Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-02-22
Religion In Business,

IF you wish to test the quality Of n mans
religion, do not follow him to church, where
he must put on the garment Of pious obser-
vance; but visit him at his store, shop, Office,
or couuting.room, and mark the spirit by
which he is influenced in his dealing with
his fellowman. II he look only upon his
own things, and disregard those Of his neigh
Dor, YOU need not hesitate in your conclu.
sion. If he regard merely his own interest,
and in securing his own, invades the rights
of his neighbor, you need not fear the impu.
tation of uncharitableness, if you pronounce
that man no true, follower of him who said,
q" As ye would that men would do to you, do
We even so to them." There is sad want
of Cristainity in business. Professors seem
to think their religion too pure thing to be
brought down nto the sphere Of business,
lest it sod its garments or be assailed with
ridicule.' But a mans religion is not worthy
the name, ii it be not able to stand the or
deal of his business life; if it do not accom-
pany him in his daily avocations, and lead
him to sacrifice his worldly loves and lust
of gain wh never they would prompt him to
forget the good of his felow-man while in
the ardent pursuit Of his own interests.
The author of the following we do not
know, but it embodies views on this subject
by which men in business, who profess 10
be governed by Christian principles, would
DO well to compare themselves
"Each one is bound to look not only on
his own things, but also on the things of
another. You cannot divest yourself. God
has ordained it, and while God is love, the
law is unalterable. In your neighbor you
are bound to see a brother whose feelings,
whose reputation, whose property, whose
family, are all as sacred rs your own. "Let
no man seek his own, but every man, anoh-
er's wealth" is precept weightcrer than all
the dicta Of the exchange. 1t is highly con-
venient to evade this precept by assuring
yourself that every man will look to his own
interests, and therefore you may just grile
all that others will let you grpe. But in
doing go, you let yourself down from the
level Of a Christian to the level Of 4 scram-
bier, even amongst nen who meet on equal
terms. Commerce on your principle is not
system of mutual terms, that principle will
bear you out in cruel oppression. A cloth.
maker offers to a cloth merchant parcel Of
cloth. His manner, or something else, tells
the merchant that he is under the necessity
of finding money He asks fair price.
According to the judgement of the ne Giant
that price would afford the maker fair re-
munera,on, and would afford himself fair
profit; but he knows or guesses that money
happens to be, at that moment, Of exorbitant
value to his neighbor On this conviction
he refuses the fair price, and offers one that
would double his own profit, and leave the
other without any profit, orwith a loss. The
other hesitates, reasons entreats but at last
reluctantly yields. The merchants exults in
a good bargain. A good bargain lis that
what You call it !-Why, the thing you have
done is neither more nor less than taking ad-
vantage of your neighbor's, necessity to de-
prive him of the just reward of his labor, and
to put it in your own pocket.
But am not bound to look after anotli.
or mans interest" Yes, you are God has
bound you to it. He has bound all other
men to do the same to you. You have de-
nicd your brother his equal rights. Had
you done your duty, two hearts would have
been the better, but now two hearts are
worse. Yours is contracting around its ILL
gotten profits his is soured and dstrastful."