Дублінці
Grace
Thepreacherturnedbackeachwidesleeveofhissurplicewithanelaboratelargegestureandslowlysurveyedthearrayoffaces.Thenhesaid:
“Forthechildrenofthisworldarewiserintheirgenerationthanthechildrenoflight.Whereforemakeuntoyourselvesfriendsoutofthemammonofiniquitysothatwhenyoudietheymayreceiveyouintoeverlastingdwellings.”
FatherPurdondevelopedthetextwithresonantassurance.ItwasoneofthemostdifficulttextsinalltheScriptures,hesaid,tointerpretproperly.ItwasatextwhichmightseemtothecasualobserveratvariancewiththeloftymoralityelsewherepreachedbyJesusChrist.But,hetoldhishearers,thetexthadseemedtohimspeciallyadaptedfortheguidanceofthosewhoselotitwastoleadthelifeoftheworldandwhoyetwishedtoleadthatlifenotinthemannerofworldlings.Itwasatextforbusinessmenandprofessionalmen.JesusChristwithHisdivineunderstandingofeverycrannyofourhumannature,understoodthatallmenwerenotcalledtothereligiouslife,thatbyfarthevastmajoritywereforcedtoliveintheworld,and,toacertainextent,fortheworld:andinthissentenceHedesignedtogivethemawordofcounsel,settingbeforethemasexemplarsinthereligiouslifethoseveryworshippersofMammonwhowereofallmentheleastsolicitousinmattersreligious.
Hetoldhishearersthathewastherethateveningfornoterrifying,noextravagantpurpose;butasamanoftheworldspeakingtohisfellow-men
