The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-07-16

session mere during the week and ad-
Journed yesterday, decided to remain
and hear both discourses by Pastor
Russell today. We report one of his
addresses from the text: $50 Is he that
layeth up treasure for himself, and is
not rich toward God" duke xii. 21.)
He said in part:-
Ours is the day of wealth. Nothing
to compare with it has ever been
known in the worlds history, and the
wealth is increasing. Not merely have
we discovered rich deposits Of gold and
silver and precious stones; not merely
are these being mined In a provident
and successful manner, with which
nothing in the past could compare, but
additionally the world is growing rich
In every conceivable way. Our cities
are growing in size and beauty, In san
itary conveniences, In spacious parks,
In good. paved streets, and boul0vards
all the world over
Furthermore, machinery perfected
within the last fifty years is being
multiplied and turning out articles OF
convenience and value which add to
TIE worlds comfort and material
wealth-not merely in perishable arti-
Giles. such as clothing and bric-a brac.
but vast libraries. public and private,
are being acquired: and many of these
Injuries are becoming cheap, because
Of the facility with which they can be
produced. These all, however. consti-
tute riches. one glance at which would
amaze our ancestors.
But are we as a race growing rich
toward God. as our text intimates
would be the proper thing7 Is not the
very reverse true; namely. that faith
and godliness are on the decline? Is
1t not true that within the last fifty
years the love of money. which the
Apostle declares il "a root Of all evil"
has intensified? Is 1t not true that
financial greed has become so strong
and so persistent as to make necessary
our recently passed Pure-food Laws
for the protection of the lives of the
people-because life and health were
10 jeopardy?
Is 1t not true that although we are
all better housed. better fed and better
clothed than were our forefathers,
there is a general unrest, because of
the trust In riches? Is 1t not true that
even with all the modern safeguards
Of police and detective systems. and
the telegraph. telephone, ETC.. still hu-
man lives and property are in peril.
because of the everywhere prevalent
hunger for wealth?
"Whose Shall These Things Be7"
Our text is portion Of one of our
Lords parallels. In it He pictures a
man whose lines were fallen in pleas
ant places. The smiling sun and genial
showers prOspered his undertakings
and his wealth grew The opportunity
came to him for helping his friends
and neighbors and relatives less ia
vored-the opportunity for turning his
material wealth to good account in
the cultivation Of the generous traits
Of his character, and thus to develop
more and more the Divine character
flor God scatters His blessings, the
rain and the sunshine. upon the evil
and upon the good
DuL luSlcdQ VI UGCuullHS EICu IutOuGu
the cultivation of the noble qualities
Of his character, he allowed selfishness
to dominate He pulled down his
barns and built greater. He accumu
lated instead of dispensing the wealth
which Divine providence permitted to
flow into his lap Are there not many
today who are patterning after the
character which the Lord portrayed in
this parable ?-many who are saying
to themselves, ~ will accumulate
wealth and then say to my soul, You
have plenty; eat. drink and be merryT
Think not particularly Of your less ia
vored brethren or neighbors. nor Of the
miserably poor: live for yourself"
Does it not appear that the Lord has
here drawn a picture of practically ev
cry man in the world. some of whom
are really doing these things, and 9th
ers only longing for the opportunity2
Hear the. Lords Estimation.
II the Lord declared that the man in
His para Bile was fool what may Ee
suppose IL Ills estimate OF the masses
of the world to-day blessed as men
never before were blessed. privileged
as men never before were privileged
and therefore responsible as men nev
er before were responsible In the use
of money? Alas. We fear that the
Lord is not well pleased with the
world In its scramble for wealth, wit
messed today on every hand. In our
text Gods people Of today have the
reminder that the masses have the OPP
portunity Of becoming rich toward
God because they have the opportuni-
ty to cultivate the Christ-like spirit
through generosity. helpfulness and
brotherly- kindness.
Not to the world. however, does the
Lord address His reproof and admoni-
ton. but merely to His Church-the
consecrated few. The world Ia about
to learn a great lesson along this very
line of seltishness. Having sown to
the wind the seed of selfshness, it iG
about to reap whirlwind Of trouble.
the fruitage of seltishness, In which
the interests of the rich and poor will
clash in the great conflict between
capital and labor, between those who
have secured wealth and those who
will strive to take the wealth from
them-"a time Of trouble such as new
err was since there was q nation"
Are any so blinded as not to see the
awful growth of anarchy. which Ia
gradually settling down upon the high
est civilization to which the world has
ever attained? And are there any so
blinded as TO be unable to see that the
conflict will be along the lines of self
ishness-desire on the one part to hold
and on the other part to acquire? But
God ls not appealing to the world. and
indeed an appeal would be useless, so
intense is the spirit of avarice.
God. therefore, is allowing the world
as a whole 10 learn its great lesson that
seI6shness is an integral part of sin, as
love and benevolence are integral parts
Of righteousness. We cannot doubt
that by the time the lesson OF selfish.
ness and its results shall have been
fully learned by the world it will be
ready to cry out for Divine assistance
And by that time. too. Gods assist.
ance for the poor world will be ready
The Messianic Kingdom Will be inau
gurated and a reign Of love will be es-
tablished which will contrast sharply
with the present conditions in all its
blessed results of peace. joy, love and
good will amongst men. And we may
reasonably assume that there is no bet /
ter way than this for teaching the
world It's needed lesson on this subject !
Tho Lesson to the Church.