The Washington herald., 1918-05-12

We live in a material world. and
certain material possessions are es-
sential to life, to say nothing Of con-
venience and comfort. Man must have
food, clothing. and shelter: and he
should have the means OF intellectual
enjoyment. wholesome recreation, and
the desirable comforts of life. All
these things are comprised in what We
call WEALTH, and under present So
cial conditions are represented by the
one word MONEY. Is IL not true that
money or its equivalent-the essential
things that money can buy-must be
counted among the necessities Of life?
BY misquotation we hear II said that
money is the root OF all evil; but the
Scriptures say not so. The inspired
declaration reads: FOR THE LOVE
OF MONEY Is THE ROOT OF ALL
EVIL" q Tim. 6:lO.) As soon as one
sets his heart on money he becomes
unbalanced in mind and spirit; his
vision and perspective are disturbed.
In view OF the prevailing conditions
Of social unrest, Of protest against ex-
isting systems whereby the distribu-
ton OF wealth Is becoming more and
more disproportionate. the consequent
dissatisfaction with governments. and
the half-smothered fires Of anarchy
discernible in almost every nation, we
find comfort in the God-given promise
OF a better plan-a plan that provides
without force or violence to establish
a rational equality, to take the
weapons Of despotism from the op-
pressor, to Danish poverty, and to give
to every man the opportunity to live,
labor, and rejoice in the field or sphere
to which he is adapted. From the
tyranny OF misused wealth, as from
every other form OF oppression. the
truth will make men free. To deserve
real freedom. and to enjoy the bless
ings thereof to the full, mankind must
subdue selfishness. which is the po-
tent enemy Of godliness.
As already shown, the Church OF
Jesus Christ OF Latter-day Saints has
been put under training in the practice
OF altruistic living, in liberality, and
in the overcoming OF selfishness. by
the Lords requirement Of the 1.-THE
and other free-will offerings and ef-
forts. We regard the 1.-THE system.
however, as but a step in the course
OF advancement toward the consecra-
ton of all our possessions, time. tai
ents and ability, to the service OF God.
Within a few months after the or
ganization OF the Church the voice OF
the Lord was heard in the matter.
foreshadowing a development yet fu-
ture, in preparation for which the
tithing system was established. The
day is coming when none among us
shall speak Of mine and thine. but all
we have shall be accounted ours and
the Lords.
In this confident expectation We IN
dulge no vague dreams Of communism,
fostering individual irresponsibility.
and giving the idler an excuse for
hoping to live at the expense OF the
thrifty; but in the assurance that
every man shall be a steward OF the
property entrusted to his care. with
the certainty OF being required to give
a full account OF his stewardship. The
varied and graded vocations will still
exist; there will be laborers whose
qualifications are for physical toll.
managers who have proved their abil-
fly to lead and direct, some who can
best serve with the pen. others with
the plow: there will be engineers and
mechanics. artizans and artists. farm
ers and scholars, teachers and authors
each laboTing SO far as practicable
in the sphere OF his choice, but each
required to work, and to work where
and how he can be OF the greatest
service. Equal rights are to be in
sured, for thus the Lord hath spoken:
"AND YOU ARE TO BE EQUAL,
OR IN OTHER WORDS. YOU ARE
TO HAVE EQUAL CLAIMS ON THE
PROPERTIES. FOR THE BENEFIT
OF MANAGING THE CONCERNS
OF YOUR STEwARDsHIPs, EVERY
MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WANTS
AND HIS NEEDS. INASMUCH AS
' HIS WANTS ARE JUST. AND ALI
THIS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE