acres of diamonds-第3部分

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t　there　by　his　fireside　to…night　with　his　friends　gathered　around　him；　and　he　is　saying　to　them　something　like　this：　　‘‘Do　you　know　that　man　Conwell　who　lives　in　Philadelphia？''　　‘‘Oh　yes；　I　have　heard　of　him。''　‘‘Do　you　know　that　man　Jones　that　lives　in　Philadelphia？''　　‘‘Yes；　I　have　heard　of　him；　too。''

Then　he　begins　to　laugh；　and　shakes　his　sides　and　says　to　his　friends；　‘‘Well；　they　have　done　just　the　same　thing　I　did；　precisely''and　that　spoils　the　whole　joke；　for　you　and　I　have　done　the　same　thing　he　did；　and　while　we　sit　here　and　laugh　at　him　he　has　a　better　right　to　sit　out　there　and　laugh　at　us。　　I　know　I　have　made　the　same　mistakes；　but；　of　course；　that　does　not　make　any　difference；　because　we　don't　expect　the　same　man　to　preach　and　practise；　too。

As　I　come　here　to…night　and　look　around　this　audience　I　am　seeing　again　what　through　these　fifty　years　I　have　continually　seen…men　that　are　making　precisely　that　same　mistake。　　I　often　wish　I　could　see　the　younger　people；　and　would　that　the　Academy　had　been　filled　to…night　with　our　high…　school　scholars　and　our　grammar…school　scholars；　that　I　could　have　them　to　talk　to。　　While　I　would　have　preferred　such　an　audience　as　that；　because　they　are　most　susceptible；　as　they　have　not　grown　up　into　their　prejudices　as　we　have；　they　have　not　gotten　into　any　custom　that　they　cannot　break；　they　have　not　met　with　any　failures　as　we　have；　and　while　I　could　perhaps　do　such　an　audience　as　that　more　good　than　I　can　do　grown…　up　people；　yet　I　will　do　the　best　I　can　with　the　material　I　have。　　I　say　to　you　that　you　have　‘‘acres　of　diamonds''　in　Philadelphia　right　where　you　now　live。　　‘‘Oh；''　but　you　will　say；　‘‘you　cannot　know　much　about　your　city　if　you　think　there　are　any　‘acres　of　diamonds'　here。''

I　was　greatly　interested　in　that　account　in　the　newspaper　of　the　young　man　who　found　that　diamond　in　North　Carolina。　　It　was　one　of　the　purest　diamonds　that　has　ever　been　discovered；　and　it　has　several　predecessors　near　the　same　locality。　　I　went　to　a　distinguished　professor　in　mineralogy　and　asked　him　where　he　thought　those　diamonds　came　from。　　The　professor　secured　the　map　of　the　geologic　formations　of　our　continent；　and　traced　it。　　He　said　it　went　either　through　the　underlying　carboniferous　strata　adapted　for　such　production；　westward　through　Ohio　and　the　Mississippi；　or　in　more　probability　came　eastward　through　Virginia　and　up　the　shore　of　the　Atlantic　Ocean。　　It　is　a　fact　that　the　diamonds　were　there；　for　they　have　been　discovered　and　sold；　and　that　they　were　carried　down　there　during　the　drift　period；　from　some　northern　locality。　　Now　who　can　say　but　some　person　going　down　with　his　drill　in　Philadelphia　will　find　some　trace　of　a　diamond…mine　yet　down　here？　　Oh；　friends！　you　cannot　say　that　you　are　not　over　one　of　the　greatest　diamond…mines　in　the　world；　for　such　a　diamond　as　that　only　comes　from　the　most　profitable　mines　that　are　found　on　earth。

But　it　serves　simply　to　illustrate　my　thought；　which　I　emphasize　by　saying　if　you　do　not　have　the　actual　diamond…mines　literally　you　have　all　that　they　would　be　good　for　to　you。　　Because　now　that　the　Queen　of　England　has　given　the　greatest　compliment　ever　conferred　upon　American　woman　for　her　attire　because　she　did　not　appear　with　any　jewels　at　all　at　the　late　reception　in　England；　it　has　almost　done　away　with　the　use　of　diamonds　anyhow。　　All　you　would　care　for　would　be　the　few　you　would　wear　if　you　wish　to　be　modest；　and　the　rest　you　would　sell　for　money。

Now　then；　I　say　again　that　the　opportunity　to　get　rich；　to　attain　unto　great　wealth；　is　here　in　Philadelphia　now；　within　the　reach　of　almost　every　man　and　woman　who　hears　me　speak　to…　night；　and　I　mean　just　what　I　say。　　I　have　not　come　to　this　platform　even　under　these　circumstances　to　recite　something　to　you。　　I　have　come　to　tell　you　what　in　God's　sight　I　believe　to　be　the　truth；　and　if　the　years　of　life　have　been　of　any　value　to　me　in　the　attainment　of　common　sense；　I　know　I　am　right；　that　the　men　and　women　sitting　here；　who　found　it　difficult　perhaps　to　buy　a　ticket　to　this　lecture　or　gathering　to…night；　have　within　their　reach　‘‘acres　of　diamonds；''　opportunities　to　get　largely　wealthy。　　There　never　was　a　place　on　earth　more　adapted　than　the　city　of　Philadelphia　to…day；　and　never　in　the　history　of　the　world　did　a　poor　man　without　capital　have　such　an　opportunity　to　get　rich　quickly　and　honestly　as　he　has　now　in　our　city。　　I　say　it　is　the　truth；　and　I　want　you　to　accept　it　as　such；　for　if　you　think　I　have　come　to　simply　recite　something；　then　I　would　better　not　be　here。　　I　have　no　time　to　waste　in　any　such　talk；　but　to　say　the　things　I　believe；　and　unless　some　of　you　get　richer　for　what　I　am　saying　to…night　my　time　is　wasted。

I　say　that　you　ought　to　get　rich；　and　it　is　your　duty　to　get　rich。　　How　many　of　my　pious　brethren　say　to　me；　‘‘Do　you；　a　Christian　minister；　spend　your　time　going　up　and　down　the　country　advising　young　people　to　get　rich；　to　get　money？''　　‘‘Yes；　of　course　I　do。''　　They　say；　‘‘Isn't　that　awful！　　Why　don't　you　preach　the　gospel　instead　of　preaching　about　man's　making　money？''　　‘‘Because　to　make　money　honestly　is　to　preach　the　gospel。''　　That　is　the　reason。　　The　men　who　get　rich　may　be　the　most　honest　men　you　find　in　the　community。

‘‘Oh；''　but　says　some　young　man　here　to…night；　‘‘I　have　been　told　all　my　life　that　if　a　person　has　money　he　is　very　dishonest　and　dishonorable　and　mean　and　contemptible。　　‘‘My　friend；　that　is　the　reason　why　you　have　none；　because　you　have　that　idea　of　people。　　The　foundation　of　your　faith　is　altogether　false。　　Let　me　say　here　clearly；　and　say　it　briefly；　though　subject　to　discussion　which　I　have　not　time　for　here；　ninety…eight　out　of　one　hundred　of　the　rich　men　of　America　are　honest。　　That　is　why　they　are　rich。　　That　is　why　they　are　trusted　with　money。　　That　is　why　they　carry　on　great　enterprises　and　find　plenty　of　people　to　work　with　them。　　It　is　because　they　are　honest　men。

Says　another　young　man；　‘‘I　hear　sometimes　of　men　that　get　millions　of　dollars　dishonestly。''　　Yes；　of　course　you　do；　and　so　do　I。　　But　they　are　so　rare　a　thing　in　fact　that　the　newspapers　talk　about　them　all　the　time　as　a　matter　of　news　until　you　get　the　idea　that　all　the　other　rich　men　got　rich　dishonestly。

My　friend；　you　take　and　drive　meif　you　furnish　the　autoout　into　the　suburbs　of　Philadelphia；　and　introduce　me　to　the　people　who　own　their　homes　around　this　great　city；　those　beautiful　homes　with　gardens　and　flowers；　those　magnificent　homes　so　lovely　in　their　art；　and　I　will　introduce　you　to　the　very　best　people　in　character　as　well　as　in　enterprise　in　our　city；　and　you　know　I　will。　　A　man　is　not　really　a　true　man　until　he　owns　his　own　home；　and　they　that　own　their　homes　are　made　more　honorable　and　honest　and　pure；　and　true　and　economical　and　careful；　by　owning　the　home。

For　a　man　to　have　money；　even　in　large　sums；　is　not　an　inconsistent　thing。　　We　preach　against　covetousness；　and　you　know　we　do；　in　the　pulpit；　and　oftentimes　preach　against　it　so　long　and　use　the　terms　about　‘‘filthy　lucre''　so　extremely　that　Christians　get　the　idea　that　when　we　stand　in　the　pulpit　we　believe　it　is　wicked　for　any　man　to　have　moneyuntil　the　collection…basket　goes　around；　and　then　we　almost　swear　at　the　people　because　they　don't　give　more　money。　　Oh；　the　inconsistency　of　such　doctrines　as　that！

Money　is　power；　and　you　ought　to　be　reasonably　ambitious　to　have　it。　　You　ought　because　you　can　do　more　good　with　it　than　you　could　without　it。　　Money　printed　your　Bible；　money　builds　your　churches；　money　sends　your　missionaries；　and　money　pays　your　preachers；　and　you　would　not　have　many　of　them；　either；　if　you　did　not　pay　them。　　I　am　always　willing　that　my　church　should　raise　my　salary；　because　the　church　that　pays　the　largest　salary　always　raises　it　the　easiest。　　You　never　knew　an　exception　to　it　in　your　life。　　The　man　who　gets　the　largest　salary　can　do　the　most　good　with　the　power　that　is　furnished　to　him。　　Of　course　he　can　if　his　spirit　be　right　to　use　it　for　what　it　is　given　to　him。

I　say；　then；　you　ought　to　have　money。　　If　you　can　honestly　attain　unto　riches　in　Philadelphia；　it　is　your　Christian　and　godly　duty　to　do　so。　　It　is　an　awful　mistake　of　these　pious　people　to　think　you　must　be　awfully　poor　in　order　to　be　pious。

Some　men　say；　‘‘Don't　you　sympathize　with　the　poor　people？''　　Of　course　I　do；　or　else　I　would　not　have　been　lecturing　these　years。　　I　won't　give　in　but　what　I　sympathize　with　the　poor；　but　the　number　of　poor　who　are　to　be　sympathized　with　is　very　small。　　To　sympathize　with　a　man　whom　God　has　punished　for　his　sins；　thus　to　help　him　when　God　would　still　continue　a　just　punishment；　is　to　do　wrong；　no　doubt　about　it；　and　we　do　that　more　than　we　help　those　who　are　deserving。　　While　we　should　sympathize　with　God's　poorthat　is；　those　who　cannot　help　themselves　let　us　remember　there　is　not　a　poor　person　in　the　United　States　who　was　not　made　poor　by　his　own　shortcomings；　or　by　the　shortcomings　of　some　one　else。　　It　is　all　wrong　to　be　poor；　anyhow。　　Let　us　give　in　to　that　argument　and　pass　that　to　one　side。

A　gentleman　gets　up　back　there；　and　says；　‘‘Don't　you　think　there　are　some　things　in　this　world　that　are　better　than　money？''　　Of　course　I　do；　but　I　am　talking　about　money　now。　　Of　course　there　are　some　things　higher　than　money。　　Oh　yes；　I　know　by　the　grave　that　has　left　me　standing　alone　that　there　are　some　things　in　this　world　that　are　higher　and　sweeter　and　purer　than　money。　　Well　do　I　know　there　are　some　things　higher　and　grander　than　gold。　　Love　is　the　grandest　thing　on　God's　earth；　but　fortunate　the　lover　who　has　plenty　of　money。　　Money　is　power；　money　is　force；　money　will　do　good　as　well　as　harm。　　In　the　hands　of　good　men　and　women　it　could　accomplish；　and　it　has　accomplished；　good。

I　hate　to　leave　that　behind　me。　　I　heard　a　man　get　up　in　a　prayer…meeting　in　our　city　and　thank　the　Lord　he　was　‘‘one　of　God's　poor。''　　Well；　I　wonder　what　his　wife　thinks　about　that？　　She　earns　all　the　money　that　comes　into　that　house；　and　he　smokes　a　part　of　that　on　the　veranda。　　I　don't　want　to　see　any　more　of　the　Lord's　poor　of　that　kind；　and　I　don't　believe　the　Lord　does。　　And　yet　there　are　some　people　who　think　in　order　to　be　pious　you　must　be　awfully　poor　and　awful