The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-12-14

of c. F. Coffin, of this city:
Anything that any other servant of the Lord can
do! He can preach, pray, sing or perform other
service for which the spirit of the Lord gives him
ability. "Wist We not that mist be about my Fa-
| theirs business ?" Our Saviour thus set an
ample of earnestness and application to the duties
of life. "Not sothful in business, says the grea.
Apostle, thus enforcing the lesson of industry and
diligence. if with it is Joined ..serving the Lord
Are the two consonent? Can man be a thorough,
i energetic business man and at the time
ant of the Lord? Most certainly !! The time is past
| when 1t is considered necessary Withdraw from
the world in order be a servant of Christ al pray
not th 1t thou shoudst take them of the world,
but that thou sEou!dst keep them from the evil"
BUSINESS while 1t Is pursued with energy and earn
estness, must be subordinate Christian duties,
or rather must be pursued in connection with them.
"Seek Firs. the Kingdom of God" We have many
examples at the present time of the most pros per-
Gus and successful business men, Who the most
efficient ard earnest workers in the of Christ.
One OF the greatest evangests of modern times,
a prosperous and successful merchant, and when not
engaged in preaching the Gospel" applied the pow
er o. ms npd and the energy of his character to the
sale OF goods. No man do anything for Christ
! until he becomes a servant of Christ. Repentance
towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, fol-
| lowed by sense of forgiveness OF sins and union
with Christ are the first requisites to work for him.
he who has known his sins biotted out by the
blood OF Jesus is Immediately led to desire the saliva
ton OF others, and is in good condition labor for
1t; and will soon find means to accomplish the de-
| sire OF his heart
|
man, will be to learn him to edo justly Honesty
will characterize all his dea all
his statements. JUS. weight, just inca sure, and
| a just balance will be used He win do unto 9TH
ers as he wouli have them do unto him. He will
bring his Christianity to bear in his everyday trans
actions, aud will show by his conduct to all with
whom he has dealings, whose servant he is. la this
day when so many "tricks IN trade resorted to,
when so many transactions which will not bear
rigid scrutiny and when the motto of so many
is ''let every take of himself, how bright is
the example of that business who rules his
| transactions by a Christian standard How mueh
he is "doiug for Christi" Can business be prottably
| and safely conducted Christian principles? He
must have little faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who
believes tlat it cannot. How much of the failures
and Enisfortunes of business be traced to
lack of the proper standard in their transactions.
Not that all good men will prosper in business.
Business talents and quaLica tons essential to
success but they need to be consccrated to Christ,
and governed by HIS law.
The question was once asked of the writer, while
visiting 'on change in Chicago Can man be
Christian and nngle in this Whirlpool ' The reply
was "Ycs, but he needs much fxedness Of principle
and hfmness OF purpose, and '"acS prayer Because
SO many fail to conform 70 a Christian standard :
because sometimes the wicked FLOURISH like green
bay tree, it does not prove that godliness is no;
profitable for all things.
present no mere theory. Active service in bus
mess life from childhood an experience eff all the
trials and of such life, and large acquaintance
With those engaged in it, have lead me to know that
even p1cn of this world honor servant of the Lord
that honesty is not only the best policy, but that
| thorough conformity to the law of Christ, is tho
greatest safeguard which business man can have,
| and that such 'does much for Christ. In
addition to daily living Christian life and example,
| the h;siness man may often speak word for the
Saviour to those it'll whoRa he is thrown in contact,
those who are in his and Others with whom he
may incidenty meet This may be done unobtrusiye-
iy and without oense and with the exercise of prop
er Judgment and discretion. Too many profsssed
Christians live in constant contact with those who
are far from Christ, without speaking to them
OF their spiritual condition. In the midst OF the
and duties of business life it is not to be expected
that such subjects will be introduced all occasions,
but there times when it will be peculiarly appro-
pirate to do go, aud when it will meet with q ready
response. simple word or suggestion thus thrown
out has often done more to reflection than the
best sermon.
The bu siness man may do much for Christ with
his means. This is point of which need not speak
much as it is generally understood. Most business
men are LIBERAL and far too many are disposed thus
| to compromise the matter and excuse themselves
| FROM personal service aud work by proxy, leaving
religious matters to their ministers to those es-
| pecia lily engaged in Christian work.
dan. to Keen it holy" OF all classes, this rest and
change of thought and employment, is to them most
essential. 1t not only proongs their lives but gives
ly measure it is expedient as duty to God It IS
all important AL business should be laid aside,
and the thought of it banished as nearly
as possible from the mind. This only be done
| by entering upon othe duties,-the attendance Of
publ; worship, the Sabbath school, and other iabors
will be found highly beneficial, and the business
to his daily round ofduties refreshed and re-
| invigorated. His habits especially adopt him for
| K,
teacher or IN any other capacity. In all our larger
cities the most successful Sabbath schools are those
conducted by business men. There are also public
institutions Prisons, Hospitals, Asylums, Homes,
ETC., which may be proably and Systematically vis-
tied by business men, Private labor with the inmates
terry the distribution of tracts, and pubicay
| atelv done by them. In many places very efficient
service in the of street preaching has been done
nv business All may not be called to work IN the
same channel but the heart full OF gratitude TO zoo
will ex pand to others around and some means will
be found adapted to the in , ana 70 'iiose
Not only on the Sabbath, but at the weekly or
| daily prayer meetings the business man should OF
ten be present. that by his person and his voice. he
NAV show on whose side he is engaged. Personal
visitation to the poor sick and a1iced ana cottage
prayer meetings. will be found greatly to strengthen
the IA it'll and develop the Christian character of the
business There IS no more tonching ana neau-
tiful sight than to strong minded earnest bus
mess men, bowed in prayer III the cottages OF she
poor. 80
AT first, in any of these labors, sense Of awk-
wariness will be felt and often some lufnihaton.
But when we remember that it is the eternal welfare
of our fellow that is sought, and the love OF
Christ which constrains u.s. all such feelings VIII
soon vanisb ability for the work will increase and an
BILE plea sure be afforded to those who
engaged 10 it. The power for such work must be
gained by closet prayer and daily communion with
God =
Family duties must not be omitted. The business
mans home should have family altar from which
prayer should be daily offered. The children should
be trained for Christ. The father can do much at
this and the whole care and responsibility should
not be thrown upon the mother. loving house, |
hold should surround him to sustain ~ the cares and
responsibilities of business life, and it can only be
made so BY being Christian household
Business men are the best managers of public in
st;tu,ions and of Charities. They may do much for
Christ in this way bit should not substitute for such
labor per sonal in the of Christ 1t
be said that time canno be found for all these things
PERHAPS il cannot, but for at least it ran, and
each one will soon nd his appropriate sphere of la
Inr a nd he enabled to fill it, and none much
occnnied but they may find time for all their private
and family duties and for some of the more public
ones.
DR.. CHARLES K. STURGIs We re-
oret to hear of the deatl, Of this excel
lent man, which occurred at Fort
Wayne, last week. About 1S34-'5: he
was citizen of our city, and was in