Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1879 — CONTENTMENT AS TO PROPERTY. [ARTICLE]

CONTENTMENT AS TO PROPERTY.

[Extracts from a Recent Sermon by Prof. Swing, of Chicago.] Having food and raiment let us be therewith content— l Tim. vl :s. * * * The contentment of a vagabond, or the idler, or the sleeping African along the Congo River, is not meant, for theirs is not a mental peace, but a stupidity. The apostle, and all who speak of this virtue, have in mind a highly developed and highly active soul, which feels that man does not need much here in the form of material things, and that ho can be as happy in a cottage as in a palace. The repose, of which all have spoken in praise, not that of indolence and ignoran'ce, but is that of a perfect acquaintance with tho whole facts in the case, and then, as resulting from this knowledge, a self-contained’ 1 * heart. This form of mastery of the market-place, this declaration of superiority of the mind over property, has always been a thing beautiful to behold. It is like heaven, hard to enter, indeed, but the very * ideal land.' When one of our poets said, » Man wanta but little here below. Nor wanta that little long; ..when he said, t Happy tno man whose wish and care, A lew paternal acres bound. Content to breathe his native air In his own ground, ho expressed what all thinking hearts love to say and repeat. Those words come to us all as the absolute truth of God. They are the foundation stones of the man’s philosophy. Socrates said “ Contentment is natural wealth;” the riches which Nature is willing to bestow upon her children. God cannot undertako to give us all the millions of money for which our hearts might ask. And should an indulgent Creator grant each man such fabulous sums, it would not be long before we should wish-wo had asked for double the amount. Instead, therefore, of attempting to make the bulk of ourproperty large enough to satisfy all longing, which would be impossible, Nature passes inside tho soul of the noble being, and stops the longings. Instead of carrying food to a glutton it cures the gluttony. Hence, said Socrates, contentment is natural wealth; it is the only thing that satisfies. And, he adds, luxury is an artificial poverty. For luxury creates a poverty. It so enlarges natural wants that it throws them out of proportion; it builds up a false world, ancl one which no bank account can at last meet; and thus passing under the name of riches, it is a created poverty. Thus, contentment is the Lord’s wealth, and luxury is an artificial, self-inflicted poverty. For, said another anoient, every man is poor t who wants more. It certainly is an ordained law of society that some few individuals shall drivq onward in tho pursuit of enormous property, when the property represents some public enterprise. It is desirable that some man or some group of ayfcn shall amass money enough to construct our railways, or telegraphs, or Jo launch steamships, or. conduct largo public works, but it is as truly a law of Nature that the majority of earth’s people must find their happiness in that natural richness called oontentment. It boing impossible that all shall be millionaires, and there not being public works for each individual to build, it is the inevitable conclusion that God designed that from natural wealth, that is, peace of mind, most persons should extract the sweets of -life. Paul and the young man Timothy were taken from the common people, and bore its image, and were to follow moral pursuits, those of teaching tho multitude, and they were to leave to Emperors tho building of Viaducts, and aqueducts, and ships of war or poace. With the money that might buy food and Clothing, these two were to bo satisfied. In these two we see millions of men, noble ones at that. It might perhaps have made us weep could we have been present at the death of St. Paul, and seen in what plainness that body was clad; ho vff worn tho sandals; how old and worn the cloak; for after death these oniblems of poverty became most touching. Thoy draw tears more quickly than do the wounds on the body. But a moment’s reflection would have dried our eyes, for his calling was one which did not need much riches, not fine raiment, but one which needed only common raiment and common food, for it wtos in the the intellect and the soul the most of his wants ran. In ali other departments of possession his contentment was wealth. , If, therefore, contentment is to be the wealth of the majority, the practical question arises, flow can wo all secure the most possible of this substitute for property P The acquisition of immense riches being diflicult, how &PiL i* 3 spiritual equivalent? First, by refleSfldnir ’ cure for all unreasonable turmoils of the hoart. * * * <- To tho reflecting mind there, will cpme thought enough to fill the bosom with contentment. I have alluded to one fact—that there can be'and need be

but few rich men. If all were wealthy, money and labor would lose their value, and civilization would sink back toward barbarism, until a working class should be created again. Brain and soul would sink under universal opulence. Therefore, to be In your humble home is to be in the path of the highest duty. It is essential that tho vast majority of earth’s inhabitants be aN were Paul and Timothy, in the possession of only sufficient of clothing and food. Suppose all tho world were poets! Even were our 900,000,000 all good poets, what a most ridiculous world wo should have! tho entire human race writing poetry! All other forms of action suspended! As things exist, to be a Longfellow or a Whittier is well enough, but tho world needs only a few such. So tho world needs only a few rich men. Society soon passes away.from such, and needs millions like you and me, who would starve in a year should we quit work. When the laboring man takes up lug bucket in the mprniug to bo gone ten hours; when the clerk enters his store, or bank, or office!; when tho sclioolpijester enters the door tVhfcrc the childron are orowding in; when the preacher enters his studv-room, or visits the sick, the great God of nature takes each one of these by the hand and says, “ l am with you!” Such reflections as these will bring many an hour of peace. As the world needs only a little group of poets, so it needs only a few millionaires. Discontent with one’s moderate success in any line argues this, that you are not the master of your idea, but that it has become the master of you. The instant the pursuit of money beoomes a vexatious care, disturbing your days and your sleep at night, in that moment you have lost your freedom, and you are the slave of a passion. Contentment comes from the perfect mastery of an idea. One of the ancient wise men having been informed that a storm had destroyed all his merchant ships, and Lad thus, in one day, swept away his fortune, said: “ It is'just as well, for now I can give up my mind more fully to study.”. Thus, however many ships he had on the sea, and however rich their cargoes, he was yet not the slave of his traffic, but his great mind held all these in perfect subjection. At times he must have felt that these sailing ships were placing chains upon his liberty, for otherwise we cannot so easily understand his perfect willingness that the sea should possess their contents. But he owned his ships, they did not own him. He was a contained soul

Many fail to be masters of their ideas, and thus become the conspicuous slaves of them. An egotist may be indeed a person of great ability. He may indeed be learned, or logical, or eloquent, and worthy of a Nation’s praise, but, being thus intrinsically great, his knowledge of the fact became too powerful for him! He had not the philosophy to say, “ If great, what of it!” but, weak in some one point, he permitted his greatness to get the better of him, and the result was a puffed up egotism which all abhor. Thus there will or may come from this quarter or < that, ideas that will transform into a menial him who receives them too ardently. Discontent is like egotism; an instance in which a small idea will ride to death what was once abaan, just as the elephant or the lion can be annoyed to madness by a little insect. As a promoter of mental peace as to property wonderful power must be ascribed to the pursuit of those things which money will not buy. While the mind is longing for purchasable articles it will long for the money that will buy them. Jf one will from day to day build up a passion for material things then from uay today will grow the love of that which will buy these houses and carriages and furniture, and thus a large door is opened at which unrest will rush in. When by parity of reasoning the mind turns toward such ends as cannot hp bought with money tfien the passion dies. The world of reading and of all study is so large, of science and art and religion so groat, that we are almost without excuse if these do not play in our three-score years a part so large as to cast into shadow the longing for great property! Learpiug, taste, character, friendship, benevolence, are things which ask nothing of Gold cannot buy these things! Whoever seeks these need not come near any market place. It is said that there are only one hundred great books In tho world! The library of the most ardent lover of books need not be large. Contentment is thus easily found when the heart is given to that elevation and culture of self which money will not purchase. Each ono of you has had this experience 1 know; you have walked about your house and have seen where you needed at once a thousand dollars’ worth of furniture, and curtains, and mirrors, and have sighed inwardly because it could not be, and then, having gone into ypur .’lbrary, and having read an hour or two in a great book, you have suddenly found that you did not want anything. The book has led your heart to a region where gold is vain and nothing is great but the soul. * * * Ihere Gave been thousands so contented with but little of material substance that their souls have been set free to soar in the heights of thought and usefulness. Thoy need no special pity from restless politicians. That all should have good food and good warm clothing cannot for a moment be denied, but beyond such a statement we cannot well go, for out of contented poverty, as to money, there has often grown such a richness of soul that we should not dare lay our hand upon such peace ahd remove it to make way for the supposed happiness wealth can bring. What lessohs lie outspread on the inspired page! *lt would seem enough had Paul unfolded only his doctrine of salvation by faith and the other cardinal ideas of Christianity! But his wide-ly-reaching sight took in all the landscape of man. and among the stars which he saw in the wide, Blue expanse of his philosophy, was this one, of not the first magnitude, indeed, but of a gentle luster and steady light. In moderate property bo content. You do not need a large fortuno; you will not need anything long. He, the grand saint, lived as he taught. His soul was content. Its longings were not for gold. Though when this glorious saint was beheaded, his property may have been only a few simple articles of apparel, there went forth <from the bloody raiment a mind and heart that have mastered easily the eighteen intervening centuries.