Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-31
Highest Pleasure and
Truest Profit That
Dollars Can Buy

John Wesley had a great fear of the
dangers of wealth, and his practice
squared with his preaching upon the
subject.
During all the years of his life, what
ever may have been his income, he lived
on twenty-eight pounds Qess than $500
year, and gave away the rest. In his
long life of lightweight years he gave
to benevolent causes more than 100000,
while he expended upon himself less
than $4,000.
We may we'll heed ones teaching con-
corning the perils of riches who lived
in such an unselfsh manner with re-
spect to his own possessions.
And here is a strong utterance of
Wesley's upon the subject of religion
and riches:
II do not see how it is possible, in
the nature of things, for any revival of
true religion to continue long. For
religion must necessarily produce both
industry and frugality; and these can
not but produce riches. But as yiches
increase, so will pride, anger, and love
of the world in all it's branches.
How, then, is is possible that the
religion of the heart, though it -four
ishes now as a green bay tree, should
continue in this state?
"Is there no. way to prevent this
this continual declension of pure relig-
ion? We ought not to forbid people to
be diligent and frugal. We must exhort
all Christians to gain all they can, and
to save all they can; that is, In effect
to grow rich! What way, then Ct ask
AGAIN. can we take, that our money
may not sink us to the nethermost hell?
There is one way, and there is no other
under heaven. If those who gain all
they can, and save all they can will
likewise give all they cam then, the
more they gain the more they will
grow in grace, and the more treasure
they will lay up in heaven"
That is both sound philosophy and
true Interpretation of Christianity. Pure
religion by it's very nature tends to pro-
duce riches, and riches tend to corrupt
and destroy pure religion. What then
should be the Christians course with
respect to riches? Wesley points out
the only answer to this question.
The subject is one for good men in
all chimes and all times to consider most
people of America especially to ponder
the matter.
Ours is the richest nation the world
ever saw The wealth of the ancient
world was a mere bagatelle in COMPARE
son with the opulence of the United
States.
And Notwithstanding the war. our peo-
pie are growing richer. To many of
them even the war itself has brought
vast increase of worldly goods VIII
this increased wealth of our country
doom us and damn us? Most certainly,
unless our people become as pious as
they are prosperous and as benevolent
as they are opulent.
N ha thArA O
increased benevolence. The high price
of cotton, the demand for the coal and
iron of Southern mines, and enhanced
incomes from many other sources, have
brought to the Southern people unprece-
denied wealth. They are now far richer
than were their fathers before the Civil
war. But are they as religious? 1t is
to be feared that they are not. Ger
tainly they are not as generous as they
are prosperous. They have learned how
to make money much more rapidly than
they have learned how to use 1t wisely
and religiOusly.
If tine gifts of southern men and
women to educational institutions may
be taken as an index to their benevo-
fence generally they can not be regard
ed as using their money very we'll
During the year 1915 gifts to higher
education in the United States exceeded
$35, 0O0,0 900, but southern institutions
received not quite $780, 900. New
England, with a population of only
G bout 1000 900 souls. gave to its edu
cational institutions above 100000
while gifts to colleges and universities
i'm the south, which has a population of
2S 900 600, aggregated no more than S2,-
17S, I92,-and OF this amount $4,000
was given Ey northern philanthropists
10 colleges for negroes.
One institution in Massachusetts re-
ceived mcSe than was given to all the
southern colleges and universities COM
bined, including the $4,000 for the
negro institutions.
Our section was at the beginning of
The year 1916 far behind the north III !
he matter of money invested in educa-
Lional institutions. and at the close OF
the year. il was even further behind |
AS the year 1917 has progressed, our
case has not improved. by January. |
1878. we shall he still further behind |
both the north and the west
In Two southern states-Georgia and |
.lor.dd--the unwise and wasteful policy |
2f taxing the endowments of educa-
lional institutions has tended to dis
courage gifts to the cause of higher &c
ucation and TO retard the growth of