Year: 1861

that the assets of the bank would not pay the
deposicrs and bill holders, and the shareho-
dcrs were responsible Again and again they
were called upon to pay, until to most moth
ing was left. Ailluence sank down into pen
ury. The distress of the wretcbed victims
was indescribable Many went mad, and
some lay down and died.


Il will not trust anything but ground
rents said one, and made himself secure
But an unsatisfcd judgment lay upon lee
property and many thousands of the secure
investment disappeared as dream. But 1t


is useless to multiply instances OF the nsocur-
ity of earthly possessions We all know that
they who have riches have cares Herewith
and that the trouble of keeping is even great
er than that of acquiring money. Riches
take to themselves wings. We do not believe
this when We are young, but when VIC can
look back, we see that it is true


But riches are not the only things that


men trust. Power is to many more attrac.


tive than wealth, but It is even less stable -


Thrones can topple as suddenly as humber


things. Cesars and Bonapartcs, ana Louis


Phillippes fit across the stage as rapidly as


other shadows. All human buildings are
laid Cd sand and when the winds blow ana
| the rains descend and the floods come-cot-


tage and tower 90 to the ground


We have often thought Of the young man


whom Jesus invited to exchange earthly Tor


heavenly riches, but who went away scrroW-


full.


He went away to his lands, and his bonds.


but he went sorrowing after truer and more


satisfying riches. He lived in troublous


times. The country was in state OF great


agitation Corruption and violence had long


rioted in the State, and the inevitable despo.


tism that succeeds, was coming on. A proud


race with conscience and history, wild, incon.


siderate leaders, and a blind and passionate


populace were soon to rush into revolution


and civil war and misery, such as the world


had never seen. Everywhere Judea was III


tested with robbers, and the worst OF them sat
in the place Of justice, making long prayers


and devouring widows houses. What a


wrctched lot it was to I've rich at that time +;
to have ones sensibiites spread out over
large surface, where danger was everywhere
pressing What became Of him and his prop


erty, we do not know. Most probably ne lost
it before death--perhaps his life was cut shor
by carelessness or violence. We do not know
| how that was, but we do know that riches
could not make the young man happy ,and that
great riches must have prevented his peace
But he could not have lived many years. At
most we may suppose him to have lived so
!. years after that memorable day, when he made
5 his unhappy choice. Since then, l 800 years
: since, his wealth has exhausted, his consoa-


ton lost his confidence gone 1900 years OF


emptiness, OF entire hopeless poverty; and
eternity unprovided for, and bringing no pro-


vision


Suppose he had taken the advice Of Jesus,
how differently would stand the account. He
would have laid down his property, and with
it the cares of the world The sweet assur-
. ances Of riches in heaven, the glorious sepsa'
, tons and Offices of child of God, the stirrin G
. life Of a near disciple of the lncarnate, these
S would have been better than the riches he had
I given up. But no how would it be ? For
1900 years he would have been in possession
q Of so much of heavenly happiness as may be
t possessed by disembodied spirit; but etern'
/: ity is coming-an eternity Of fulness of JOY
t and of pleasures for evermore. Poor young
S man, he made bad bargain of it. But arc
n we doing any better? True, the heavenly
n riches are on Iy held by faith; but that is The
l tenure of earthly riches, too. A merchants
| wealth is only his faith in the solvency and
d honesty of his debtors. Certificates of stock
! represent the amount of faith we have II
Il States or banks, or railroad companies. In
q temporal things we all live by faith on some
# body. The question is between trusting God
j. or man, things visible Or Invisible, things tran
e sient or durable. When the nest is broken
e up the young bird learns to fly. II we love
: God we know that no evil can come to us, II
= he permits us to suffer, suffering will prove a
e good. Let us strive to cooperate with him
n loosen our ties to earth, and cry