This is the title of a little pamphlet written by Lewis Tappan, New York, late Treasurer of the American Missionary Association, and he answers the inquiry emphatically, No. The pamphlet is certainly timely, for the fortunes made during the late war seem to have given to many of our citizens a stimulus to covetousness, which may ultimately bring commercial disaster in its train. In their haste to be rich, men invest beyond their means, and engage in speculations which, if unsuccessful, leave them bankrupt. And certainly the motives which prompt a desire of wealth will not bear the test of Scripture. They are generally of this kind, personal indulgence, to gratify pride, and, we fear, often to obviate the necessity of praying to our Father in Heaven “to give us day by day our daily bread.” But let us give an extract from this admirable little pamphlet: The Parable of the Talents teaches us that as all our blessings and possessions come from God, “we are accountable to him, and should so use them as to meet his approbation.” And the Parable of the Ten Pieces of Money indicates “the gifts and opportunities of doing good with which he intrusts men.” He says to all men—and all are his agents or attorneys—“OCCUPY TILL I COME;” that is, use what he intrusts to you, in a right manner. This manner is clearly indicated in the word of God, and is accompanied with repeated warnings and easily-understood directions. Stewardship evidently includes the employment of our time, as well as the use we are to make of our acquisitions of property; but my object is chiefly to discuss that part of our stewardship that relates to the latter. What, then, is the divine direction in respect to riches? 1. The Bible warns men against seeking to be rich. “Labor not to be rich.” “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.” 2. It shows us the danger of striving to be rich. “But 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.” 3. It declares that it is almost impossible for a rich man to be a Christian. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” “A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of Heaven.” 4. It instructs us to pray against riches. “Give me neither poverty nor riches.” 5. It avers that it is impossible to serve both God and riches. “Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.” 6. It pronounces a woe upon the rich. “But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.” 7. The Scripture asserts that covetousness is idolatry, and that the covetous and the idolater are excluded from Heaven. “For this ye know, that no . . . covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” “Mortify, therefore, your members, which are upon the earth, . . . and covetousness, which is idolatry.” 8. And it predicts the miserable end of men who persist in attempts to serve God and Mammon. “Go to, now, ye rich men! Weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted106and your garments are moth-eaten. Your silver and gold is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire.” With these averments and Scripture quotations before us, we are prepared for the statement of some definite principles in regard to the acquisition and use of property. 1. We are to be diligent, unwasteful, hospitable, and ready to distribute. 2. We may use for ourselves and families such dwellings, clothing, food, help, recreation, etc., as are necessary for health, education, useful occupation, and ability to serve most effectually our Maker and our fellow-men. 3. We are to give, as the Lord prospers us, for the aid of the poor and the needy, the support of civil and religious institutions, the establishment and support of churches, schools, hospitals, asylums, etc., the circulation of Bibles, tracts, the spread of the Gospel and the conversion of men. 4. But we are not permitted to amass and hoard property, with the view of becoming or being esteemed rich. If the texts quoted do not show this, they do not seem to mean anything. It will be asked, What constitutes wealth or riches? It may be defined as an abundance beyond what our employment or necessities, the necessities of those dependent upon us, require in the community where our lot is cast. Such an abundance is a SUPERFLUITY, which is another word for riches. It is against such selfish accumulation and such unreasonable possessions that our Saviour uttered the malediction, “Woe unto you that are rich.” If, then, the hoarding of riches or superfluous wealth be disobedience to the commands of our Lord, it is manifest that the pursuit of riches, or superfluous wealth, is also forbidden by him, and we may not therefore propose to ourselves, as a goal to be aimed at, either the possession or the pursuit of such wealth. We may labor for a support, for the maintenance of our families, for a reasonable provision for them in case of our death, and also for the means of doing good. Beyond this we are forbidden to go, and the Saviour assigns his reasons for the prohibition, reasons that evince a regard for our welfare, as well as for the honor of his cause and the good of mankind. Does any one inquire whether it is meant that in itself it is unlawful to hold and manage a large estate; and if it is forbidden to a steward to control a large property in the interest of the proprietor? I answer—the chief object in view has been to show the unscripturalness of amassing and hoarding riches. With respect to the use of riches, acquired before a person comes to his right mind on the subject, it has been stated that a person thus circumstanced should, on learning his duty, relieve himself, as soon as he can discreetly and judiciously, of an incumbrance too heavy for a Christian to bear. And if a Christian finds himself possessed of riches, both he, and his steward acting on his behalf and under his authority, are, according to the doctrine of this tract, to be rectus in curia before the court of Heaven, by making such a disposition of superfluous wealth as will reduce the property committed to him to a sum that a Christian is justified in holding. But some one may inquire, seeing that many branches of manufactures can not be carried on without a large capital, whether Christians are required to abandon all such enterprises. The answer is, certainly not; but it is not necessary that a factory or any large concern should be carried on by an individual, inasmuch as several persons, of moderate means, by combining them, could furnish capital sufficient for almost any lawful business. The development of the industry of a people, and of the resources of a country may demand concentrated wealth, but co-operative wealth, like co-operative industry, is the safest and best, and most consistent with a republican government and with Christianity. It may strike the reader that a “rich man,” in the sense of the term used by our Lord and the apostle James, is only one who loves riches; who amasses and hoards money for selfish purposes, and who regards it as absolutely his own. It is true that the guilt is chiefly in loving riches; but it is also believed to be true that every well-instructed Christian, who aims at being rich, or who, by a too restricted distribution of his acquisitions, allows himself to be a rich man, shows by such a course that he in fact loves riches, and consequently comes under the condemnation of the Lord and the apostle. A case has been suggested of a very liberal man, who is largely engaged in business, and gives freely to various objects of Christian benevolence; and it is asked, Is he not justified in wielding a large capital when he consecrates the profits of his business to such good objects? It will not do to censure such a man, and if they were numerous, there would be little necessity for the publication of this, or any similar tract. But even in such a case, casualties may occur that will show, thereafter, that a less amount of business and a still more generous disposition of money, might be for the good of the possessor, the welfare of his family, and the advantage of the community. Sudden death, an illegal will and testament, unforeseen inheritors of the property, and various other contingencies, may shed such light upon the subject as to convince men that the benevolent man alluded to had acted more wisely if he had been his own executor to a greater extent.—Christian Press.