Love of Money by J. Clarke

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 10, 1859

Love of Money.

By J. Clarke

FOR the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Tim. vi, 10.

Covetousness is a spiritual malady of the chronic form: and it is a disease which will not yield to any common curatives; for while other diseases of the mind are often quickly cured, this seldom yields except to a long course of skillful treatment.

The person affected deeply by this disease, often imagines himself quite well, and of course he refuses medical aid; and nothing will irritate the patient more than to tell him that he is in danger: he is blind to his symptoms of disease, often to the last moment of life. I once visited the dying bed of a very miserly old gentleman, and in the agony of his struggle I understood him to say, ‑Who will take care of my money?‑

But this disease takes various forms, and assumes a variety of types; but in all of them I have remarked that the same nervous irritability exists, thus making it almost impossible to approach the patient, and he generally dies without pity from friend of foe, and bequeaths his disposition to his heirs.

For rich men who are afflicted with this disease, I would recommend emetics, until they throw up 100 dollar bank bills pretty freely; and for men not so able, smaller amounts, say 10s and 20s; and poor men who are afflicted, must take the same course, as they can bear, and they will find their spiritual health greatly benefited.

I am confident that many very poor men are badly affected by this disease, and they must certainly pursue the same course. They must not think that they can go free. Let them think of the poor widow whom Christ saw casting her mite into the treasury. She was so afraid of this disease of covetousness that she took this medicine as a preventive.

And now let us all who want to overcome, even if we don’t believe we are covetously affected, let us take preventive measures, and take freely of these emetics, until we feel that we are free. ‑The liberal soul shall be made fat.‑ Now is the time, while money has a value; for soon it will be a drug upon the hands of the holder. J. CLARKE.