Vanity and Wantonness by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Aug 5, 1913

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 30.

Vanity and Wantonness.

By Editor

A wealthy man of San Francisco is building one of the richest and most expensive mansions to be found on this coast. The structure itself is of Vermont marble, said to be as richly carved as a cathedral of the Middle Ages. The cornice of the structure is made of beaten bronze, and this is covered with genuine gold-leaf, that will glitter and gleam in the bright California sunshine.

Life is short, and it may come at any time to a premature termination. Such buildings are too much trouble in their construction and are too much care in their maintenance to be worth while for this short life. And besides all that, the flaunting of such extravagance in the face of discouraged and discontented poverty, and a poverty, too, that is growing more and more violent, is nothing short of an invitation to outbreaking revolution. The very wealthy may think that they have reasons for thus gratifying their pride and vanity; but can they not see the seeds of discontent that they are sowing? and can they not forecast the sure reaping that is bound to come? Wastefulness and prodigality on the part of the wealthy is one of the most conspicuous signs of the times, and it is doing its share in filling the world with sentiments of violence such as have been seen in Paterson, New Jersey, Cincinnati, Ohio, and elsewhere, during recent weeks, and that is growing more and more pronounced.