THE craving after gold when indulged, grows stronger and stronger every day. Both success and disappointment tend to increase it. It is one of the most terrible passions that can get possession of the human heart. A man may doubtless engage in the search for gold without really loving it, or becoming the victim of an inordinate hankering after it; he may desire to better his position for the sake of doing good, and may have various plans and schemes that are highly proper and praiseworthy connected with his efforts at making money, but there is imminent danger of his becoming covetous, and yielding his heart to the love of money. Men are exposed to this peril everywhere, and hence the Bible which is the book for every land, solemnly and earnestly puts us all on our guard, but there are peculiar temptations to this sin in gold producing countries. Direct contact with the precious metal seem to have a most fascinating power over the human heart. "Covetousness," says the word of God, "is idolatry." All idolatry degrades, be-littles, unmans, and renders wretched the victims of it. These effects flow from the idolatry of gold. It makes the heart shrivel and harden, yea shrink into a contemplibly small petrification.