Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-06-18
The Times-Dispatch Sunday
Sermon
THE rERILs OF PROSPERITY.
lly j. a. Eui,nnk.

Hy }. a. Euhank.
But Jeshurun waXed fat, and kicked. tho,
| arr waNen fat thou art grown thick. thou
! ore covered with fairness; then he forsool< God
! which made him. aud lightly esteemed the Rock
.: his Salvation."-Dcut. xxxii 49,
/ lust before the Lord sent Moses nm IN
| Mount Neho t" see the promised land. and
| "l'' he being forbidden to enter because OF
! ms trespass against the Lord among the chill
! dr"n of Israel the waters of Mcribuk :
| kadcsh, in the Wilderness OF Tin M. osscm-
| pied all the congregation of Israel and in their
! presence spake the words of the song of
| which the text Is part. setting forth Gods
| mercy and vengeance
leshurun is the symholical name of Israel
| ana W" find Its use by the Lord through the
| mouth Of His prophets recorded in the Scrip-
! lures four tImes-threc times by Moses and
, once by Isaiah. The latter uses ;hc term II,
! comforting the people of the promise in their
"'S"iati"n with the assurance OF redemption
in the future when they shall turn TO tho
God of their salvation.
In addressing the people of Israel by the
term Moses used the language of the tex,
|" s'mind them OF their unfaithfuncss to
| God after passing through the series Of re-
'h"FNahie experiences In which Ills provi-
"en'" had not only shielded them from harm
ht' had brought to them great prosperity
VIM" Yet wanderers in the wilderness and
S'Jo"F"'rS among people who wurshiped
strange gods
-
causes which influenced the children of
israel 50 quickly t" forget the manifold bless
i"%s Showcred upon them. and TO fail in hit
'"E expressions of gratitude to Him who
bestowed them. Not only so. but they poin:
""' weakness in human nature which. when
subjected 10 certain Influences has been re-
h"c'ed b. showing OF ngratitude all down
the subsequent ages.
J'shnrun waxed fat" There is prosper
''N both Tor individuals and for nations when
n To tl,n
'feit"f OF the universe. whether they ma
such revelation in nature or in His written
N"f". No man can live in strict accordance
win 'ne ten commandments ana not wax
measurHhly fat Gods whole system of econ
"mE teaches industry and frugalitv and
where these are re-enforccd by All the vlr-
tues winch these comma ndments are in
tended t" instil! in the human heart the sub
S'""'ia' evidences of thrift will surely fol-
l"" Gods laws are designed to develop the
utmost or which humanity is capable In the
way II weil-roundcd Observation-Disclosures
NhIch can pass through every phase OF hu-
man experience and emerge but the stronger
for tn" test
But alas! when Jeshurun waxcd fat he
Kicked We find many instances in all hu-
man experience When wealth begins to heap
mp around men they become thick; they
are lifted up. so to speak. and in the vcxa-
non which they bring upon themselves by
tn" cares and anXictics which so often ac-
company riches they find much against
witch 10 complain. Sometimes in their hearts
t'Y murmur At the WAYS Of Providence
winch in the heavincss that has come upou.
'hcy fail To interpret; sometimes II is one
ct their fellow creatures with whom they
ma fau!t; sometimes IL is thing and
then anothcr-hut all tending To couduc,
which IN the light OF tho All Seeing Ey. re-
Ncals them as "kiokers."
Who that has had large relations with his
fellow men helping one here and one there.
at time when light, though timely. assist
"h'e meant great deal 10 those to whom it
was extended IN tn" way OF planting their
feet firmly on the road toward success has
not IN more than ono instance had his Kind
ness repaid by exhibitions of the basest in
neutrality-suspicious. at time when he. too
under n reverse Of fortune. needed a kindly
helping hand? Well has Shakespeare writ
to