1 64 Spiritual Evolution of Society 



" Man, proud man," acquires great possessions : 

 they become his idol ; he lives for them ; his only 

 satisfaction is in acquiring more and more, yet he 

 knows full well in a few short years he must leave them 

 all behind. 



" Earth goeth upon earth glistening like gold ; 

 Earth goeth unto earth sooner than it wold ; 

 Earth buildeth upon earth castles and towers ; 

 Earth sayeth unto earth, ' All shall be ours.' "* 



He does not even know if those who succeed shall use 

 them wisely or benefit by them ; he is often haunted by 

 a fear that the inheritance may prove their destruction. 

 How often do the sons of rich men show an utter in- 

 capacity to use these possessions even for their own 

 benefit or comfort. As Scripture bluntly puts it, they 

 are " sweet in the mouth, but bitter in the belly " ; 

 they are left as a blessing, but prove a curse. It is no 

 rare thing to see a family of young men end in disaster 

 in their youthful prime for the reason that an in- 

 dustrious and loving parent had left behind posses- 

 sions to which the sons had a thousand times better 

 never have succeeded. These young men might have 

 seen a green and happy old age if only they had been 

 compelled to earn their bread by the sweat of their 

 brow. How long will it be ere men come to see the 

 truth, and learn that in mere wealth and aggrandise- 

 ment is no satisfaction, that very often it proves but 

 bitter fruit, leading to ill-health, the unquiet mind, and 

 premature death ? And yet, whenever measures are 

 devised which tax the riches of the " haves " in order 

 to lighten the burden of the " have-nots " and increase 

 the happiness of their hard lot, the cry is ever — " Con- 

 fiscation ! " But does this confiscation not, like mercy, 

 bless both him that gives and him that takes ? Are we 



1 Inscription on an old tombstone in the churchyard of Melrose 

 Abbey. 



