Year: 1859

an independent, selfexistant power. There
is but one genuine proprietor in the uni
verse, and that proprietor is its Maker
All that we call ours--all that we win by
toll and are allowed to hold, for our use
and our disposal, by the laws of civil So
ciety--was made and is owned by Him who
made and owns us. The mite that makes
home for itself in our cheese does not, by
the processes of burrowing and feeding.
institute claim to property in thL cheese
The robin that builds a nest in our maple,
from materials selected upon our land, eau
not be said to own the tree, If we have a
purpose for il that interferes with her nest.
That God is the grand proprietor must be
received as cardinal, vital fact by all who
do not deny the existance Of God himself.
1t is not for me to declaresto the world the
manner in which He regards this portion of
His property but cannot help thinking
that He looks upon it as great mansion
which He has taken infinite pains to con.
struct for the shelter and support of fam
lily Of children 10 whom He takes infinite
interest. These continents of verdlre, this
great and wide sea, swing like pendulum
between its shores, overhung by the moons
mysterious dial, these rivers nursed in their
crystal infancy at the bosoms of these mo-
thcrly hills and mountains, this downy at
mosphere that feeds our breath, fans our
hrowss and springs over Us its canopy of
blue this wonderful variety of animal life
that rejoices in forest wildernesses and
smooth pastures, aud swims in the sea and
floats upon the air---all these were made
and are supported by His power, for the
benefit of the intelligent creatures whom
He has placed among them. .
Now, if we have anything like owner
ship in these things, this ownership has its
basis in Gods benefcence If VIC hold any
thug by right, for our special use and at
our disposal, we hold it as gift of God,
and as temporary gift. We are allowed
to use these things for time and then
We pass away, and they are transferred to
the possession of others. Not unlrequent-
ly they are taken from us while we live. -
The patient Man of Uz exhibited his idea
Of property-the true dea--in the familiar
words, "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath
taken away" In making this world, the
Creator furnished it with all the materials
necessary for the support of His entire hu-
/ man family. For the best development of
our minds and bodies, He made il necessa-
ry for us to work, SO that, by moulding the
agencies aud recombining the materials He
permits us TO use, we may secure that which
is necessary for our sustenance and shelter.
! He knew that some wond be able to secure
more than enough for sustenance and shell
Fer, and that others would not be able to
secure enough, yet He did not intend that
any should lack food and clothing, or any
of the essentials of healtliful bodily and
mental life. Heknew, aud, verify believe,
intended, that some should be poor and
that others should be rich and thus inSti-
tuted the emergency for human beneficence
Or charity. 1t is better, on the hole, that
the world should be made up of benefac,
tors and bene6ciaries than that each man
should he independent of everv other man.
Thus, every man whom He has made, or
whom He has allowed to become, rich, He
has by that favor commissioned to he an
almoner of His bounty to those whom He
has not thus favored The sick, the help
less, the utterly poor through MISFORTUNE
these are always with Hs. The Savior
Himself stated this as fact good for all





to deny that these unfortunate ones have
an absolute right to live, and, consequent
ly, right to so much of the property of
Others as may be necessary to support them.
The pauper systems established by all ChLis-
riau states have their basis ir the absolute
right of the helpless to aid at the hand of
society. If yon who read these words are
rich, you recognize, every time you pay a
tax for the comfort and support of those
who can do nothing or little for themselves,
the fact that a portion of your wealth, at
least, belongs to somebody else. Whether
you recognize il or not, the fact is the same.
What we call state charities are essentially
state equities. The lunatic aSylnms the
pauper establishments, the hospitals, the
reform schools, all grow out of the duty
which the element of wealth IN society owes
to the element of weakness


But the state is a great body, and moves
cunSy. There are countless fields of hen
Efficient or charitable effort and privilege
TO which its operations are not fitted
There is great amount of work which il
neither can do, nor should do aud pre-
ciSely here arise the duties of individual
wealth to individual want-of individual
wealth to the need of the world for food,
raiment, Christian enlightment, educational
aud religious institutions and almost num-
bereSs schemes of public good. If, in the
economy of Heaven, there exist the neees-
sity Of Institutions and schemes for private
aud public good which are manifeStly out
side OF the Legitimate sphere of the state
institutions aud schemes which can only
be established by the contributions of
wealrhy--it is as if God had laid his finger
upon every rich MANS pnrse, and pronounc-
ed The word ''give !" What do you tkink
God gave you more wealth than is requisite
to satisfy your rational wants for, when
you look around aud see how many are in
absolute need of that which you do not
need Can you not take the hint :


Men may give from compassionate, or
geuerOus impulse-from momenlary ex-
citement of their sympathins s-and very
much is given in this way, without donbt.
will not quarrel with this variety of chari.
ty hut believe that a genuine spirit Of
beue6cence can be exercised by no mind
that does not recognize all the wealth it en-
joys as the gift of Gad. to be shared with