Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1937-04-09
Wealth and Fame

"O ONE looking out over q world
of human endeavor, 1t may APP
pear that the chief objective OF
men is to acquire material wealth
and fame. While some may be striv-
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-
itually enlightened they mean some
thing far greater. They mean true
substance and honor-imperishab
impersonal, and eternal. In either
case, wealth and fame are two sig
nificant words.
Since God is infinite good, spirit
ual and eternal, can that which has
Ohly q lldlSIldl Vi ISlupOIdl GNlSltlCe
be truly good? If wealth is good, It
must be of God; therefore, it is not
material but spiritual, not temporal
but eternal. not uncertain and per-
lshable but certain and imperishable.
Genuine wealth lies in spiritual un-
derstanding, Did not Christ
Jesus say (Matthew $3.50. "Seek ye
first the kingdom of God, and MIS-
sAt, l,t IL.
shall be added unto you? And these
words have a very simple meaning
They mean that If we seek to know
and understand God Alright. every
human need will be abundantly met.
Now the word fame" is defined.
In part. by our dictionaries as lofty
Tor eYalted) reputation derived FROM
great achievements" What achieve
ments could be greater than healinS
the sick and raising the dead as did
Jesus of Nazareth? Was it not surely
great achievement to feed five thou
sand with but FIVE loaves. and two
fishes at hand. and to have much
food remaining after all had eaten.
1t is recorded that as Christ Jesus
went about Gahlee "healing all man
ner of sickness, =" "his fame went
throughout all Syria" (Matthew
4:23, 24) No spiritual achievements
can be greater than those of the mas
ter Christian.
The wealthiest, most famed, and
most powerful individual ever Ia
dwell among men was Christ Jesus,
Yet he possessed little of the worlds
riches, This, however. did not pre-.
vent him from meeting every human
need, even for the multitudes who
turned to him for help.
All will agree that power is resi-
dent in 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 of
discorG and decay" Jesus proved
substance to be God, good; hence
harmonious and permanent.
He who possesses a true under
standing of God and of mans rela-
tionship 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 sought
FIRST of all ian understanding heart"
that he might discern between good
and bad" q Kings S:9). Solomon
was wise, indeed. for the record con-
tinues, assuring us that God not only
SntnpNnN
heart" but both riches. and hon
our" In his parable duke 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 accommodating
wealth; but God said unto him,
Thou fool, this night thy soul shalt
be required of thee" And the parable
continues, $50 is 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. 2S4), "Lured by
fame, pride, or gold, success is dau-
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 christianity scientific
demonstration, else one has a very
uncertain claim to them. Whatever
spiritual good one may acquire
through his understanding of the
Christ. Truth, is imperishable. AS one
gains true understanding he grows
rich in genuine substance, including
wealth and honor, health and joy,
harmony and prosperity.-The Chris.