
We should remember that it Is writ
ten that Abraham was very RICH" and
that his riches did not interfere with
the fact that he was the friend of
God" and that to him God gave that
great promise secured by the Dipine oath,
which is the basis of all hope for the
blessing of the world: 'In thee and In
thy Seed shall all the families of the
earth be blessed" Other noble char
acters on the pages of history are not
ed as having possessed great wealth.
We should therefore view the mat
ter of poverty and riches philosophi-
cally. Both poor and rich should be
encouraged to use faithfully the oppor
tunities which they possess and to
wait patiently for the Lords time and
way for the introduction Of the new
order of things which He has promis-
ed, assured that it is not in our power
to hasten or delay the Divine program.
Bible Counsel For the Rich.
The Apostle says, Charge those
amongst you who are rich that they
trust not in uncertain riches" The
history of centuries corroborates the
Apostles words. The rich and promi
nent of one day become the poor and
forgotten of another. Riches take
wings" in manner that poverty rare
ly initiates. The talents and opportu-
mites which have brought great wealth
to some of our prominent Americans
have brought wealth and prosperity in
smaller measure to those associated
with them in their enterprises. In
deed, in some respects the entire world,
and particularly America, owes them a
debt of gratitude for their energy and
perseverance In the exercise of their
| talents along such broad lines.
NV mind tooB this course OF reason
| ing as looked at the handsome edifice
occupied by the Y. NJ. G. A. of this
city, and I was informed that 1t was
the gift of one of our American mer-
! chant princes, Mr.. John Wanamaker,
of New York and Philadelphia. l said
to myself. Behold an instance in which
riches have been generously expended,
even in far-off land, for the benefit
of the masses and with desire to
promote clean and noble manhood
along Christian lines.
Gods Blessing Maketh Rich.
Our text is an epitomized statement
of the Gospel of Christ. All Gods
blessing for our race will come through
the Seed Of Abraham-The Christ. The
/ giving of His Son to be mans Redeem
er and Deliverer from sin and death
was Gods blessing to man-making
man rich. Messiah, having died for
the redemption of the world is about
to bestow upon men the Divine bless
ing promised to Abraham--"In thee
and In thy Seed shall all the families
Of the earth be blessed"
That blessing to the non-elect world
will be glorious opportunity for ris-
ing up out of sin and death conditions
TO full human perfection In the image
! and likeness OF God--as Adam possess
ed this before his fall. 1t will mean
the bringing OF the earth to the condi-
lions pictured in Eden. The earth,
God declares, He formed not in vain,
but to be inhabited. AT present man
is In condition of enmity and separa-
ton from his Creator and his earthly
home is disordered. Gods footstool,
for 5000 years, has been the scene of
terrible reign of Sin and Death.
The only hope is in Messiah's King.
dom, which God has promised shall
be established for the overthrow OF
Satan, the abolishing of ignorance and
superstition, the enlightenment of man
kind and the uplift of all the willing
and obedient and for the destruction
OF the wilfully wicked in the Second
Death.