Pueblo chieftain., 1921-01-09
Facing n Grim Fact

Jesus did not despise money as
money, any more than He despised
food or homes or education. What
He did despise-and that word should
De read AS connecting also scorn and
contenpt and pity-was the eXaltation
OF money into first place in life. He
saw that Gods rival in mems hearts
is money; therefore He cried that we
cannot serve God and Mammon. He
ASKED Tor the rich young mans life,
and saw that his life otherwise So fa,r,
was IN the grip of his fortune The
world has greeted with incredulity the
announcement of the renunciation of a
legacy OF a million dollars by a Massa-
Chusetts youth. The state of the pub
nc mind is such that it is difficult to
entertain any other thought than that
money Is the principal thing
SO long as money thus rules life.
Jesus VIII be kept from the throne of
sovereignty. That is the clear and
unwelcome teaching OF the Bible.
money as servant must always have
a place; money as master challenges
the very kingship of God. our vounr
people must be taught-chiefly by the
practice of their elders-that money is
not the principal thing. Unless we can
Pr0uuce generation of Christians
wiiilng to be poor, we shall fail to
make the first of all preparations for
racing the tidal wave OF revolution
that is sweeping the world.
IL Is slowly being forced into nv
consciousness that the lesson of the
RUSSIAN aristocracy was all in vain so
lal as the privileged peoples of the
western world are concerned saw
many instances of the utter ;nabiIitv
OF the rich Russians to grasp IN,
iuea that their money would not AL
ways purchase them special considers
tion. To them it was simply unthink
aoie a, that any revolution which de-
throned the rights of place and nron-
erty could continue. Alas. that biinh-
ness mas entailed the loss of many
thousands OF lives, and misery beyonI
reckoning. Please God, we shall never
see anything like the Russian reyo1u-
.lon IN this land. Nevertheless. there
Is under way an irrcsistabjc social
movement (which will reforn,Iata
values. and curb the peculiar rriyii-
eyes and power of mere money. That
grim TACT gives present point to the
teaching of the Lesson
Living for Things Worth While
Alter His staggering words. about
the rich mans entrance into the king
uoih Oh heaven being as difficult ,s
the passage of camel thru a needless
eye Jesus proceeded to set forth His
at'a-eu uiscipies the worth -whleness
OF service and sacrifice for the king
uom. Mere invectivcs against wealth
VIII get us nowhere. The way of the
Master was to present the better part.
thc JOY and privilege and reward OF
serving His kingdom.
he offered the rich young man the
career OF all careers. Then. as now.
rich men were common; and. save
TOT MS inglorious contact with Jesus.
TINS hameless young man passed on in
70 the obscurity of the merely rici,.
well has it been said, THE rich mans
sons do not have a fair chance in life"
Doomed to be nonentities or worse,
they go thru the years as leaners UPON
life, instead of lifters of life. Most
OF them do no high deeds. serve no
great cause. leave no noble work upon
their generation. What n chance the
rich young man In the lesson story
was given by the Master!
And he missed it, But say: what
OF ourselves and our sons? We are
alive in the most plastic and porten-
tous era in the worlds history.
Great events are shaping on every
hand. One man, with vision and
courage. may do more than was pos
sible to a hundred men century ago.
What day to be a servant of the
living God. n true brother of all men.
and builder of the Kingdom Of
heaven on carth He who puts Christ
first today lives the life that lasts.