Hero, then, we have the character: of a man drawn by One who makes mistakes, and held up as a waming to us, On the surface, he upbears to be a really fine fellow. Not at all the sort of man we should have called a fool. On the contrary, he appears to be Just the sort of man so many of, us admire. We ought to be careful how we call any man a With our limited knowledge it is} 50 easy for us to make mistakes.
re sometimes call a mana fool and he may be a great deal wiser than we are ourselves, or we may consider him a wise and splendid fellow, but in the eyes|C¢ of Him who makes no misjudgments he may be a fool, Why, then, did our Lord draw the character of such a man and then write up. against it in -unmistakable, large letters the word "Danger?" There are at least, three reasons that appear to me_ to be fairly obvious. Look at Psalm xiv, is "The fool hath said in his heart there is no God." That seems to be exactly what this al Tt is all man was saying.
fruits, "my" barns, and even "my" soul. Not a word of Goll from beginning to. end, Some people seem to imagine that to be an atheist you must write book against Christianity, or go about declaring that you do not believe in God or Jesus Christ. Neither of these courses are neces sary, How many are saying in the hearts to-day, "There is no God' Every thoughtful man and woman and even child is laying plans for: the future. In those plans, what place are we giving to God? He asks not for a place, but tie place in our plans. As we giving it to Him? If not, why should we imagine we are anything but "fools" in His sight?
For a second reason we can look at verse 19: "And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid' up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry." He seemed to have lost sight of the higher part of his nature, addressing the soul as if were the body. Here was man possessed of spi jand yet with so terribly poor appreciation of the spiritual faculties with which he doubtless had been endowed as to lead him! to them down to the level of the mere animal. Was it any wonder that [God was represented as calling him a fool? What about ourselves?
What are we doing with the spiritual faculties with which God has Jendowed us? Faculties which raise should do, infinite above the mere beast of the field, the possession of - which places us a little lower than the angels of heaven and make us takin to God Himself. "Ave we saying in our want of appreciation of spiritual things, "Soul, eat, drink and be merry." It so, shall Wwe be surprised to find ourselves unongst those who will be called "fools" by Him makes no mistakes in His judgments?
'A Life Purpose One of the great truths our Land would impress upon us by parable surely is that eat and drinking and amusing oni selves are not to be regarded as the most important things in life. As someone has said, "We fare not born here on' earth primarily that the world may feed and aid and warm us, but that we may feed and aid ' and warm the world" We need not only to be kept alive but to devote this life, so kept alive, to some nobler, larger use. must have a living and lordly purpose leading us along with it, reaching back behind our petty. days and reaching on beyond our brief stay, something strong, good, helpful, that will endure when ' we are gone, and will, by so enduring, " give permanence and give worth to) the little effort which we in our} passing hour throw into this mighty hour.
There seems to be one more reason why 0 severe a judgment was passed upon this man. in the 19th verse we read, "And Twill say to my soul, 'Soul, thou hast much goods laid up' for mans years" He seems to have lost
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