THE NEW DEAL AND THE BIBLE ATTITUDE TOWARD WEALTH CONTRASTED

"SOAK SUCCESS" POLICY UNKNOWN

We look in vain through the economic testimony of the Bible to find a single word or sentence that penalizes thrift, or condemns wealth rightly gotten, retained, and used. Neither the rich nor their riches, per se, are condemned. The possessors of wealth are not pictured as a society-endangering or criminal class. On the contrary they are society's economic saviours. They are commanded to be faithful, and commended for fidelity in the stewardship of wealth:

"Charge them that are rich... that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate" (I Tim. 6:17, 18).

Fidelity is the one charge given to the rightly rich:

"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful" (I Cor. 4:2).

There is never a word about the mere possession of riches meriting eternal hell. The rich fool, rich within himself, not rich toward God, is a different story.

The wise rich are not high minded. They do not trust in uncertain riches. They, through the gift of God, "lay hold on eternal life" (I TIM. 6:19).

Bible Economics never "soaks" success, or penalizes thrift. The good and faithful servants are commended for doubling their talents; the slothful servant is rebuked for burying his. (Matt. 25:14-30.)

THE GIVER OF WEALTH

It is distinctly said that God giveth power to get wealth; He sends prosperity to whom He will; promises plentiful silver. Many Bible characters who were in utmost favor with God were fabulously wealthy, ^[4] faithful in stewardship until given an abundant entrance into heaven:

"The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will" (Dan. 4:25, 32).

Again:

"I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have GIVEN it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.

"And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, MY servant" (Jer. 27:5, 6).

Good government, like a good tree, is known by its fruit. When a government confiscates by unjust and arbitrary tax exaction the working capital of those able and willing to give to man and to God an honest accounting of their stewardship, such government is guilty of robbery, the paralysis of the only class which can prevent national economic suicide.

Much of the prevalent attitude of condemnation of the wealthy arises from a wrong application of the words of Christ:

"A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, ^[5] than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God" (Matt. 19:23, 24).

Half truths are subtle snares. This statement did not end Christ's discourse on the danger of riches. He did not say a rich man could not enter the kingdom of heaven, but that he would enter it with difficulty, a difficulty which, however, vanishes by His next statement: "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26).

The parallel in Mark 10:27 is:

"With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible."

Manifestly, this includes the salvation of the rich. It is a ray of hope to the young man who had great possessions, and who went away sorrowful because Christ, to expose his self-righteous boasting that he had kept all the law from his youth up, had commanded him to sell all and give to the poor. It is also Christ's answer to the exceedingly amazed disciples, who asked Him, "Who then can be saved?" (Matt. 19:25).

Bible Economics clearly distinguishes between wealth fraudulently amassed and that which is rightly gotten; between the rich fool who attributes his wealth to his own efforts, hoards it as the miser or selfishly uses it, and the wise rich who recognize their prosperity as the gift of God, and have a sense of responsibility to Him in its stewardship.

"SOAKING THE RICH" WOULD THWART THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECIES

The captains of industry, of necessity, are in the picture in the fulfillment of certain Prophecies, for, "Where there is no vision [economically, as well as spiritually] the people perish."

It is historically confirmed that inspiration to new discoveries flashes from this inspired Volume. The renaissance of literature, the study of original manuscripts of the Bible, and the beginning of industrialism in the Sixteenth Century were more or less synchronous.

Bible Economics fore-visions, until the end of time, the increase of knowledge, and the multiplication, in infinite variety, of new discoveries for use by the world's ever increasing population. This calls for the skill, genius, and means of the "men of renown," the captains of industry, who are as divinely endowed with abilities to make such a prophetic program possible, as are ministers to preach.

Upon such, as upon rulers, is enjoined diligence, doing everything with their might --fervent, eager, painstaking, abounding in their respective callings. They are to seek out the many useful inventions and drive through to their successful production, which would mean employment and life to the multitudes. When the "pay rollers" are on the job the poor can work, but they cannot create pay rolls.

This omniscient Volume, millenniums ago, fore-viewed steam, auto and air transportation, their civilian and military uses; their bright lights, like torches; their thunderous, earth-shaking speed and their bird-like, air-piercing flight. Related to such industries, of course, mention is made of the iron furnace and artisans in iron, brass, tin, copper, etc., all dependent upon the direction of the captains of industry.

Unless labor be happily employed and adequately remunerated, capital suffers. Today we have seen a greater blow to industry, when capital and its initiative are humiliated, or, in exact Bible Economics language, "The rich are made to sit in low place." In other words, their honest accumulating is branded "criminal."

Self interest could hardly motivate the poorest of men in pleading for the rich. I am reminded of a laughable mixed figure of speech, which carries, notwithstanding, a tremendous lesson for Congress and its soak-the-rich obsession. Said the excited speaker:

"My friends, if we don't stop swatting the goose that lays the golden egg we will milk it dry."

The minister is commanded to plead for the widow, the orphan and the needy. Now he may do this most effectively by appealing for the removal of the ban on the legitimately wealthy, and the restoration of their confidence, that they may do the work God has endowed them to do.

Should a billionaire industrialist die, the 70 per cent inheritance tax his heir must pay could throw a great constructive organization out of business and hundreds of thousands out of employment.

A SEARCHING WORD TO ALL DIVIDERS OF OTHERS' WEALTH

Producer, capitalist, laborer, buyer, seller, ruler, dictator, socialist, communist, are alike warned against the malignant disease which afflicts the slothful, who "Coveteth greedily all the day long" (Prov. 21:26).

Christ surprised the man who requested Him to use His authority to force his brother to divide his inheritance with him. He uttered no word of condemnation of him that possessed the inheritance. He placed His finger on the deep avarice of the one that would force his brother to share with him his wealth. The "share-the-wealth" slogan finds no precedent in Christ's practice or teaching. He stingingly rebukes the motive of one "share-the-wealth" advocate and warns all against its subtle snare:

"And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

"And he said unto him, [doubtless indignantly!] Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? (God had not; He made not Himself so, and this man's selfish greed could not influence Christ to use HIS kingly power to conscript and disburse another's wealth.)

"And he said unto THEM, [The change of the pronoun singular to plural, from 'one' to 'them' is very significant. He is now warning the whole company present, and the whole world, against lusting after, and using force to obtain, others' possessions!] Take heed, and beware of COVETOUSNESS."

What a revelation! That covetousness for place, power, means, authority, may lurk beneath the "share-the-wealth" cry.

Neither is it incidental that His climactic statement of this discourse blasts a fond doctrine of the New Deal that the more abundant life will come to the forgotten man by a more equitable distribution of material wealth. Right and just though that is in itself, it is seriously erroneous as a synonym for the more abundant life which is real because spiritual:

"Beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth NOT in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:1315).

Christ illustrates another danger of covetousness. It not only precludes the enjoyment of real life here but hereafter. The rich fool, in the parable, had all material in surplus, but not being rich toward God died pauperized as to the true riches. Christ indicated the basis of true wealth later:

"And this is life eternal that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3).

Calvin Coolidge said, with his usual sagacity, that the only money which the government has is that which it takes by taxation from the people; and, therefore, to abuse its right of legitimate taxation by taking, unduly, from one group in order to give to another group was legalized larceny -- the perverting of the true function of government, converting it into a "throne of iniquity... which frameth mischief by law" (Ps. 94:20).

The compulsory burdening of one group to ease burdens which should be borne by other groups finds no justification in the code of equitable Bible Economics:

"For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:... but by an equality that now... your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want; that there may be equality" (II Cor. 8:13, 14).

Saint Paul, referring to the command to gather manna, illustrates his meaning by a paradox similar to the proverb that, that which is scattered increases, and that which is unduly withheld tends to poverty (Prov. 11:24):

"As it is written, He that had gathered muck had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack (II Cor. 8:15).

Some of the Israelites tried to beat the rule and gathered more than specified, and it "bred worms, and stank" (Exod. 16:12-20).

There is an analogy between the above and the price pegging which has given extra billions to the farmers, though the stench in the latter case be not apprehended. This policy has caused hardship, bitterness, protest, and cursing among those city-dwellers forced to meet advanced prices out of reduced incomes. They are in much greater need of it than those for whom the extra amount is collected, for farmers can, at least, always eat, and often their cry for advanced prices is not because of actual need, but that they may join land to land and lay field to field, despite God's pronounced woe on this practice.

4 -- Instance Job, David, Solomon and those rich men Saint Paul cautioned "that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good... lay hold on eternal life" (I Tim. 6:17-19).

5 -- This figure does not refer to a sewing needle but the needle or little gate in the city wall through which the camels did actually enter by bending their knees. They entered the city by the "needle gate" after the main gates were closed.