versy
that in books, in news-papers, in preaching and in words, we profess
to esteem a man and rate his standing in society by his integrity. But
what do words and books, and news-papers and preaching amount to,
while mankind in conduct practice right the contrary of all these
ostentatious professions? They amount to nothing but hypocrisy, or
ridiculous nonsense. Does a man's standing, in these days, depend on
his conduct! By no means. Let us introduce an example. Suppose there
were two individuals of equal talents, and both possessed an equal
education. Their moral characters are the same. But one of them falls
in possession of an immense fortune, while the other is poor indeed.
Now will public conduct place them on an equality? No. Will they both
move in the same social circle? No. Will they both be treated with the
same politeness and attention by their neighbors? No. Should they
propose a public measure for the good of the town, would the one be
listened to, with the same attention as the other? No. Would he
possess so much influence in society? No. Well, what can be assigned
as the reason, why this rich man stands so far above the other in the
public opinion? Ans. It is because his character is measured by the
length of his purse, and the weight of his influence is determined by
the weight of his gold.

It is not a thing of rare occurrence, that the rich are thus
distinguished from the poor, but it is a fact so notorious that it has
long since passed into a proverb. This being the course of conduct
which men practice, the impression has therefore become general that
reputation, influence and power depend on wealth. Hence the great
inquiry, uppermost in every mind, is "how shall I get rich, so that I
may stand high in the estimation of men, and exert a powerful
influence in society, and be numbered among those who move in the
higher circles of life?" Concluded in our next.

SERMON XVI

"Be of the same mind one towards another. Mind not high things, but
condescend to men of low estate." Romans xii:12.

Even a man, who is in many things unprincipled, if he is at the same
time wealthy, takes a station in the higher circles of life, where the
poor, but honest man, would not be admitted. This course of conduct is
not only practised by what are called men of the world, but by
professors of religion of about all denominations, by both preachers
and people.

The middling, and the poor class, seeing no encouragement,