Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1913-06-12

y&Ez3sl.ge 49, S3Sssg Great riches
llhASlGJH kUSSELlJI have come to the
! world within the
| past sixty years, especially to Europe
and America. Instead Of the hearts
/ of the prosperous uplifting with graft
! tude TO God, the tendency seems to be
! away from God, and especially away
from His Son and from all thought of
/ a share in His redemptive work. or
/ need for it. Business activities and
! prosperity have dwarfed the prospects
/ of Messiah's Kingdom.
! But with the growth of wealth have
! come saner and more reasonable views
/ of justice. The folly of accommodating
money for others to squander has i'm
pressed itself. The rich of Europe and
America are giving themselves more
leisure in the prime Of life, leaving OPP
portunity for others to take their places
! in the commercial world.
None could wish that our great bust
ness men become Sluggards. Our wish
| should be that their maturcr years
might be gratuitously devoted to the
promotion of philanthropic plans for
| the aid of the lower classes. Doubtless
millions of money would flow into such
hands for disbursement along broadly
economic lines.
There is room for such benev olences
in every land, but especially in coun-
tries under British and American con-
troll. where commercialism absorbs
some of the ablest talent, leaving COM
paratively little opportunity for the
less progressive. All over Great Brit
ain and in nearly every state of the
Union there are splendid opportunities
for such work. Then there are the
teeming millions of India, existing I'M
der conditions not fit for a good dog
These are our brethren of the one
blood, as st. Paul declares. None dis
pute the necessities of the case. The
sympathetic are appalled, at the money
and labor necessary to cope with con-
ditions. Heaven looks with interest to
note how our showers of blessings af-
feet our hearts.
The Responsibility of knowledge and
Riches.
Amongst the rich are many noble
Christian hearts in perpleXity as to
what to do with their wealth. The
! Pastors suggestions are based upon
his observations in all parts of the
world. He thinks that the Lord is
pouring out wealth upon professed
Christians to test them. From this
viewpoint the world is under Divine
inspection, and God seems to be warn
ing the prosperous that their present
course is not wise.
Let us make no mistake, said the
speaker earnestly. Pleasure-seeking is
the trend of the whole world. God is
being forgotten by both poor and rich
and the end Of the lane is near-"a
time of trouble such as never was"
With the awakening of true Chris,
tianity has come Il substituted Church
ianity. For years Christian faith has
been declining under the attacks of
Higher Criticism and Evolution, and
the neutralZing influence of love of
pleasure. One Bible doctrine after an
other has been dropped, while Church
ianity has come forward as a form of
SOullHeSS, Dul ucSlllulS VI pOMSI.
Apparently the modern attempt to
ignore doctrine has been a great mis-.
take, which is now bearing its legiti.
mate fruit in that very few Christians
know definitely what the Bible teaches.
The effect on the rising generation is
disastrous. Seeing the doctrines of all
denominations discredited. they per-
ceive that the Bible is classed with the
creeds This is the alarming mistake,
The sooner we are rid of our creedS,
the better But II We lose the Bible,
are we not losing the very foundation
Of faith and hope beyond the present?
! The Loss Is Greater to Some,
The average man needs the Gospel
Message of hope in order to make the
trials and SORROWS of life endurable.
In order that These may so operate as
to serve as lessons in character.d evel
opment and produce n desire to he ac
ceptable to his Creator, and to attain,
everlasting life,
The Pastor trusts that ministers may
be encouraged TO proclaim the GosnAl