Paper 165— The Perean Mission Begins — Page 1822
where your treasure is there will your heart be also. There is a great difference between wealth which leads to covetousness and selfishness and that which is held and dispensed in the spirit of stewardship by those who have an abundance of this world's goods, and who so bountifully contribute to the support of those who devote all their energies to the work of the kingdom. Many of you who are here and without money are fed and lodged in yonder tented city because liberal men and women of means have given funds to your host, David Zebedee, for such purposes.
“But never forget that, after all, wealth is unenduring. The love of riches all too often obscures and even destroys the spiritual vision. Fail not to recognize the danger of wealth's becoming, not your servant, but your master.”
Jesus did not teach nor countenance improvidence, idleness, indifference to providing the physical necessities for one's family, or dependence upon alms. But he did teach that the material and temporal must be subordinated to the welfare of the soul and the progress of the spiritual nature in the kingdom of heaven.
Then, as the people went down by the river to witness the baptizing, the first man came privately to Jesus about his inheritance inasmuch as he thought Jesus had dealt harshly with him; and when the Master had again heard him, he replied: “My son, why do you miss the opportunity to feed upon the bread of life on a day like this in order to indulge your covetous disposition? Do you not know that the Jewish laws of inheritance will be justly administered if you will go with your complaint to the court of the synagogue? Can you not see that my work has to do with making sure that you know about your heavenly inheritance? Have you not read the Scripture: `There is he who waxes rich by his wariness and much pinching, and this is the portion of his reward: Whereas he says, I have found rest and now shall be able to eat continually of my goods, yet he knows not what time shall bring upon him, and also that he must leave all these things to others when he dies.´ Have you not read the commandment: `You shall not covet.´ And again, `They have eaten and filled themselves and waxed fat, and then did they turn to other gods.´ Have you read in the Psalms that `the Lord abhors the covetous,´ and that `the little a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.´ `If riches increase, set not your heart upon them.´ Have you read where Jeremiah said, `Let not the rich man glory in his riches´; and Ezekiel spoke truth when he said, `With their mouths they make a show of love, but their hearts are set upon their own selfish gain.´”
Jesus sent the young man away, saying to him, “My son, what shall it profit you if you gain the whole world and lose your own soul?”
To another standing near by who asked Jesus how the wealthy would stand in the day of judgment, he replied: “I have come to judge neither the rich nor the poor, but the lives men live will sit in judgment on all. Whatever else may concern the wealthy in the judgment, at least three questions must be answered by all who acquire great wealth, and these questions are:
“1. How much wealth did you accumulate?
“2. How did you get this wealth?
“3. How did you use your wealth?”
Then Jesus went into his tent to rest for a while before the evening meal. When the apostles had finished with the baptizing, they came also and would
