wealth among the poor; and the Lord, you know, commended the unjust steward, but Dives was buried in hell. A soul that has been more active in hoarding up perishable treasure on earth than in heaping up everlasting treasure in heaven, hears death's announcement with somewhat of the awful anxiety and terror with which the wicked shall start at the sound of Gabriel's trumpet. In an instant it finds itself shorn of all its earthly possessions and exposed, poor and naked and miserable, alike to the helpless pity of its friends, men and angels, and to the ridicule of its enemies, the devils. The wretched plight of David's ambassadors when King Hanon shaved half of their heads and one side of their faces and cut away their nether garments and sent them away, is an eloquent picture of the utter confusion of an unjust steward of God when suddenly called upon by his Master to render an account, for that now he can be steward no longer. " What shall I do? " he says. " What shall I do? To dig I am unable, for for me the time for acquiring merit has closed forever; and to beg I am ashamed, for how can I, unmerciful as I have been, hope to obtain mercy? What shall I do? What shall I do? "
Brethren, consider thirdly the steward's device, thought out in the few moments yet available, and whereby he hoped to provide for his future. While in favor with his lord he had doubtless dealt severely with his master's tenantry, but now that he can be steward no longer he hastens to curry favor with those he had formerly oppressed. What an amount
