What Is Luxury?

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 19, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 20.

The Bishop of Durham, himself the possessor of a large income, which it is said he faithfully uses, has given us this definition: “A life spent in the pursuit of personal enjoyment can not claim to be human, still less a Christian life. Every exceptional indulgence in amusement or living which we admit, every use which we make of money or leisure for rest, for travel, for the accumulation of works of art or literature, must satisfy two tests before it can be approved by an awakened conscience. First, it must be found to contribute directly or indirectly its full value to the efficiency of our work; secondly, it must not be such as to cause even the weak to offend by a perilous example.” These are thoughts which every Christian ought to take home to himself.