t.. tz, and the fofreace with which ten alear " a coop isha esh pur. se of h. own. The fro Bad Chist tron. ba thoshte sad an *ing his youée co'd the s 1 heart played w are dis id, multi As the judge r awa yed him &galist i zespect to waith, that THE SIN AND PUNISHMENT OF SELFISH WEALTH. BY REV. LEROY M. LEE, D. D., OF THE VIRGINIA CONFERENCE. "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." Luke xii, 21. A profoundly interested crowd were listening to the gracious words that proceeded from the mouth of Christ. They were agitated by the solemn warning to fear Him who hath power to kill and to cast into hell;* and were excited to a grateful joy, by the assurance of a special and merciful Providence, which supplied their daily wants, watched over their steps, and "numbered the very hairs of their heads." But their eager attention was suddenly and strangely interrupted. There was one among those who listened to him, who "spake as never man spake," whose thoughts were too much engrossed by "the love of money," to sympathize with the doctrines of Christ, or to be attracted by his representations of "a better and a more enduring substance" than earth can offer, or wealth can purchase. He had no taste for those spiritual treasures which Christ was offering" without money and without price" to himself and others. But he was keen to perceive the authority with which Christ taught, and the deference with which he was heard; and quick to conclude that he might avail himself of the authority of Christ to accomplish a selfish purpose of his own. The things that filled his heart and excluded Christ from his thoughts and affections were displayed when, lifting his voice amid the solemn stillness of the multitude, he said: "Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me." Disclaiming all right or power to judge or settle questions of that character, the Master warned him against covetousness; and taught him a lesson, with respect to wealth, that he, and others in the pursuit of riches, find it hard to believe, and are slow to practice: "Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for Luke xii, 4.5. + Verse 6, 7. ‡ Verse 13. a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." How true! How wisely, how impressively true is it, that a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of his possessions! Life has a better and a more enduring substance than "gold that perisheth!" It has higher aims, nobler promptings, and more substantial objects than are found in the pursuit or the possession of wealth. "They that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." The dangerous tendency and destructive influence of the love of money on the hearts and habits of men are distinctly portrayed in the parable connected with the text. To confirm his warning against covetousness, and to illustrate the deceptions and hardening influence of the disposition and determination to be rich and increased in goods, he related a parable showing the effects of wealth upon one who "layed up treasure for himself," and was not, either in the possession or use of his wealth, "rich toward God." Our text is a deduction from the parable, setting forth a general principle, as to the effect of selfish wealth on religious life and character, drawn from a particular case. It is the history of a man who made to keep; who accumulated to lay up for himself; who labored to have, not to give; who was anxious to get and glad to hoard; but not cheerful to communicate nor willing to distribute; who was rich for himself and poor toward God; who was wealthy for the life that now is, but a pauper for that which is to come! As he was, "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." The parable furnishes ample and authoritative proof of the evils of seeking wealth for its own sake, and of laying it up for pride and selfish pleasures. Its various and impressive facts for warning and instruction may be comprised in the following propositions : 1. The influence of the pursuit and use of wealth for selfish purposes, on the character and destiny of men. 2. The remedy against the evils of accumulating riches suggested by the duty of so using our wealth as to become "rich toward God.” I. The influence of the pursuit and use of wealth for selfish purposes, &c. Recurring to the parable for illustration and proof of the evils at† 1 Tim. vi, 9. Luke xii, 15. tendant upon the selfish pursuit and use of wealth, we find that it blinds the mind, hardens the heart, inflames the passions, perverts the understanding, and damns the soul. A frightful catalogue of evils, consummated in eternity, and crowned with fire that never shall be quenched. Let us hear and heed the warning. It is, perhaps, not an insignificant fact that the case used for illustrating so important a principle as the consecration of one's wealth to the service and glory of God, is taken from agricultural pursuits and profits. From any other of the professional and industrial pursuits of life it might have awakened the suggestion that the successful accumulation of wealth was connected with chicanery and peculation, the growth of skillful trickery, professional mendacity, or of fraudulent transactions pervading a thousand operations, and spreading over a long tract of time. But nothing of the kind enters into the subject. It is a case where the man and his pursuits are segregated from corruption and trickery, are subordinate to providence, and face to face with God. Man the worker and God the blesser occupy the vision and fill the thoughts. These work together. The munificence of God crowns the toil of man, and he is rich! But alas! he is rich without an emotion of gratitude, an impulse of benevolence, or even a desire for fellowship with him who crowns labor with increase, and life with blessings. In these facts, defining the influence of selfish wealth on the character of "a certain rich man," we find authority for our proposition, and support it by the following deductions plainly set forth in the parable. 1. Wealth sought and used for selfish ends blinds the mind as to the author and end, no less than the right use of wealth. "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully." He was already rich. The successive products of years had brought him wealth. It was not ill-gotten wealth. It had grown by God's blessing upon the skill, and care, and industry of the husbandman. He plowed and planted and sowed. God gave the genial seasons, summer and winter, sunshine and rain, seed time and harvest; and his stores were continually augmenting. The direct agency of God's providence is constantly displayed in such a case of prosperity. It is more palpable and impressive here than in any other mode of growing rich. But this rich man seems wholly unconscious of the source of his success. He does not recognise the kindness and love of God. The gift absorbs his thoughts, fills his vision, engulfs his |