True Riches.


A LITTLE boy sat by his mother, looking

 steadfastly upon some distant object. He 

seemed to be lost in his own reflections. Then 

as the deep thought began to pass away, his 

eye grew bright and he spoke.

"Mother, I wish I could be rich?"

"Why do you wish to be rich, my son?” And

the child said, "Because every one praises the

rich. Every one inquires after the rich. That

man yesterday inquired after the richest man in

the village. At school there is a boy who does

not love to learn. He takes no pains to say well

his lessons. Sometimes he speaks evil words.

But the -children blame him not, for they say his

father is rich."

The mother saw that her child was in danger

of believing that wealth might take the place of

goodness, or be an excuse for indolence, or 

cause those to be held in honor who lead 

unworthy lives. So she asked him, "What is it 

to be rich?

He answered, "I do not know. Yet do tell me

how I may become rich, that all may ask after me

and praise me!"

The mother replied. "To become rich is to get  

money. For this you must wait until you are a

man. Then the boy looked sorrowful, and said,

"Is there not some other way of being rich that I

may begin now?"

    She answered, "The gain of money is not the

only, nor the true wealth. Fires may burn it, the

floods drown it, the winds sweep it away, moth

may rust and waste it, and the robber make it his

plunder. Men are wearied with the toil of getting

it, but they leave it behind at last. They die,

and carry nothing away. The soul of the richest

prince goes forth like that of the wayside beggar,

without a garment. But there 'is another kind of

riches which is not kept in the purse. It is kept

in the heart. Those who possess them are not

always praised by men, but they have the praise

of God."

Then said the boy, "May I begin to gather this

kind of riches now, or must I wait till I grow up,

and am a man?" The mother laid her hand on

his little head and said, "To-day if you will hear

His voice; for he hath promised that those who

seek early shall find."

And the child said, "Teach me how I can become

rich before God." Then she looked tenderly

on him and said, "Kneel down every night and

morning, and ask that in your heart you may love

the Saviour, and trust in him. Obey his

Word and strive all the days of your life "to be

good, and to do good to all. So, though you may

be poor in this world, you shall be rich in faith,

and an heir to the kingdom of heaven." 




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