The Fort Peck press., 1937-04-08
Wealth and Fame


pear that the chief objective OF
men 10 to acquire material wealth
and fame. While some may be strly-
Ing to procure daily meals, others
may be trying to gain millions. Some
may seek to be heard by their neigh
bors. while others strive to be heard
by nations. And because OF erroneous
mortal beliefs men often work siren
uOusly for material wealth and fame,
giving little thought to the gaining
OF genuine substance, that which
alone sustains and prospers man.
To the materially minded, to dark
ened mortal sense, wealth and fame
may mean merely perishable gold
and personal glory while to the spir-
ituaily enlightened they mean some
thing far greater They mean true
substance and honor--imperish
impersonal, and eternal. In either
case, wealth and fame are two sig
nifieant words.
Since God is infinite good, spirit
ual and eternal. can that which has
only a material or temporal existence
be truly good? If wealth is good. It
material but spiritual, not temporal
but eternal, not uncertain and per-
ishable but certain and imperishable.
Genuine wealth lies In spiritual un-
derstanding. Did not Christ
Jesus say {Matthew 6:33), "Seek ye
hrst the kingdom Of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things
shall be added unto you? And these
words have very simple meaning.
They mean that II we seek TO know
and understand God Alright, every
human need will be abundantly met.
Nov the word fame is defined.
in part, by our dictionaries as lofty
Cor exalted) reputation derived from
great achievements" What achieve
ments could be greater than healing
the alex and raising the dead as did
Jesus Of Nazareth? Was it not surely
a grea. achievement to feed FIVE thou
sand with "but five loayes, and two
fishes" at hand, and to have much
food remaining after all had eaten.
1t is recorded that as Christ Jesus
went about Galilee "healing all mau-
ner OF sickness" "his fame went
throughout all Syria" (Matthew
4:23. "a. No spiritual achievements
can be greater than those OF the mas
ter Christian.
The wealthiest, most famed, and
most powerful individual ever to
iwell among men was Christ Jesus,
let he possessed little Of the worlds
riches This, however, did not pre-
vent him from meeting every human
need, even for the multitudes who
turnod m him halp
All will agree that power Is resi-
dent ia Truth. And we learn through
Christian Science that God is Truth,
and that God is substance. Hence,
genuine substance, including wealth,
honor, and potency, is purely spirit
ual; therefore eternal. The Discover
er and Founder of Christian Science,
Mary Baker Eddy, says in Science
and Health with Key to the Scrip
lures" (p. 1867, Substance Is that
which is eternal and incapable oi
discord and decay" Jesus proved
substance to be God, good hence
harmonious and permanent.
He who possesses true under
standing OF God and Of mans reia-
tienship to Him, and sincerely strives
to live the divine precepts, is vastly
richer than he who may have gained
great worldly possessions or mere
personal popularity, but does not
know God. Solomon humbly sougnt
first of all IAN understanding heart
that he might discern between good
and bad Il Kings 3:9). Solomon
was wise, indeed, for the record con.
tinues, assuring us that God not only
gave Solomon "an understandings
heart" but "both riches. and hon
our" In his parable (Luke 1916
21) Jesus tells of "a certain rich
man" who believed he had much
goods laid up for many years: and
decided to build greater storage fac
ilities for his rapidly accumulating
wealth: but "God said unto him.
Thou fool. this night thy soul shall
be required OF thee. D." And the parable
continues, $50 il he that layeth up
treasure for himself, and is not rich
toward Cod
Mrs. Eddy wrote (The First
Church of Christ, Scientist, and Mis-
cellany. PIP. 2S3, 2S4D, "Lured by
fame, pride, or gold. success is dam
gerous. but the choice of folly never
fastens on the good or the great.
indeed. 1t Is not sinful TO express
abundance or to be known and loved
Such achievements, however, should
be the fruit Of Christianly scientific
demonstration. else one has very
uncertain claim to them. Whatever
spiritual good one may acquire
through his understanding OF the
Christ, Truth, is imrerishab bic. AS one
gains true understanding he grows
rich in genuine substance. including
wealth and honor. health and joy,
harmony and prosperity chris