, 1861-02-01


great classes of mankind respectively dc
business in every age and place.
We of Washington Territory and the
Pacific coast by 10 means excepted. We
are all pursuing our business plans and
projects for the coming year either in reIi
ance on self, or with confidence in God.
Either under the guidance Of our own wills
or Of Gods will, either with view to sell
aggrandisement or to Gods glory. Which
is it, friend? You would do well to con.
slider this matter and decide it in entering
upon business for the year 1861 Just open
ing go to now" Come now. Search,
consider, examine, scrutinize the platform
on which you stand, the principles on which
you act, the basis upon which you build
your hopes, and the spirit with which you
lay and prosecute your plans and purposes
during the coming year.
Let US for season, reflect upon these
respective platforms, and note especially
some Of the consequences arising from
transacting business upon them severally.
/. Mark the evils which accrue, lst to
the individual, and, I'd, the community
from doing business upon the selfish plat
form.
These evils necessarily arise from the
spirit with which these men embark in bus.
iness. Note well the striking features of
that spirit. A spirit of self snfIiciency; a
spirit which defes oil opposing circumstan-
ces. A'spirt which repudiates every claim
upon their time, means or talents, which
may interpose between them and their
darling object. Hear their self sufficient
Godrcpudiating resolution. ave will go
into such city, and continue year, and
buy and sell and get gain" Very positive
10 it, but, or condition; no recognition of
or duties to any but self: no
Acknowledgements of the claims of the
poor upon their aims, of the needy upon
their bread, Of the naked upon their stuffs,
nor Of the unfortunate upon their charities; /;
no intimation that benevolent, educational
and religious institutions can, by any posi-
bility, call upon them to contribute of their
substance for their endowment or support; I;
and finally, not the least hint that they re.
cognize either the claims of their fellows
upon their honesty and integrity, the au-
thority of God over their actions, nor his
overruling providence by which all their
schemes and projects may be thwarted.
Entering as they do, upon the tranasoc.
ton Of business for a new year, with such
a spirit, it cannot be otherwise than that
great evils should befall them, /, as indi-
yiduals: For the laws of the mind, the
heart and the soul cannot be violated with
out consequent penalty. Such a spirit,
such course, such a method Of transact
ing business, fosters contracts, deeds and
seals for men very bad, very unamiable and
characters in this life, and great
ly endangers a corresponding condition in
the life to come. There is as much philos-
ophy as severity in that saying Of Jesus,
1T is easier for a camel to go through the
eye of a needle than for rich man to en-
ter the kingdom" j. e. o man whose heart
and soul is bound up in riches, as the spirit
here alluded to implies.
The reasons for that declaration Of onr
Savior arc deeply laid in the laws Of our
nature.
The spirit Of avarice, of selfaggrandize-
ment, of getting gain in spite Of eircum-
stances, and regardless of consequences,
chills the noblest impulses and freezes the
fuest affections of the heart. 1t shuts up
the bowels Of compassion, and deafens the
ear Of pity against the groans and tears
and signs Of suffering humanity. 1t nips
every benevolent purpose in the bud. 1t
checks every emotion Of the soul that
would induce one to labor for the good Of
others, either for time or eternity. 1t be-
gets, fosters and confirms misanthropy. 1t
produces, nourishes and strengthens deceit,
treachery, ehicanery and dishonesty, and it
deadeus aud destroys whatever remains OF
moral and religious principle. Before the
man of the world has gained his ends, built
his fortune, accumulated his wealth, he has
drawn sin as with cart rope, and bound
his own soul with three.fOld cords of sinful
habits which are not easily broken. No
wonder our Savior said it was hard for
such a man to enter into the kingdom of
Heaven. "For God all things are possible" !"
God may break those cords which they
themselves have twisted, and set their cap
tive souls at liberty. They themselves
never can. Such habits and characters
once formed there is fearful risk that
men will carry them into another world
Now let US pause awhile aud mark well
the workings Of this selfish spirit and these
selfish principles in mans soul Absorb,
ed with thoughts Of self-aggrandizements,
entangled with plots and schemes and pro,
jects, relying entirely upon himself aud put
ting no trust in God. Such a man feels
that all success depends upon the shrewd
ness Of his own calculations, and the keen
ness Of his own foresight; upon the skill
with which he casts his lines" "lays hi;
ropes" and Spreads bis nets" Amid al
these absorbing topics Of business interests
no time is found (eVen were there inclina
tion, to train the finer philanthropic afec
ton, and bend listening ear to the plea
aud plants Of destituton, suffering auC
wo. Thus by degrees, the man,-the cold
stern, SpeGulAling, wordly-miuded, busines
mails converted into block, a stone, al
iceberg. UnattractiVe his person, and chill
ling his presence. Thus for the want o