But if I must be gathered for the angels’ sowing,
Sleep out of sight a while like the green things growing,
Though dust to dust return, I think I’ll scarcely mourn,
If I may change into green things growing.

DINAH MULOCK CRAIK.

* * * * *

THE TRUE USE OF WEALTH.

1.  There is a saying which is in all good men’s mouths; namely, that they are stewards or ministers of whatever talents are entrusted to them.  Only, is it not a strange thing that while we more or less accept the meaning of that saying, so long as it is considered metaphorical, we never accept its meaning in its own terms?  You know the lesson is given us under the form of a story about money.  Money was given to the servants to make use of:  the unprofitable servant dug in the earth, and hid his Lord’s money.  Well, we in our poetical and spiritual application of this, say that of course money doesn’t mean money—­it means wit, it means intellect, it means influence in high quarters, it means everything in the world except itself.

2.  And do you not see what a pretty and pleasant come-off there is for most of us in this spiritual application?  Of course, if we had wit, we would use it for the good of our fellow-creatures; but we haven’t wit.  Of course, if we had influence with the bishops, we would use it for the good of the church; but we haven’t any influence with the bishops.  Of course, if we had political power, we would use it for the good of the nation; but we have no political power; we have no talents entrusted to us of any sort or kind.  It is true, we have a little money, but the parable can’t possibly mean anything so vulgar as money; our money’s our own.

3.  I believe, if you think seriously of this matter, you will feel that the first and most literal application is just as necessary a one as any other—­that the story does very specially mean what it says—­plain money; and that the reason we don’t at once believe it does so, is a sort of tacit idea that while thought, wit and intellect, and all power of birth and position, are indeed given to us, and, therefore, to be laid out for the Giver,—­our wealth has not been given to us; but we have worked for it, and have a right to spend it as we choose.  I think you will find that is the real substance of our understanding in this matter.  Beauty, we say, is given by God—­it is a talent; strength is given by God—­it is a talent; but money is proper wages for our day’s work—­it is not a talent, it is a due.  We may justly spend it on ourselves, if we have worked for it.

4.  And there would be some shadow of excuse for this, were it not that the very power of making the money is itself only one of the applications of that intellect or strength which we confess to be talents.  Why is one man richer than another?  Because he is more industrious, more persevering, and more sagacious.  Well, who made him more persevering and more sagacious than others?  That power of endurance, that quickness of apprehension, that calmness of judgment, which enable him to seize opportunities that others lose, and persist in the lines of conduct in which others fail—­are these not talents?—­are they not, in the present state of the world, among the most distinguished and influential of mental gifts?