Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-11-26
A Serious Matter for the
Rich. and Poor to Consider

rich-mans gate. and awaked to find
himself in Abraham's bosom, he showed
us how rich and great and heavenly a
life may be lived in the midst of che
deepest restitution.
With this teaching of Jesus agrees
the whole tenor of the sacred Scrip
lures from Genesis to Revelation. ST.
Paul, who knew in his life both affluence
and want and who said Of himself, 81
have learned in whatsoever state l am
Herewith to be content" wrote to his
dear Timothy, Goodness with con-
tenJment is great gain. For we brought
nothing into this world and it is certain
we can carry nothing out. 4.nd having
food and raiment, let US be Herewith
content. But they that will be rich fall
into temptation and a snare, and into
many foolish and hurtful lusts, which
drown men in destruction and perdition.
/ For the love of money is the root or
all evil, hich lille some coveted ats
err, they have erred from the faith,
and pierced themselves through with
many sorrows" To the same purpose
speak all the prophets and apostles.
! And the heather moralists agree
with the inspired writer's in these teach
ings. Socrates. Epiatetus, Seneca, Confu-
cius and Mencius, all unite in uttering
and emphasizing the same great truth
that the possession of earthly goods is
not only unnecessary for the highest
character and the truest happiness, but
that it is generally unfriendly to both
character and happiness. Said Horace
that man is not poor who has the use
of things necessary" and he further
affirmed "the accumulation of wealth is
followed by an increase of care, and
by an appetite for more" Martin Luth--
er declared Wealth is the smallest
thing on earth, the least gift that God
has bestowed on mankind" Quotations
might be multiplied endlessly from all
the great teachers, pagan and christian
in all ages and in all lands, showing
absolute unanimity of opinion concern
ing the perils of wealth and the bless
edness Of a life of simplA tastes and
small possessions.
And vet If they were thus brought
together, most people would give little
heed to them. Some would agree i'm
them in theory and repudiate them in
practice others would sheer cynically at
them; and others would regard them
as the expressions of the utmost folly.
Nevertheless that is true which the
wisdom of the ages has taught us, and
which Jesus enforced by the weight
of his divine authority. What a man
has is the smallest matter possible m
comparison with what he is; charac-
ter, not property, should be every ones
supreme concern.
And automatic as is this teaching it
needs to be proclaimed as forgotten
truth in our day. Both rich and poor
are showing utter disregard of 1T, to
their own damage and to the hurt of
society A mania for money and the
things which money will buy is threat
ening the peace of the community and
the stability of the most Indispensable
institutions of the country, The funda-
mental principles of our political system
are being disputed in the interest of
what is vainly called social and indus
trial Justice. BY consequence class is
being arrayed against class in the pur-
suit of mere material things. Revolu-
tionary tendencies are visible on all
sides; and when the substance of these
tendencies is scrutinized it is found to
be zeal for mere material things with
out any reference to the nobler things
of the spiritual and the intellectual
worlds.
What is most strange and most HUI
initiating is that the greatest unrest
about matters of mammon is found in
christian lands rather than in pagan
countries. And yet this fact should not
surprise us. Christianity increases the
productive power of men, and increases
wealth; it stimulates invention, quickens
industry, strengthens the forces of life,
extends the length of mans days, and
enjoins frugality. Doing all this, it is
bound to lead the nations which adopt
it into great material prosperity. 1t is
no accident, therefore, that eight-tenths|
of the wealth of mankind is found with
in the limits of christendom. But if
christianity is not also wealth-gov-
erning faith, as well as a wealth-pro-
ducing faith, it will create the con-
ditions of it's own corruption and ulti-
mate defeat. And this is what is COM
ing to pass. In christian lands men
have made so much, and want so much
more, that multitudes are beginning to
forget the teaching of Jesus on the sub
ject of material good and are rushing to
destruction by following the impulsions
of mammon.
Even some preachers proclaim the
teaching of Jesus with reference to
christian liberality in such a way as
to infiame and feed the covetousness
which they profess to condemn. Much
of the socialism which is spreading in
society has sprung from mistaken utter
ances in the pulpit by men who never
dreamed Of promoting socialism. Some
preachers, more logical than others,
have fatty pronounced in favour of So
cialism, following to the jumping-off
ing of the New Testament 1t is a most
amazing thing that some minds can find
in the teachings of Jesus socialistic
element when he made so little Of mere
material good and asked nothing of po-
litical organizations whatsoever. He did
insist upon the most generous brotherli-
ness in the use of earthly goods; but he
never taught any man to look to So
cialistic remedies for the relief of hu-
man need. And it is worthy of remark
that the benign teaching of Jesus never
arrayed class against class If He were
to appear in the world today, he would
rebuke with severity the men who per-
vert his teaching to serve the ends of
covetousness and social discord.
Wise men have warned us for a gem
Grafton or more that we were empha-
sizing too much the getting of money;
and now in present-day conditions we
see how clear was their vision and how
true their instruction. A feverish con-
dition Of the popular mind, inflamed by
greed. threaten revolution; and a po-
litical faction, led by a sldllful and am
bi tious leader, announces its purpose to
inhame further the American people by
appeals to mammonism under the eu-
phemistic names of social and indus
trial Justice. In view of such condi-
tions It behooves every good man to
call the people back to the teaching OF
Jesus that 1.-The life consistent not in
tho abundance of the things a man