The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-23
SUCCESS Of FOOLS
/ IS THEIR DOWNFALL
DR.. w. Asburk Christian Delivers
Strong Sermon In Union Metho-
dist Church.

Last night at Union Station Metho-
dist Church Dr. Asbury Christian
preached on "The Prosperity of Fools. -
He took as his text that sentence from
Proverbs; THE prosperity of fools
shall destroy them" Prosperity. the
II varies according to the aim or OBJ
ject in view. What was some times
called failure and loss was the sure
road to prosperity. and on the other
hand. temporary success and gain was
the beginning of failure and adver-
sity. A man might lose for several
years In establishing greater prosper
lily. Prosperity is that success which
advances the great aim and object
of life. The apostles desire was that
we might prosper as our soul pros
pereth. With this in view 1t is easy
to see how the prosperity of fools
destroys them.
Two Kinds of Fools.
The Bible speaks of fools in two
senses: First, those who lack wisdom;
secondly. those who lack righteous
Those who had wisdom fail to
appreciate the great aim of life and
to value the real things that make for
the souls welfare. One gains an in
ffuential position and not having wis
dom, he uses 1t for selfish aims and
purposes and his prosperity destroys
him. A man makes money, becomes
wealthy and forgets the things Of
most yalue--the souls welfare. He
- \ 49, ID 80
of fools destroys him. Jesus tells of
the man whose fields brought forth
abundantly and he forgot God. Soul
take thine ease thou hast much goods.
he said as he viewed his great wealth
But the awful sentence came, Thou
fool, this night shall thy soul be re-
uuired OF thee" There are those who
use their riches to bless the world
and do service of God. Prosperity lifts
them up Others get wealth and scorn
the honest and noble poor even of
their own household. The prosperity
of fools destroys them. To make
wealth the aim of life and to scorn
noble character and forget God is a
sure sign that the prosperity OF fools
is destroying them.
Prosperity Destroys Fools.
In another sense, the prosperity OF
fools, wicked ones, destroys them. Let
one start in the way of sin and crime
and prosper in ii; they continue and
continue until they are destroyed. The
first deceit that yields gain or accom-
plishes its purpose leads to further
deceit. The first dishonesty that Is
profitable encourages the progress OF
the thief The prosperity of fools de-
stroys them The bitter taste of sin
and the awful pain OF wickedness Is
good to hinder people from further
progress. 1t Is Gods wisdom TO make
the way of the transgressor hard. This
is the spirit of the law of the lands
TO make it hard TO do wrong and easy
to do right The first piece of false
paper uttered which causes the man to
suffer may save him from "A felon
cell. But let him prosper in his evil
doing and soon large forgery LANDS
him in the penitentiary. The pros
perity of fools destroys them. Inc
laws of God and OF man do not abso-
lutely prohibit. but they bring adver-
sity to the evildoers and checks them
before their destruction.
Adversely becomes blessing when
1t turns the mind to God. as the source
of all good. and we can say with the
poet. Sweet are the uses of adversely
Prosperity in material things Will
curse the fool. Christ presents it In
those memorable words, For what
will il profit a man If he gain the
whole world and lose his own soul!
All success in evil is the prosperity OF
fools which shall destroy them.