The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-02-20

K, 221 He said
The thing which strikes me specially
as l 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 l have
| come into your midst to speak words
which would engender strife or even
discomfort Rather my message will
be one of peace. l bear you the Mes
sage of the Kingdom of Gods dear
| SOn-the Kingdom for which we have
all SO long prayed, 'Thy Kingdom
come; Thy will be done on earth, as
it is done in heaven"
| The inequalities, mental and phys
ical, which prevail amongst us as mem
bers of fallen race, produce naturally
our inequalities as respects wealth and
social conditions; 1t is well, therefore,
! that we should not accept the rabid
views entertained by many, but we
should think soberly, dispassionately.
We should not be quick to think
Of the wealthy as robbers Of the poor
and injurious to the general welfare,
wholly selfish and under Divine repro
baton. We should remember that God
Himself Is very rich. All the gold and
the silver are His, and the cattle upon
a thousand hills. with Infinite power,
beyond human comprehension.
We should remember that 1t 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 Divine
oath, which Is the basis of all hope for
the blessing Of the world: I'm thee and
In thy Seed shall all the families of the
earth be blessed" Other noble char
acters on the pages of history are noted
as having possessed great wealth.
Many of us have erred in thinking that
the wealthy are to be measured by 9TH
er standards than are the poor. And
could anyone properly urge that If rich
and poor be measured by the same
moral standards the poor would be
found more noble minded than the
rich? We think not.
We should therefore view the mat
ter of poverty and riches phiIosophi-
cally. Both poor and rich should be en-
couraged to use faithfully the opportu-
mites 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 promised, as
sured that it is not in our power to Ell
Their hasten or delay the Divine pro-
gram.
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 prom
inent of one day become the poor and
| forgotten Of another Riches take
wings" in manner that poverty rare
ly initiates.
The talents and opportunities 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. Indeed, in some
respects the entire world, and partic-
ularly America, owes them debt of
gratitude for their energy and perse-
verance In the exercise of their talents
and opportunities along such. broad
| lines And If some of these have been
negligent of their opportunities for the
redistribution of their wealth In the
interests Of their fellow men. all the
more should this throw a halo of hon
or about the heads of those who have
remembered that wealth, Ike all 9TH
er great talents. is to be used. not too
selfishly. but for the public good.
My mind took this course of reason
ing as l looked at the handsome edi-
| fee occupied by the Y. NJ. c. A. of
this city. and | was informed that it
was the gift Of one Of our American
merchant princes. Mr.. John Wanna
maker, Of New York and Philadel-
phia. l said to myself, Behold an in
stance in which riches have been gen
erously expended even in a far-off
land, for the benefit Of the masses and
with a desire to promote clean and no
bic manhood along Christian lines.
Another Of my countrymen. Mr..
Rockefeller. has done much to promote
the enlightenment Of the world by the
Introduction Of system into the busi-
ness of oil refining. The low prices
thus obtained have permitted the use
of oil in thousands of humble homes,
where its price would have been pro-
hibitive without Mr.. Rockefeller's bust
ness genius for organization. He has
thus assisted in lighting India. And
even the rewards of his enterprise, rep
resented in enormous wealth, he is dali
ly seeking to turn into useful channels
for the blessing of humanity.
Even If we must dispute the wisdom
Of investing millions in great colleges
for the teaching of Higher Criticism
and Evolution and thus for the under
mining of the influence of the Bible |
and of living faith therein, we must,
nevertheless. compliment the evident
good intention and must trust that the |
Lord viii not hold a generous heart re-
sponsible for the terrible evils which |
are sweeping over the world, breeding |
discomfort and anarchy as a result of |
unwise and improper direction of |
wealth
In this connection must not neglect |
to mention that generosity and public |
spirit are not associated merely with |
Christianity. Even here, on the oppo- |
site side of our globe, you have doubt |
less heard of our great steel manu-
facturer, who declares that If he has |
any belief in religious way he is a |
Buddhist, and thus much In sympathy |
with the religion of millions in India. |
This man of genius, while putting into |
practice methods of steel manufacture
which have greatly reduced the cost |
thereof and thus benefited the world, |
incidentally reaped for himself huge |
fortune. Noble spirited, he has pub
licly announced his intention to use |
his vast wealth in the public interest.
wisely declaring that 1t is a shame for
any man to die very rich while so
many fellow-creatures are very poor
All over the world Mr.. Carnegies gen
erosity and public spirit are manifest
ed in public libraries which he has
freely donated
1t is not for US to discuss the wisdom
or unwlsdom of Mr.. Carnegie's gifts or
whether he could have done better: it
Is for us to congratulate our race upon
the generosity of this one Of its num-
Der and upon his proper appreciation
Of his relationship to the race as man