Year: 1879

MAOON1O


MAKING HASTE TO GROW RIcH-sERMoN BY


MR.. o. B. FRoTHINGHAM.


In his sermon at Masonic Temple, on the subject
which he called Making Haste to Grow Rich," Mr..
0. b. rockingham said among other things, that
the cardinal idea in the New Testament is that riches
are be despsed that those possessing them to
be cast down, and that the poor lowy and those Of
no account to be elevated The Of this de-
nunciaton of wealth account of the disreputa
BILE means whereby monopolies and undue privileges
were acquired. taxes imposed upon the poor and
the people oppressed The wealth of the world was
then in few hands, the masses poor. and the
great commercial interests created within the last
few ages then unknown. In those old times there
was an immense gulf which separated those who
had from those who had not; the latter being then
thought nothing of and the former everything. All
this has passed away, and men are now more on
equality in many respects; still there is oppression
in the present day, but it is as nothing compared
with that which ground the masses into the dust
in the early ages.


To-day the ruling idea is to seek wealth and to look
upon it better than BIRTH rank privilege Surely
the wealth there is in the world the better it s
Therefore, my brethren. get all the wealth you can
and keep 1t for good ends. said the speaker who
tinucd to say that wealth means health, happiness,
travel education, comfort, length of lfe--a the
material advantages which the rich man possesses
over the poor He who has wealth. and is a man at
the same time, is the best specimen of race.
What can be better than health and fine frame able
to face heat and cold and to brave the storm? But
wretchedly abused in the hands of those who do
know how to use it, Like the selfish man who abuses
possessor of physical beauty may make his gift
curse instead of blessing to society.
Talents and education in the hands of bad men only
help them to their evil ends they give the burglar
more skill and the thief greater cunning. Hence.
some men say that there is no use in giving public
education to the masses. This a mistake,
for it is right to trust with the
benefits of education; and the popular outcry
for it's universal spread is the best answer
to the theological libel upon human nature in
saying that 1t is corrupt and depraved There must
always be behind the educational privileges of
the day, and also behind wealth, both become in
struments Of corruption and decay.


The objection to riches is not TO its possession, but
to the mschefs of its abuse But it's pursuit to the
exclusion of other good things is evil. There
in New York 100000 people more than there ought to
city, but you could not bribe them to 20 there and
live. They would think it hard work on a farm. No
books. no amusement, no society-lfe is exceedingly
slow. Therefore the young man leaves his farm and
comes to the city to take his chance in the macl
strom of life. Thus men do not care to live
good lives-they prefer excitement and an emotional
| existence. In Washington there some 2l5
patents issued every week, and the number of re-
| jected applications must be enormous This shows
a vast surplus of American inventive powers. Con-
slider. now the good that would result to humanity
II this sperabundant talent were otherwise employed
more usefully. Mountains would be removed or
tunnelled, marshes drained, waste lands broken
and deserts made to smile. But no. the man who





rapid wealth. and he is bound to travel it ut the
pcnsc of much that is good in him. Hence there
young man who starts in life Joining in the
hcadlong race to get money at all hazards,
before he obtains # will be apt to find
old age. The mischief of this passion
for wealth is fearful. There is in it a
life OF emotional bewdcrment that kills many
good qualities in the man. Then there is many a
fancy tor vain things that springs up In his mind
while on the way the goal of riches; perhaps the
tes for pr ke root
in his bosom and lead him 10 early ruin. An i'm
moderate desire for wealth demorazes the man. He
will read only the newspapers; presently nothing
but stocks will have any attraction for him, and his
mind dwindles down to an aptitude for nothing save
money getting: he Is not mind any longer, he IL
but speculative point He who thinks only OF max
ing money by and by forgets the true meaning of
such words love, bcnevolcnce charity and the
kindred virtues which they mean.


The speaker then referred to the poverty of jesus
the charity and usefulness of stephen Girard and of
Peter Cooper and similar instances to show that the
possession of wealth means nothing unless in the
hands of good man who is capable of properly ON
ployng it, He told the story of an interview which
history related as having taken place between
Crnsus, King of Lydia, and Solon the merchant
Athenan showed his wisdom by despsing riches and
prasing social and domestic virtues and Crnsus his
foolishness by overestimating the value OF wealth.
which eventually served only To place him prisoner
at the mercy OF Cyrus.


FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.
CHRISTIAN MAGNANIMITy-sERMoN by THE REV.


DR. ARMITAGE.


The subject upon which the Rev. DR.. Armitagc dis
coursed to his congregation in the evening was
christian Magnanmity," taking his text from Acts.
xvi, 29-"Except these bonds" lie said:-Thcre
has been essential in the several kinds of
human character in all ages. Sinful character has
always deformed and virtuous character has always
adorned humanity. Goodness is the sparkling dia-
mond which beauties "a meek and quiet spirit"
and has been discovered in certain eminent charac-