Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-05-14

down his life in the service of Chris
shall also win greater reward in the
life to come.
When Livingston and Stanley LEFT
civilization with its joys ann adyan
tages, and buried themselves in the
jungles of Africa, they found that
their apparent loss only worked fol
their great ain. They came out tC
find that they were esteemed as the
worlds heroes, and that the nations
were waiting to crown them as no
men were ever crowned who have not
laid down their lives for others. Such
blessings always follow true unselfsh-
ness and liberality Every true sac.
ritice finds its reward, either in this
life or in the life to come. How much
good could be accomplished by the de-
ceived men of wealth if they would
but devote their fortunes to the up
lifting of society, instead of the up
lifting of themselves, and possibly the
destruction of their own children.
Christ taught that life has worthier
aims than wealth. When Christ said
a mans life CONSISTENT not in the
abundance of the things which be pos
sesseth, he made a declaration for all
time to come. To the man of the
world this thought is indeed, revel-
alton, just as new to him now as it
was to the people almost twenty CEN
turtles ago. Our present system of
competition pushes all forward in the
mad race to grab all they can. If any
man of fair judgement will interpret
this wild rush, what will his verdict
be- Must be not decide that the peo-
pie are acting directly contrary to the
teaching of Christ: They are acting
as il this life did consist in the album
dance of the things which they possess
or would like to possess. How long
will it take the world to wake up to
the lofty conceptions of Christ that
the nobler things in life are more
worthy of our attainment than the
mere things that perish and decay2
When Socialism comes the world will
have more chance to take breath and
give more attention to the voice of
God When men can be convinced
that they need net give this body, soul
and spirit for the support CT them
selves and their families, and that
they need not be compelled to lay up
for rainy day, then there will be
more opportunity for people to see
that it is possible to be rich without
gold and happy without much mater
ial possessions.
Christ forbids the boarding of
wealth. clay not up for yourselves
treasures on earth" This is very
direct command and indicates very
clearly that wealth is not to be cen
tered in the hands of a few. Such
decle rations as this are very obnoxious
to the rich and to those whose princi-
pie aim is to become rich. = At many
places Christ draws sharp contrast be. |
tween the rich and the poor. ''Bless- |
ed are the poor. ''Woe unto you
that are rich" Christ also said: "The
spirit of the Lord is upon me because
he hath annointed me to preach the |
gospel to the poor. lust how much |
it is. possible for man to |
hold in his name and yet be poor
within the meaning of Christ is diff
cult to determine. Christ was the |
most fearless teacher that ever lived.
He knew that no power on earth could
destroy him and that be had home
eternal in the heavens, and therefore
he spoke without holding any bride in
his hand. He offered no apology to
the worshlppers of the mammon Of I'M
righteousness. He saw that the riches
were destructive and fearing the com
ment of all ages to come, he told the
rich young ruler, "Wouldst thou be
perfect Sell all that thou hast and
give to the poor"
There are certain passages in the
New Testament that make reference
TO the rich and the poor in an indirect
way, and men of wealth have taken
these to mean that riches are sane
TONED by Christ, and while we will
not be extreme enough to say that all.
rich men are wicked, yet we will be
Dlain enough to say that it is difficult
,or person to have and to hold great
riches, and at the same time comply
with the simple teaching of Jesus
Christ. His teaching strikes terri
Die blow at capitalism. The saddest
part of the whole story is that the sell
ish hoarders of wealth will see when
{ is too late that he has been blinded
~ the cunning power Of Satan. His
Eyes will be opened to see his own fol-
y when he stands before God to give
IN account of his stewardship in the
,ody. Neither are the poor exempt
rom these laws. If the principles of
he poor man is wrong and be is poor
ust because be cannot be rich, he is
Ilso deceived. He has been trying to
limb up the wrong way. To him the
ting of the final judgement will be
With the same intensity as it will to
he misery rich man. The influence
t Satan is seen in the spirit of the
world to-day and the whole outcome