Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-05-30
BUsINEss.AND RELIGION.


Young man, Just entering upon the
business ofl.fe, if this article strikes
your eye, tarry moment and read IT,.
Business and Religion! d. you un'
dersland the Ultimate connexion OF these
Two words?Nlf NOT, leI US consider
them.
Suppose we. should put the question
to an audience composed of such men
as many of tie business men Of Ihis or
any nation aEs, "What is the chief end
business 7s,ssShal would be the answer
we might nafssally expect, from almost
any Of thafShaiencc Would sEits not
he Sc !,e,,'ctet e: basiness2 slyhy,.
the accumulation of money, 10 be sure;
10 acquire property. Acquisition; this
is it," And would not the answer ac>
cord with the fact? We fear i! woull.
The father too often advises his son, the
merchant lis clerk, the ;radesman his
commissioner, tie dealer in wares his
pedler, "hIake villa, you can. Lose no
opportunity of adding cent to crnt, and
dollar to dollar. This is your business.
Be about il /; see to ii always"
What but this do You read in the
continued strife Of most of the business
world ?-In its walcllings and weaiy-
ings, lis expedienls aud achievements
in trade, lis success in making the pres
en-, gain attraction for The future; what
but this in the main desire TOO generally
Expressed. that NIL will be when the in
dividual becomes wealthy? And what
but this is the homage generally paid in
the heart to mere property, when this
property may have least 10 do>wilh the
riches that drc of more value than all
silver and gold?
Now hc;e is an error of the most
pernicious kind. Such is not the Just
aims of our exrrlions, such is not the
great end OF the business Of life 1t is
a libel on oer nature serious y to pre-
tend so. The chef end Of bnsi ness is
lis moral, its religious cnd.-We can
come to no other conclusion, if VIC con-
suit the New Testament. We never
find an inlimaliDn here, that business
and religion are disconnected. Such
was no, the idea of the apostle when he
wrote, "WIralsnever We do, in ward OF
in deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus. Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily
as to the Lord, and pot unto men, know
inp that Of The Lord ye shall receive .he
reward of the inheritance, for ye serve
lhe Lord Christ" Nor This his concep-
ton when he gave hi, brelhren direction
to be "nol sIolhful in business, (elvenl
in spirit, serving The Lord" Tue bust
ness of Ii(" is blended with the religion
of it,. Itis to be pursued not with the
idea of accumulaling riches as IFS end;
bu, with the conviction That money is a
means only, and truth. honor, and in
tegri,y the erca, ends. And there is ii
noble field for the cultivation of these
virtues in the life ofevcIy business man.
I, is talsehood and shame to pretend
that men can be only honest as trade and
the times may admit, when they pursue
the business Of life. As well might we
consider every calling in lilea game of
deception of ourselves and our race.
No such thing. Let the tradesman, lei
every man Of business remember, that
business is one OF Heavens ordinations
to instruct us in truth, goodness, bcnav-
olcnce, and that eternal justice which
saws TO all, "As ye would that men
should do unto you, do ye even the
same unto them; for this is. the law and
the prophet"
Young man, consider this connection