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"IT is easier," says the Book, "for
a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter
into the kingdom of heaven." The late facetious Mr. David Bell of
Blackhall, who, with all his faults, was a warm friend to the prosperity
of Glasgow, took it into his head, when he was comparatively a young man,
to retire from business in the manufacturing line, which he had pursued
with considerable success in this city.
The text of Scripture above quoted
took hold of his mind, and so he took stock, and, having found that he had
some thousands of pounds more at his command in the Royal Bank than he
expected, he shut his books, closed his mercantile affairs, quietly
retired, and settled down to enjoy his otium
cum dignitate.
He was questioned one day at a convivial party by the
late John Henderson, Esq. of Park— who gave and left so much of his large
fortune for many important religious and benevolent purposes—to this
effect:
"Pray, Mr. Bell, what induced you to
retire so soon from business, when, by continuing in it, you might have
made a much larger fortune ?"
David shook his head, and begged to
be excused from giving his reason. This only made Mr. Henderson the more
eager to know it, and to press for an answer.
"Well, well," said David, "1 have a
very good reason to give if you urge me for it, Mr. Henderson."
The latter smilingly responded, and Mr. Bell
explained:
"Well, well, you will know that wonderful passage in
the Bible "—(above quoted, and which he repeated with animation and
force). The company were a little startled by his quotation, and David
capped it by adding:
"Now, I just took the hint from the camel, and hope
to be rewarded for my forbearance." |
