The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-02-11
d>SATURDAY
%@G) NIGHT
! / SERMONS n
BY
!RRE xSAHuElw PuRynln
A MILLIONAIRE FOR A MOMENT

abundance of the things he possesseth."-
Luke xii Is
I've had Il million! Think Of 1t! A
preacher who one night is figuring with
a pencil and tablet just where that
last 81 was spent last month the next
morning has a million In his hands!
Made me think of Aladdin and his
wonderful lamp. stood in the base
ment of metropolitan bank. steel and
concrete piled up about me, an armed
guard at the foot of the elevator, the
cashier. president Of my church board.
between me and the door. ! was his
guest had fondled packages of
greenbacks, hefted bags Of gold and
looked with dull eyes at fabulous bun
dies of securities. Now. doctor. would
u mi.lion:" His voice quavered it,
tie. Would /? Would kitten lap
warm milk? Me with a million! He
piled 'em up in my arms-a thousand.
million: didn't get dizzy. The earth
didn't IInge over to one side. And
wasn't tempted-didn't break the
tenth commandment a bit Wonderful
how honest man can be with Il mil
lion. made Il weak sort Of jest
about if could get as far as the side
walk with ii that once held our COL
lege record for the mile run. The
guard frUwned at such q suggestion.
''Rich Man, Poor Man.
Remember how we counted the but
tons on our jackets when we wer''
youngsters7
Rich man. poor man. beggar man. THE
Doctor. lawyer. merchant. priest
Queer we put riches-money riches
first IF only had million" we
sigh Whoever told US money spelled
happiness? And excessive wealth-it
must be oppressive. One Of our fel
low Americans has an income of a mil
lion week. Think OF it. Every week
he finds brand new million dollar bill
i'll his hand But what good does it do
him? He can't spend it. There Is no
longer tinge Of novelty in seeing it
brought to bin because 1t has been
happening every week for several
years. A million dollar gold piece in
your envelope every Saturday night!
Can't you see that the monotony Of
the thing must be wearing? One good
beefsteak makes u dinner. Wouldn't
it destroy your appetite, however. to
sit down in the center of ten acre
field with beefsteaks piled up to the
very corners? A big house Is only a
care. To fare sumptuously every day
brings indigestion. One can only wear
one suit Of clothes ut time. The
very wealthy man has no goal in life
except 10 make more money. Hes
badly handicapped. He has no worlds
to conquer. -....
"As Rich as Croesus."
Don't let the soap box orator fool
you. Dire poverty is awful. There's
not redeeming thing about 1t. But
the wage Garner is not to be pitied
He isn't troubled with ennui, nervous
pao'''a"LAous opl'ClulSltIS. nc lSu CA.
lied to sanitarium. He lives his life
unguarded by detectives. unpestered
by tranlps. beggars and Black Hand
emissaries. The man who gets most
out of life is the one who has Job, is
interested in it and gets paid for it.
Work Is the salt Of life. It makes it
palatable. II life were one protracted
Joy ride it would get as monontonous
as the longest on foot The great big
secret is to enjoy what we have. It's
much to enjoy the things presented to
our five senses. The sunlight is ours,
pure air. the landscape, flowers, birds,
the stars. If we had to pay dollar
to sit in the public square and watch
the crowd go by we would think it a
luxury. Do you know the wealth OF a
good pair of eyes? Clear bearing?
Do you walk with buoyancy? Got On
appetite. fair memory. IN imagina.
ton. few friends, fairly good healthi
Then you are rich! II you have two of
those qualities, memory and imagina-
ton. you have one of the great funda.
mentals of human happiness-the abili.
ty to escape from yourself.
A eiIIionaire Every Day.
"Rich as Croesus." Huh! II it had
rained gold forty days and forty
nights Croesus couldn't have had what
you get for dollar or even for moth.
ing. What you may enjoy any dag
has cost billions. and you may have
use Of 1t for few nickles. A ride in
the elevated or subway for q nickIe.
Know what it cost to build one and
cut through the other? Three cents
for ferry ride. with upholstered cab
ms, plate mirrors. spacious promenade.
twenty-five cents by steam railway to
the suburbs. 1t cost millions to euuip
and run that road Nc, you don't own
the road exclusively and don't want to.
You couldn't drag the engine and train
around with you and store them in
your back yard. For cent you bought
a newspaper. 1t costs thousands to
bring you the news from the four cor.
ners Of the earth You threw It aside
when you were done at the fruit
stand the Strawberries were brought
from Florida. Cost thousands to grow,
pick and bring them. Yon buy a nickers
worth. You step into the public libra.
ry free. Art gallery free. You haven't
time to travel The movies bring
the world to you You lean back com.
fortably. MUNICH your gum and enjoy
IL $1,000 trip for nickle. On Sunday
IN educated minister. a trained choir,
a magnificent organ. help to bring you
nearer to God and God to you. Rich.
You are IL multimillionaire-if you'll
only enjoy what is already yours.