PHENOMENAL WEALTH

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 10, 1887

PHENOMENAL WEALTH.

The Christian Standard says: “According to Dr. Strong the wealth of the United States is phenomenal. In 1880 it was valued at $43,642,000,000, more than enough to buy the Russian and Turkish Empires, the kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, Denmark and Italy, together with Australia, South Africa, and all South America—lands, mines, cities, palaces, factories, ships, flocks, herds, jewels, moneys, thrones, scepters, diadems, and all—the entire possessions of 177,000,000 people. According to the same authority the Christians of America are the richest Christians on the globe. Their wealth, in 1880, amounted to $8,728,400,000. From 1870 to 1880 the average increase of wealth of the Christians in the United States was $391,740,000. And yet many churches and individuals plead poverty when urged to do something for missions!

“Men who are adding farm to farm, and field to field, can do nothing for the world’s redemption. People who live in luxury and fare sumptuously every day cannot afford to give anything for this cause. They have money with which to indulge their appetites, but none for the furtherance of the gospel. There are churches that are poor and growing poorer, simply because they do not give according to their ability. There are rich men whose souls are being eaten up by the canker of covetousness.

“If we were filled with the spirit of Christ, the plea of poverty would never be urged. The Christian people of America could easily give $100,000,000 a year for missions. The plea of poverty is a false plea. We are by all odds the richest nation on the globe, and are growing richer most perilously fast. The cause of missions is our only safety valve. There are 1,000,000,000 human souls waiting for the gospel; let us do our duty and we will be blessed and prospered far beyond anything we have asked or even thought.”