The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1919-05-22
MONEY.-ITS RELATION
TO CHARACTER
Use of Money in Developing
Character Text of Bacca-
laureate Sermon


, a thoughtful, earnest address on the
relation of money to the formation and
, development of character, especially
, in the young.
, The church was filled to its capa-
city and was beautiful in its decora-
T tions of flowers and class colors, Dur
ing the services, musical numbers were
given by quartet composed of Mr.
and Miss Rundstrom, Miss Pattison
and Mr.. Haynes, solos by Mrs. New
conner and DR.. Allen, violin solo by
Mrs. Ruth Hunt.
Rev. Adams said in part:
To some of you this theme may
seem rather unusual to present to a
graduating class. Yet, because other
topics are touched upon nearly every
year, and because many of you frorl
now will be handing and having mere
money than ever before, and because
money and the proper use of 1T plays
a very important part in the forma-
tion of character, it has seemed good
to me to present this matter TO you
for your earnest consideration. More
over, Jesus himself reckoned that a
mans use of money was a very good
index of the mans inner self.
| DIR. Theodore l.. Cuyler says:
What young man earns in the day
goes into his pocket; but what he
spends in the evening goes into his
character" There is a way in which
you can spend money and it will make
you selfish miser; there is a way in
which you can spend money and it will
make you a characterless nonentity;
there is way in which you can spend
money and it will make you restless
pleasure seeker, never gratified, and
your dependents (if your have any
ever in a state of want; there is
way in which you can spend money
and it will make you better man or
better woman. | believe there never
was a time in the history of the
world when it was more necessary to
carefully, prayerfully and religiously
plan what to do with this great God
given gift.
| know a man who is always COM
planning of the system under which
he lives. He works hard for all he
gets He "earns his bread in the
sweat of his brow" But although he
works hard and has the ordinary wag
es he will never have enough for him
self or his family. If he has dollar
it must go. Every evening after sup
per he must find place to spend his
money or burn it up in smoke. He
must go to the show, he must have his
game of pool, he cannot do without
his tobacco Now, do not mistake OF
n -fo nd | NJ
he should not go to a show, or play a
game of billiards, or smoke his pipe
or cigar We all must have recrea-
tion in some form or other. | am
sure that my fellow ministers will not
disagree with me when | say it is all
right for him to go to see the pic
lures occasionally land he ought to
take his fanny along). Nor can |
bring myself to the position that t
is sin for man to play a game of
pool But let me say this again and
again: that when anything becomes a
habit, and particularly when that hab-
it leads one day after day to use their
hard earned wages for the gratitica- |
tion of spending money without result
they are not only robbing themselves
and their loved ones, but they are un-
dermining their moral stamina by |
their inability to say "No." There are
some people VINO not only fail finan-
cialy, but fail morally, are led into
sins they never expected to be guilty |
of because they knew not how to use
the money intrusted to them.
If this town is like other towns,
then there are some in it who, be-
cause they have not been able to con-
troll their appetite for spending lux
are today without credit;
their family is improperly provided
for, physically or intellectually, and
they themselves are so set in habits OF
spending, habits of debt, habits OF
gratifying their every whim, that If
tomorrow their wages or salary were
in another year they would
be exactly in the same place they are
now. Yet these people never give
away a cent No matter how great or
how needy the cause, they pride them
selves on their not being able to do
On the other hand, | can
cite you instances of men-yes, and
some women, too-who although they
have never received large wage are
Today providing well for loved ones,
are educating their family splendidly,
are themselves enjoying life, and they
are asked to give, expected to give,
ind do give to great and worthy caus-
IS. They, out of their one talent, are
helping to build up better commun-
ty, better nation, better world.
Why? Because that early in life, per-
iaps just as they were leaving High
school, they realized that like other
blessings of life money was gift OF
God to be used to His glory and our
rood, and not something in the hand
o crafty passing desires. 1t is 20 :
noble character and not to weaken 1t. G
| am rather afraid that there are /
ONE of our young people who attend f
very dance they can, who cannot miss
show, who want to be ain style At
very turn of fashion irrespective of