Thursday; June 4
In the late 1850s oil was discovered in Titusville, Pennsylvania. In what was one of the earliest “booms” in the United States, western Pennsylvania became a hotbed of activity. However, with the prosperity, came danger. On June 4, 1892 the area was rocked by flood and fire. The death toll exceeded 130 and the damage was in the millions of dollars. Interestingly, what they felt would bring them prosperity ended up bringing them pain. As I read about this, I was drawn to a warning issued centuries ago by James, the New Testament writer, who observed, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!” (James 5:1-3). We live in a society that lauds materialism; but it’s not all ...