A man of wealth whose great possession
Was won they fancied by oppression,
Proposed to give to all the people
A meeting house with bell and steeple.
But they with scruples grave or funny,
Refused to take the “devil’s money”
For pious uses, as if evil
Stuck to the coin and not the Devil.
Alas! If there the scruple lingers,
What cash has not passed dirty fingers?
‘Twould seem as common mortals scheme it,
A virtuous use might well redeem it;
Or tell me, if you thus conceive it,
When will the taint of evil leave it?
