May 1931
197
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
Heaped Treasure James 5 :l-8
Lovers of Pleasure 2 Timothy 3:1-5
ENS of thousands are in the “bread lines” of the United States, yet the Treasury Depart ment reports that plutocrats increase. In spite of the stock market crash in 1929, 504 persons in the United States reported incomes that year in excess of $1,000,000. Thirty-six persons re ported incomes in excess of *$5,000,000. Weigh those fig ures—five thousand thousands of dollars! In one year, an income almost equal to one thousand dollars for every year of time since the creation of Adam! Streams of liquid gold pour—into the pockets of a favored few. The financial depression that seems to have come upon the multitudes may not be worrying the favored few. But if they only knew the sure word of prophecy, perhaps depression might come to them because of gain, and not because of the lack of it. A hungry multitude is likely to become a hungry mob. Russia should be a solemn warning. But, here is,another warning, still more solemn: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you . . . Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. . . . Ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter . . . Be patient there fore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord . . . Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” (Jas. 5:1, 5, 7). Vast accumulations of wealth among the few, and “bread lines” for the many! Such is the history of the close of every great empire of earth. Once again, man’s empire decays. Thank God, the empire of Jesus Christ draweth nigh. Rusting Riches James 5 :l-8 HP HERE are more than three billions of dollars in the savings depositories west of the Rocky Mountains. In the state of New York alone, 4,732 millions of dollars lie covered with dust, so we are told by The Business Week ; Twenty-eight billions—not millions, but billions— lie rusting in the nation as a whole. This world never has seen a larger heap of accumulated wealth than now lies unemployed in the vaults of “Uncle Sam.” America’s problem, after all, is not the unemployment of men but the unemployment of money. Employed money means employed men. But, what does it all portend? The Word of God gives wisdom: “Come now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. [Only unemployed garments are moth-eaten.] Your gold and your silver are rusted; and their rust shall he for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days . . . The coming of the Lord is at hand” (Jas. 5:1-3, 8, R. V.).
"P NGLAND’S famous dean, Rev. William Ralph Inge, makes the claim that the excessive sums that England and America spend in the pursuit of pleasure are in large measure to blame for the present economic difficulties in both nations. Some time ago, he said: The amount last year spent on amusements in Amer ica was estimated at $21,945,000,000—more than the whole aggregate income of the people of this country (England). Two years of American play would suf fice to pay the whole of our national debt—not only what we owe America, but the whole of it. While in America alone, $21,945,000,000 was spent for pleasure, $469,000,000, that same year, was given for Christ and His church by both Catholics and Protestants. This situation, however, is not unforeseen by the inspired writer: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be . . . lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.” —o— Running To and Fro Daniel 12:4 D EVOUT men for centuries have believed that Dan iel’s great prophecy would compel, some day, a swift er means of locomotion. They have believed that our Lord’s return would be preceded by an era of unparal leled travel. Sir Isaac Newton, who lived two centuries ago, w;is one of the greatest scientists of all time, and a great stu dent of the prophecies. Daniel’s prophecy caused him to declare his belief that the time would come when men would be able to travel fifty miles an hour. The noto rious French infidel, Voltaire, contemporary with Newton, sneered: Now, look at the mighty mind of Newton who dis covered gravitation. When he became an old man and got into the dotage, he began to study the book called the Bible; and it seems, in order to credit its fabulous nonsense, we must believe that the knowledge of man kind will be so increased that we shall be able to travel at the rate of fifty miles an hour! The poor dotard! No man could travel thirty miles an hour and get his breath! But what would Newton think, were he- alive now, to see the myriads rushing to. and fro—-on the earth, over« the earth, under the earth? Stand at any great railway or steamship terminus and watch them, coming in and going out, thousands upon thousands, day and night,I month after month, year after year, endlessly. Note the Herculean efforts of man to constantly increase his speed—to run—to go—somewhere, anywhere, nowhere! Then read this item of news coming from no less an authority than the American Automobile Association: Washington, March 7.—The outlay for recreational travel during 1930, which can be conservatively placed
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