Sermon Illustrations on Covetousness

Covetousness, Ahab's

1 Kings 21

Coveting what God does not will brings sin and curses upon a person.

One may covet and get what it is not God's will for them to have, and then get a curse along with it. Covetousness opens the door to all sin

Covetousness, Dangers of

Acts 5

Covetousness is a root sin leading to many others, evident from Eden onward.

First sin in Eden (Gen. 3:6). First in the promised land (Josh. 7:21). First in the early church. Some are ambitious to be counted liberal while in reality they seek to retain much for self

Proverbs 21:25-26; Luke 12:15; Ephesians 5:3; Hebrews 13:5

Proverbs 21:25

Covetousness and stealing are closely linked sins revealing true character quickly.

Covetousness and stealing are almost like Siamese twins — they go together so often. In fact we might add lying, and make them triplets. “The covetous person is a thief in the shell. The thief is a covetous person out of the shell. Let a covetous person see something that he desires very much; let an opportunity of taking it be offered; how very soon he will break through the shell and come out in his true character as a thief.” The Greek word translated “covetousness” means — an inordinate desire of getting. When the Gauls tasted the sweet wines of Italy, they asked where they came from, and never rested until they had overrun Italy.

THE BOY AND THE NICKEL

Covetousness blinds us to blessings and steals our joy by focusing on what we lack.

A man once found a boy crying on the street, and asked the little chap what he was crying about. The child told him he had just lost a nickel. The stranger gave him another, and then the boy began to cry again. This greatly astonished the man, and he asked him why he was crying again. The little chap said, "Because, if I hadn't lost that other nickel, I'd have two now." That was, of course, a very foolish way to look at it, but that is the way a great many people look at things. This is what is called covetousness. Covetous people always want something they have not, and so they are usually unhappy. The way to be happy is to think of the things you have, and not of the things you have not. A man was once told that Caesar was going to cause him great unhappiness, and he replied that if Caesar could blot out the sun with a blanket he might make him unhappy. But if he had the sun to shine upon him, he would still be happy. We all have the sun to shine upon us, and other things a-plenty to be happy over, if we will just count them up. Let us not be like the little boy crying about the nickel he did not have.

Covetousness

Luke 12:15

Recently I laid a small circle of poison around a hill of stinging ants. Thinking the tiny granules of poison were food, the ants began to pick them up and carry them throughout the colony.

I returned later to see how well the poison was working. Hundreds of the stinging ants were carrying the poison down into their hill. Then I noticed a hole in the circle of poison. Some of the poison was moving the opposite way away from the hill.

Some smaller, nonstinging ants had found this “food” and were stealing it from their ant neighbors. Thinking they were getting the other ants’ treasure, they unwittingly poisoned themselves.

When we see someone with more than we have, we must beware. The hunger to beg, borrow, or steal our way into what is theirs may poison us spiritually.

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Gambling Challenges the Christian View of Life

Mark 10:28

Gambling challenges the view of life which the Christian Church exists to uphold and extend. Its glorification of mere chance is a denial of the Divine order of nature. To risk money haphazard is to disregard the insistence of the Church in every age of living faith that possessions are a trust, and that men must account to God for their use. The persistent appeal to covetousness is fundamentally opposed to the unselfishness which was taught by Jesus Christ and by the New Testament as a whole. The attempt (which is inseparable from gambling) to make a profit out of the inevitable loss and possible suffering of others is the antithesis of that love of one’s neighbour on which our Lord insisted.

… William Temple (1881-1944)

Obscures our view

MONEY: Obscures Our View (Illustration)

In "I Talk Back to the Devil", A. W. Tozer reminds us: "Money often comes between men and God. Someone has said that you can take two small tencent pieces, just two dimes, and shut out the view of a panoramic landscape. Go to the mountains and just hold two coins closely in front of your eyes--the mountains are still there, but you cannot see them at all because there is a dime shutting off the vision in each eye." It doesn't take large quantities of money to come between us and God; just a little, placed in the wrong position, will effectively obscure our view.

-Cedric Gowler. Leadership-Vol. 8, #2.

One Has It, One Wants It

One day Abraham Lincoln was walking down the street with two small boys who were both crying loudly. A neighbor passing by inquired, "What's the matter, Abe? Why all the fuss?"

Lincoln responded, "The trouble with these lads is what's wrong with the world; one has a nut and the other wants it!"

An Honest Coveting

Once when Frederick the Great was about to declare war, he

instructed his secretary to write the proclamation. The

secretary began: "Whereas in the providence of God," etc., etc.

"Stop that lying!" Frederick thundered. "Simply say, "Frederick

wants more land." --The Earnest Worker

Covetousness Can Be Fatal!

A few years ago, a man in Detroit stepped out into his back

yard, and looking up saw a speck in the sky. It grew larger and

larger. Then he discovered it was something alive, a struggling,

living mass of something slowly descending to earth. What he had

first seen as a speck, had now revealed itself to be two large

bald eagles in deadly combat. The huge birds were fighting in

the sky over a fish. The fish had already dropped to the ground,

but the birds had continued their struggle until they were bloody and

exhausted. With a last wild scream, each made a fatal plunge at the

other, and both birds came tumbling down to earth dead, falling side

by side, within a few feet of the man who had been witnessing the

fierce battle of the sky. Greed had destroyed them.

Each Wanted the Other's Pasture

A couple of donkeys were in two fields separated by a barbed wire

fence. The grass was equally lush and green in both pastures. Yet

each donkey could be seen poking its head through the fence as far as

possible to graze on the grass in the adjoining field. As the old

saying goes, "The grass always looks greener on the other side of the

fence."

We Christians often display that same tendency. Something that

belongs to someone else, or some talent or ability that is beyond our

reach, can seem so much more appealing than what we already possess.

Yet the Lord wants us to be satisfied with what He has given to us.

Sandwich King

Sirivat Voravetvuthikun was once a millionaire stock-market analyst and fund manager in Thailand. He now sells sandwiches on the streets of Bangkok, dodging the local cops, who have orders to shoo away hawkers. Mr. Sirivat, who holds a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Texas, says he plans to become Thailand's sandwich king and stage a market comeback in three years when the economy recovers.

No More Masses

We've seen plenty of examples lately of pastors and churches that I call the church of the open palm -- they are always holding out their hand for money, more and more money. "Send me 10 million dollars," said Oral Roberts, "or God will take me home." Jimmy Bakker was arrested and is now in jail because he practiced outright fraud. Let me tell you a sad story from my first congregation. A faithful member of the church went to the Netherlands to attend the funeral of a close friend. By the time he got there the priest had already been paid to say 9 funeral masses over the dead; the man's widow had no money left but the priest refused to say the 10th and final mass until or unless the man's widow made a donation of another $1,000. Without that mass, according to Roman Catholic belief, the dead man's soul could never be released from purgatory. The poor woman was trapped. And, she was so angry she vowed to never go to church again. Unfortunately, her husband's friend -- the man from my congregation -- made the same vow. "All they are interested in," he said about the church, "is money." Is this the purpose of church councils -- to be money machines, never satisfied unless they have more?!

Congregation Gives Away $60M Gift

ST. MARYS, Ga. (AP) - Hundreds of letters fill a small file cabinet. Handwritten requests churn out of the fax machine and curl into a pile. And the office staff at St. Marys United Methodist Church has stopped answering the phone, which never stops ringing.

The notes and messages that have swamped the coastal church, nestled in Georgia's southeastern corner, all seek the same thing - a piece of the $60 million a local telephone tycoon left the congregation to spend as it pleases.

After weeks spent wrestling with the whopping sum, church members made a decision last Sunday: Fearful that the fortune could cheapen their faith, they voted to give away all but a fraction of the money.

"You read the stories about people who have won the lottery and you follow up on them a year later and find out they're estranged from their families and broke," said the Rev. Derek McAleer. "Our church has won the lottery in some respects, and the dangers are all around us."

So are the ceaseless, mostly unsolicited, requests for cash. McAleer estimates up to 300 letters have poured in, postmarked from as far away as California.

Other churches want help building new sanctuaries. An elderly widow wants money to fix her leaky roof. Entrepreneurs want investments for their ice cream parlors and limousine services. One man even asked the church to help pay his credit card bills.

Could Warren Bailey have known his generosity would cause such a fuss?

In the decades before his death in July at age 88, Bailey and his two brothers reaped a fortune from the Camden Telephone Co.

Their father bought the company in the late 1920s, when Camden County was still a fishing community and only a few people could afford phones. Bailey took over as company president in 1941, and soon the arrival of a paper mill and a naval base boosted the population and the family business.

Bailey never flaunted his wealth. He preferred Hardee's and Wal-Mart to fine dining and designer stores. He refused to pay $7.50 a month for garbage service, toting his trash bags from home to the office garbage bin. And he was pushing 76 when he finally bought a house and left his tiny apartment at the phone company.

Long divorced and with no children, Bailey drew up a will in 1996 with his attorney, Charlie Smith Jr. He rattled off a short list of friends who were to share a total of $220,000. Then he paused.

"And give the rest to the church," Bailey told Smith, who represents the area in the Georgia Legislature.

Bailey had been a member of St. Marys United Methodist for most of his life, but hadn't attended for more than 20 years. Friends say he preferred watching Sunday services on television, where he could avoid crowds and didn't have to wear a coat and tie.

Smith, also a church member, knew Bailey had given $100,000 annually to the church for various projects since 1992. But the scope of this final gift alarmed him.

"I tried to talk him out of it," Smith said. "I told him, `Warren, this could destroy a church, this kind of money. Don't do this to the church.' But he was the kind of fellow who, once he made up his mind, that was it."

Bailey chose the church to receive the bulk of his wealth because he didn't trust the government with it and couldn't think of anyone else, said Tom Turner, a phone company employee and close friend of Bailey's.

Turner, who received $45,000 from Bailey's estate, wasn't surprised he and other friends didn't get more.

"The money he left us, it seemed like he left enough money that it didn't change your life," Turner said. "I really think he looked at it that way."

Smith kept Bailey's will a secret from church members for four years, until Bailey died July 14 of congestive heart failure. The congregation considered the money a blessing, but also a burden.

Would the church's 715 members resort to infighting over how to spend Bailey's gift? Would the collection plate dry up because people assumed the church was wealthy? Would the church become distracted from religion by riches?

McAleer turned to the Bible for guidance. A search of his computerized New Testament for the word "money" turned up 164 verses. Most of them were warnings against greed and the temptations of wealth.

"Did you know that Jesus talked more about money than prayer or any other topic?" McAleer said. "And it's all saying, `Watch out."'

The congregation decided right away that none of the money would go into the general budget, about $298,000, that pays the pastor's salary and funds day-to-day operations.

Last week, the members rejected a proposal to keep $4 million for future construction. The money was added to the amount to be given away to other churches and ministries, for a total of $16 million.

Another $40 million will go into a foundation managed by nine-member board that will award grants to nonprofit groups. The church plans to hire a money-managing firm to invest the funds.

For itself, the church will keep $2.8 million in an endowment fund named for Bailey. The church hopes the fund will generate interest of about $100,000 a year, the same as Bailey's previous donations, to be spent on service projects.

Now the church board must decide what types of projects it will award grants to.

And the pile of letters, faxes and phone messages keeps growing, yet to be answered, in the church file cabinet, filled with wish lists for a piece of Bailey's bequest.

"I really don't think he understood what would happen," Turner said. "It's either that, or he's sitting up there laughing: `You want money, here's money. See what it can do to you."

The Character of God-Abandoned Men

Romans 1:29

“Being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; [they are] whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:29-32 NKJV)

The Character Of God-abandoned Men

• unrighteousness — sin and injustice

• fornication [sexual immorality] — including adultery

• covetousness — 2 Pet 2:15, John 12:6, Luke 16:14 — love of money

• maliciousness — Judges 1:7 — leading to injury and revenge

• envy — Matt 27:18 — regret at another’s prosperity

• murder — sanctity of life disregarded

• debate — Isa 58:4 — strife, quarrels

• deceit — Tit 1:12 — falsehood

• malignity [evil-mindedness] — hatred concealed by a smile

• whisperers — private circulators of evil reports

• backbiters — slanderers of the absent

• despiteful [violent] — insult to injury

• boasters — vain-glorious — Proud of excellence really possessed, and boasters of what is unreal.

• inventors — plotters

• without, etc., [undiscerning] — of spiritual and moral things

• covenant, etc., [untrustworthy] — regardless of promises

• implacable, Gk., [unforgiving] — unsocial. unmerci- ful, unforgiving

• who…God — righteous requirement of God

• not…same — Ps 10:3, 31:23, 2 Tim 3:14, Rom 8:7, Deut 7:10, Prov 8:36; Jer 4:22 — themselves, in defiance of God

• but…them — approve them, lend their countenance to the evil done by others.

Men, haters of God — Rev C. Simeon

I shall

I. Establish the fact that unregenerate men are haters of God. The fact is

1. Absolutely universal;

2. Realized to inconceivable degree.

II. Account for it

1. The contrariety that exists between Him and us;

2. The consciousness we feel that He will summon us to His tribunal.

III. Make some reflections upon it:

1. How deep should be our humiliation before God;

2. What obligations we owe to God for His Gospel;

3. What a blessing the Gospel proves to all who receive it.

The Slander Book — A gentleman writes that he once saw the title Slander Book printed on the binding of a small ledger. On examining it he found that the various members of the household were charged so much apiece for each slander. The accounts were very neatly and correctly kept, credits entered, &c., as in a merchant’s office. He was informed that this plan of fining for slander originated with a good young girl, with a view to prevent evil speaking and its consequences. Youthful as she was, she observed its wretched effects on families and neighborhoods — what great fires were kindled by it, what sweet fountains were embittered by it; so she hit upon this expedient to knock it on the head. Perhaps others might take the hint

Without natural affection — Mr. Ellis, in his Missionary Tour, relates the following shocking instance of infanticide. A man and his wife, tenants of Mr. Young, who has for many years held under the king the small district of Kukuwaw, situated on the centre of Waiakea Bay, resided not far from Maaro’s house. They had one child, a fine little boy. A quarrel arose between them on one occasion respecting this child. The wife refusing to accede to the wishes of the husband, he, in revenge, caught up the child by the head and the feet, broke its back across his knee, and then threw it down in expiring agonies before her. Struck with the atrocity of the act, Mr. Young seized the man, led him before the king Tamehameha, who was then at Waiakea, and requested that he might be punished. The king inquired, “To whom did the child he has murdered belong?” Mr. Young answered, that it was his own son. “Then,” said the king, “neither you nor I have any right to interfere; I cannot say anything to him.”

Nero having fired Rome charged Christians with the crime. Caligula wished the Romans had but one neck that he might destroy them at one blow.

“Base envy withers at an ether’s joy, and hates the excellence it cannot reach.” — Thomson.

“There is no flesh in man’s obdurate heart; it does not feel for man.” – Cowper.

“When once infidelity can persuade men that they shall die like beasts, they will soon be brought to live like beasts also.” – South.

Lusting For Things, Worldly Passion

Genesis 3:6

”When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” – Genesis 3:6

Thoughts:

Ouch! We’ve known the way of sin for thousands of years. Yet we sometimes still follow the same path. We’re lured by something pleasing to our eyes. We pause for closer inspection of it, allowing ourselves to be caught up in its desirability. We dabble in it and play with it. We then participate in the sin. Finally, we involve others in sin. You’d think we would have learned the pattern and would have stopped by now. So with the help of the Holy Spirit, why don’t we start trying to do just that?

Prayer:

Father, please forgive me for my rebellious and sinful heart. I want to live wholly for you. I don’t want to be captured by the allure of sin or tempted by worldly passions, but I do want to passionately live a godly life for your glory. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray. Amen.

Desire For More Cows

Sanskrit is an ancient Indic language that is the language of Hinduism and the Vedas and is the classical literary language of India.

The Sanskrit word for "war" means "desire for more cows."

Lessons On Treasure

Luke 12:13

Luke 12:13–34 — Lessons on Treasure « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. Discourse to the One in the Crowd — 12:13–21

1. … on Covetousness — 12:13–15 (NKJV): 13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

a. Deuteronomy 21:15–17 indicates that in some circumstances at least, the firstborn was to get a double portion — but he was not to get everything that was left

(A) what do this man’s words seem to indicate? « — a desire for fairness or equity »

(B) what do Jesus’ words tell us about the man’s attitude? « — that it went beyond demanding his fair share; this is maybe evident also because it is only the one brother who makes the request without his brother’s agreement, that is, this man was acting unilaterally »

(C) what is the tenth commandment (Exodus 20:17)? What does it show about the character of covetousness? « — it has to do with wanting things possessed by someone else »

(D) the word “beware” implies not merely avoiding but the taking of positive action, that the hearer should set up his or her guard to ward off the attacks of an enemy

b. what mistake did the man make concerning Jesus? « — he considered Jesus to be just another rabbi who would settle legal questions on material items; but Jesus’ rule was really directed to the spiritual »

c. what mistake do people make concerning success? « — that it can be measured in things, in possessions »

2. … on Treasures — 12:16–21 (NKJV): 16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

a. what marks the speech of the rich man and what does this indicate about him? « — the repeated use of “I” and “my” — shows that his life revolved strictly around himself »

b. the ideas of soul, life, and self are closely intertwined to the Jew; what constituted life for this rich man? « — it all had to do with self-indulgence; the pleasures of the flesh »

c. what responsibilities did not seem to enter his mind?

(A) responsibility to « his fellow men, especially the needy (1 John 3:17) »

(B) responsibility to « God (Leviticus 27:30) »

d. what fact should cause us to get our priorities straight? « — death; the fact of our mortality … that we have to give account of ourselves makes relying on things to be foolish »

e. what marks the difference between false and real treasure? « — its permanence; real treasure is closely linked to our relationship to God; false treasure has no connection with God, only self »

f. what forces cause Christians to follow this foolishness?

(A) « the pressures of the consumer society »

(B) « the materialistic bent of our education system »

(C) « temptation of Satan that we deserve ease, comfort »

B. Discourse to His Disciples « (note that these words are for believers) »

1. “Do Not Worry” — Luke 12:22–34, NKJV: 22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? 29 And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.

a. what primary areas of concern does the Lord single out?

(A) « food (or sustenance) »

(B) « clothing (or shelter) »

b. how would you describe these two areas? « — they are both necessities of life »

c. how is verse 25 rendered in another translation? « — each translation is valid; “add a measure to his person”; see Psalm 39:5 for similar use of measure of length »

d. what two instances are given to show worrying even about the necessities is a waste of time?

(A) « God provides for the raven (birds) »

(B) « God clothes the lilies (grass) »

e. how are these two examples applicable?

(A) in the first case « — the relative helplessness of birds; why? the do not, indeed cannot, sow, reap, build barns, or provide for the future »

(B) in the second case « — both the transience and passivity of grass which cannot clothe itself yet is accorded great beauty in God’s generosity »

f. what should the child of God exercise in this connection? « — faith which will overcome an anxious mind; one opposite to faith is worry; it is a command “be not anxious” »

2. “What You should Seek” — Luke 12:30–34, NKJV: 30 “ For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. 32 Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

a. what is the similarity and difference between the world and the child of God in these matters?

(A) « both have need of these things »

(B) « the world seeks them, the Christian depends on God »

b. what should the Christian seek? … what is the promise?

(A) « the kingdom of God; which means? … that God should rule in our lives, in our church »

(B) « God delights in answering this desire in the Christian; and it doesn’t depend our power or our size; little flock speaks of paucity of true disciples »

c. for the child of God, by implication, what is the future of

(A) a generous nature? « — lasting riches »

(B) a grasping nature? « — riches that perish »

d. Do you think this passage means the Christians should not have possessions? … what does it mean? « — Paul enjoins the Christian to work and not be chargeable to others; giving is described as generosity. Both imply possessions are alright. But possessions must not possess the possessor; Ephesians 4:28, 1 Thessalonians 2:9, Thessalonians 3:10, 2 Corinthians 9:11 »

e. what is the danger, then, or riches? « — they shift our trust away from God; anyone’s heart is going to be with that which he values most. »

Sin Seizes Its Chance

Romans 7

Several years ago, Laura and I remodeled a bathroom. We removed a large mirror from the wall and placed it carefully under our bed for storage. I don’t think our young daughter Allison had ever crawled under our bed, but I knew she often hid under her own, and I wanted to avoid any chance of her crawling across a mirror. So I explained the situation and told her to stay out.

She got a strange look on her face as she digested the instructions, then looked at me sadly and said, “Now that you told me not to crawl under the bed … I want to.” I don’t think crawling under our bed had ever crossed her little mind, but once she found out if was off-limits, something inside her was immediately drawn to the idea.

Now be honest; haven’t you ever once seen a WET PAINT sign and been just the least bit tempted to reach out and see for yourself? When the waiter tells you, “Hot plate,” don’t you ever want to feel it for yourself? As you walk by your boss’s desk and see a folder labeled CONFIDENTIAL don’t you have the least urge to look inside? It almost seems that prohibiting something makes us want it more. As a young boy I once played a joke on my brother which involved opening a small box. But rather than writing “Please open” on the cover, I craftily wrote, “Do Not Open.” You know the result.

In Romans 7, Paul discusses the role of sin and law in our lives. He describes how the law prohibits covetousness, and once this prohibition is in place, sin immediately begins “seizing the opportunity” to tempt him toward covetousness. In other words, sin within us longs to do exactly what the law prohibits. We have a built-in “rebellious streak,” if you will.

Paul goes on and finally admits that even when he wants to do good, he often does evil, in spite of his best intentions. Finally, in despair, he asks this simple question: “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” The answer: Jesus Christ our Lord.

The bad news is that you will always feel some desire to do what you know is wrong. The good news is that Jesus Christ can help you master that desire.

Having More

Colossians 3:5

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth … covetousness, which is idolatry. — Colossians 3:5.

The word for covetousness in the original means HAVING MORE. It is not necessarily wishing for what someone else has, but wishing for more than I have. The root of all covetous, ness is being dissatisfied with what we already have.

O what is all that earth can give?

I’m called to share in God’s own joy;

Dead to the world, in Thee I live,

In Thee I’ve bliss without alloy:

Well may I earthly things resign;

All things are mine and I am Thine.

Extravagance, Modern

Modern extravagance in fashion contrasts with biblical calls to holiness and contentment.

Two hundred and sixty dollars were paid this season for a hat! I know this to be true, because I saw the hat and the woman who bought it, and I was told the price. What was it? A handful of straw, a wisp of tulle, and a spray of feather. Two hundred and sixty dollars!

Of course, this is not to be taken as an average price, even among the very rich. But the averages, as well as the single, instances of modern extravagance are startling. Fifteen years ago twenty-five dollars--thirty at the outside--would have bought the most elaborate bonnet in the most expensive shopping center of the world, New York. To-day the Fifth Avenue shops are asking thirty dollars for the plainest domestic toque or shade hat, and have shelves full of French importations at prices ranging from $100 to $175. The ten-dollar “trimmed” sailor hat used to be worn with serge dresses; the mull hats costing five dollars; the big rough garden hats at about the same price; the leghorns that used to run as high as fifteen, even twenty dollars, to-day have been replaced by thirty-dollar round hats, fifty-dollar picture hats, fifty-dollar lingerie hats, and hand-made straws running into the three numerals.--EMILY POST, _Everybody’s Magazine_.