The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1918-11-09

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crowned king. AS he lay dying he
called the young king into his pres
ence, and this is what Solomon heard
David, his father, say: u am going
the way of all the earth. Show thy
self a man."
Not by Clothes.
Solomon must have pondered the
meaning of these words, and as we
look back over his life it might be Won
dered if he did not interpret, "Show
myself a man." to mean that he should
wear costly and ornamental array. His
magnificent clothes made such an i'm
preston that our Lord, holding forth
a lily, said: Solomon in all his glory
was not : Eyed like one of these"
Strange, is it not, that even in these
days, when the realities of life are be-
ing borne in upon us Is never before,
there are folks who act as if they
thought clothes instead of character
make the man.
You can test this in most any social
gathering. Two men enter; one, with
heart as black as hell, but dressed like
a fashion plate and with the airs Of a
gentleman; the other, with sterling
character, but green and awkward,
wears ordinary plain clothes. The first
is a center of attraction while the sec
ond is unnoticed unless some one, out
of pity, keeps him company. l do not
say this would be so If the real value
of each man was known, but in the alb
Sence of such knowledge, is it not true
that often we act as if clothes and not
character, make the man?
Not by Wealth.
1t may be Solomon thought his ia
Their meant that he should acquire
wealth, for he amassed a great fortune
and became the richest man of all
time. He erected a palatial residence
that took thirteen years to build, and
had such sumptuous surroundings and
so much wealth, that the queen of
Sheba, hearing of his glory, came to
visit him and when she saw it all, eX-
claimed: "The half was never told"
How many there are today to whom
wealth Is an indication of manhood.
leI II De Sdlu lndL Ouc 10 IlNH, anu III
mediately these people do him honor, as
If what he pos sses, instead of what he
is, makes him a man 1t is a bad GUS
tom we have of asking how much a
man is worth, rather than what is his
character. A man may have a good
character with dollars, and just as
easily, he may have a bad character
without them. 1t is not money, or the
want of it, that determines q mans
character. 1t is what he actually Is.
Wealth may induce to badness, and
so may poverty neither, however, need
be blamed for ruined character, be-
cause God will give strength and grace
to zeal either, if we ask him.
Not by Culture.
Possibly Solomon thought that Gull
ture makes a man, for we read that he
became the wisest of all men. Yet
after acquiring understanding in many
things, it was he who said at last:
"Trust in the Lord and lean not to
thine own understanding"
We should remember that God puts
no premium upon ignorance. He *
poets US to develop and increase in
knowledge.
The splendid schools and colleges of
our day offer youth great opportunities
for development; but should all the
culture and learning of the world be
acquired, and one know not God and
Jesus Christ whom he has sent, he is
still ignorant of the greatest and most
vital truth-truth that is essential to
his character, and without which he
lacks the power to build that Christian
character which alone can stand the
testings of God, and having stood
them, endure throughout eternity.
The apostle tells us hat "other
foundation can no man lay than that
is laid, which is Jesus Christ" And
he says: "If any man build upon this
foundation"-not learning, not culture,
but Christ-'he shall receive a re-
ward" provided of course, his building
be of such material as will stand the
test of fire. And SO he adds: "Take
heed how we build t~hereupon."
Yes, let us take heed how we build
t%hereupon; what kind of Christian
characters we erect; but first of all,
we need to be definitely sure that We
are building upon the only foundation
which is Jesus Christ our Lord. Then
as we build our Christian character
upon him, may each one Of us show
himself a man.