First. This matter of gaining wealth does not depend _altogether_ nor
_chiefly_ on loving money. If it depended altogether or chiefly on
loving money, many more would gain wealth than do, for no doubt more
love money as ardently as those that obtain it. Men who love money
devote themselves to schemes of money-making, or what they consider
such, and, in some instances, break at it, and come out bankrupt. A.
Campbell never did devote himself to making money. But he was right
in two respects: 1. He was a good manager in temporal things. 2. He
was an economist. He knew the use of money and never wasted it. He
built no fine houses, rode in no fine carriages and drove no fine
horses. He was a plain man. He had everything necessary for comfort
and nothing for show. We think he lived in the same house in which he
was married, adding considerable, but plain buildings to it, affording
accommodations for his numerous guests, but nothing costly or fine,
in any part of it. In this he was a noble example. On the one hand
not an indication of parsimoniousness, and on the other, not an item
of extravagance. The same was true of the entire outfit, furniture,
table and all. There was an abundance for all, and nothing wasteful or
extravagant.
_Second._ This thing of gaining wealth is not fully to be explained.
It is not to be ascribed entirely to the _art_ of man, to his great
business capacity, his industry or energy, for we find plenty of men
that have these qualities, but accumulate but little. Wealth gathers
round some men as naturally as it departs from others, when no man can
see the reason. Some call it fortune, others luck, and, in other cases
we say, they know how to make it. True, there must be the industry, the
energy, the management and economy; there must be the good judgment,
sagacity, etc. These are main articles in running the world, but wealth
bears no just proportion to these. We speak not of a fortuity, which
brings an estate at once, but of the growing up of an estate. There is
something lying back of all industry, economy, management, foreseeing
sagacity, etc., call it fate, luck, fortune or providence, or what we
may, that no philosophy or reason can fully explain. Men accumulate
a vast estate without struggling for it, aiming at it, or seeming to
think about it. Alex. Campbell was of this class. We can see that he
managed well, that he wasted nothing, that he saw that business was in
shape, etc., but this does not account for the amount that accumulated
around him. Much of it came in a way that he knew not, and certainly
never _planned_.
_Third._ Alex. Campbell did not _raise himself up_. God raised him, not
for _himself_, nor for us to _glory in him_, but for _his own glorious
purpose_, and he did not leave him without the _means_ to accomplish
that great purpose. He always provides a way for a man to do the work
for which he has raised him up. Alex. Campbell could not have gone, as
he did, at his _own charges_, traveling thousands of miles, and for many
long months at a time, and through immense districts of country, where
he had no kind brethren to entertain him and support him, if the
means had not been provided. Nor could he have started, maintained
and sent forth a publication, coming in collision with all the
religious publications in the world without the means to sustain him.
God provided him the means, so that he never lacked. No man ever had
the power to stop his mouth by cutting off his support. He stood
independent, except upon God, who was with and prospered him. How could
he have founded a seminary first and then a magnificent college and
prosecuted his great work without means? How could he have supplied
his extension table, always extended in his long dining hall, along
which the vast numbers that visited him at all seasons, but specially
on commencement occasions, sat, were fed and satisfied, and went away
admiring their noble host, of whose munificence they had partaken,
had not the Lord prospered him? God enabled him to give examples in
generosity, hospitality, and to push on his great work. It was of the
highest importance that he should be free from all pecuniary pressure
and embarrassment, and the Lord kept him in that condition all the
time—made “all grace abound” to him. Growing _rich_ and _money making_
from the _love_ of money, or _money’s sake_, were ideas that occupied
no place in his great mind or heart. He made and used money, as God
intended it, as a _means_ for doing the work of God, and _means_ that
the work could not have been done without.
_Fourth._ But how did so large an estate accumulate if he did not love
money, or love “filthy lucre?” We answer that a large amount of his
estate came to him as he explained to us, when we visited him, in the
only conversation we ever had with him about his temporal affairs, and
that a very brief one. We can not remember the particulars, but we do
remember distinctly all that is of any interest here. Several large
items—items that would have changed the amount _largely_—came to
him without the most distant idea of ever making money. This occurred
in his listening to the importunities of friends to loan them money,
and securing it by mortgaging lands then cheap, and these lands thus
finally falling into his hands, by the failure of his friends, to whom
he had loaned the money, to pay. These lands remained in his hands
many years, and he was not necessitated to sell them. As the country
improved and railroads were constructed, these lands proved to be
in important places, where in many years they grew up in into heavy
amounts in value. In this there was no _far seeing_ nor _reaching_ for
“filthy lucre,” nor any thought of obtaining it. He simply listened to
the requests of his friends to _help them_, and in many long years it
turned out to yield him a heavy amount.
_Fifth._ His talents put forth in Bethany, the works he issued from
there and the establishment of the college, made employment for
many persons, called a number of these as educators and students,
established the church there, and resulted in building up quite a
village. This enhanced the value of the fine tract of land owned by him
there, and certainly without his foreseeing and working to that end,
made a considerable item in the estate he left behind him.
_Sixth._ The sale of his various works toward the latter part of his
life brought a considerable income. This could not have been foreseen
and planned to make money. In the early part of his life, and the time
he put forth his most vigorous efforts, he had no assurance that such
works as he issued would ever be a source of profit. Men who start out
to make money do not start out _against_ the main current of mankind.
We have some now whose business is _making money_, but they do not
start out nor travel the road trod by Alex. Campbell. They do not make
a square issue with the religious world, nor war upon the men in power.
They do not generally think that is the way to the gold mines. Had he
been starting with money in his eye, his keen perception would have
seen something of more promise than a square fight with the popular
clergy of the world; the creeds, councils, conferences, assemblies,
etc. It, however, turned out that his productions found a sale that
resulted in an income. There was no close management or calculating on
his part, nor careful looking after the matter.
But the pen of Alex. Campbell was a terror to men who did not love “the
right way of the Lord,” and his words were burning; but the idea that
he was morose and unamiable is entirely an erroneous one. His very
nature was amiable and lovely; and, in his devotions, he was as humble
as a child. We never heard any man who could pray like he could. His
terms, in addressing our heavenly Father, were characterized with a
sense of the absolute dependence, profound awe and reverence of us, the
creatures of mercy, and the simplicity of a child. All was easy and
utterly without affectation.
The reader may think we have occupied too much space with this matter.
We think not. There are great lessons in these matters.