When wealth divides a society, is it a flaw to fix or a feature that fuels progress?
This historical sermon, delivered before Massachusetts’ governor, lieutenant governor, and the state legislature on January 7, 1835, argues that inequality in wealth is both a divine ordinance and a condition that helps civilization grow. It frames religion and civil life as intertwined, using the biblical phrase “the poor shall never cease out of the land” to explore how prosperity, virtue, and social order shape public life.
In this edition, the author examines whether equalizing wealth is possible or desirable, and why attempts to level outcomes might undermine moral and intellectual development. It also surveys the role of political economy, education, and religion in advancing human happiness and progress, while warning against theories that would disrupt the foundations of property and civil liberty.
What you’ll experience
- A historical argument on wealth, society, and Providence from a 19th‑century pulpit.
- Discussion of how religion, economics, and politics intersect in shaping civil life.
- Critique of egalitarian schemes and defense of the rights of property as essential for progress.
- References to broader debates about education, virtue, and national improvement.
Ideal for readers of historical theology, political economy, and early American public discourse alike.