The Richest Man | AdventAI

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 24, 1858

The Richest Man.

A NATIVE of Scotland related to me the following anecdote. He spoke with tears and broken utterance, for he knew that the moral of the story was to himself a solemn admonition.

"The wealthiest man," said he, "in my native parish had a terrific dream. It was a vision similar to that of Eliphaz the Temanite. Job. iv, 12-17. An image was before his eyes, there was silence, and he heard a voice saying, To-morrow, before the going down of the sun, the richest man in town shall die. The dreamer, believing himself to be designated, watched with intense fear the declining sun on the appointed day. At length the orb sank below the horizon, and the bell began to toll. It is not me, he exclaimed. Who can it be? I am certainly the richest man in town. His doubts were soon relieved. A beggar had died, the poorest man in town."

There are two classes of rich men. He who was so terrified by the dream was the richest man as to "the world that now is;" but another was richer than he in spiritual treasures. In him the dream was realized. The one had a greater amount of transitory property than any of his townsmen, but he had "laid up treasure for himself, and was not rich towards God."

The other was rich in faith, and regarded as the most godly man in town. A dependent, suffering, Lazarus-like disciple, but an "heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven."

Are you amassing riches and employing them only for self aggrandizement, the rich man's dream may soon become to you a stern reality. You brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that you can carry nothing out. When you leave these ephemeral riches, or they make to themselves wings and fly away as an eagle towards heaven, will you not be poor indeed without inheritance in the world to come? "Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come." 1 Tim. vi, 17-19.—Sel.