The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-10-15
BEECHER ON BUSINESS.
An Interesting discourse on
Practical n fairs.
The Foundations that are Necessary to
Every Mans Success.

III tlc COATSc VI u IoCcuI bCl ulOu
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher said:
"Men who live righteously have all
the secular things necessary to happi-
ness. Obedience to divine law and
secular prosperity go hand in hand.
There is no directory in the world like
Solomon's proverb. One would think
Solomon had lived in New York, for
you vii! inu there all you know and
good deal mnr,. Every man to be
successful, must have foundation.
He must have health. strength and
common sense, which is the most un-
common of all. He must have indus
try and good management. lie must.
confne his work to his capabilities,
A man six feet tall can reach higher
than man only five feet in height no
matter how hard the other may try.
An unthinking brain cannot be aphil-
osopher and man without genius
cannot produce poetry, of which We
nave ten thousand instances.
"a mans first aim in life is to build
himself up. And the building Of ones
self is the result of proper industry,
frugality and economy We are not
here merely to enjoy ourselves. A
right Christian life limits mems de-
sires for pleasure. wealth and prefer
ment. Half of the failures in COM
mercial life are the result of greedi-
ness. Men are not content with mod
eration-with what belongs to their
abilities. Seeking to do more than in
them lies, they fall to the ground.
There are many men whose energy
and ambition drive them over all OBJ
stacles. They don't stop to consider
the rights of others, but rush through
the crowd knocking one man down
and treading on another's feet. Thou
sands have no sense of equity between
man and man, but by and by they are
destroyed by the very impulse that
urged them on their naughty, lordly
career.
Moderation prevents over-action
and hence prevents reaction. Men
eat and are stupid. They drink and
/ are excited. Their reflections are like
the reflection of the sun upon the
waves. The moral constitution of the
world is in agreement with right liv-
ing, and whatever one seeks he can
! seek better by conforming to the moral
laws of Gods kingdom. Moreover
the laws which apply to individual
life apply to society. If a community
fails to heed them the same punish
ment follows. 1t makes all the differ
ence in the world what sort of a COM
munity a man lives in. If you go
down into community of individuals
where fights and quarrels prevail you
cannot expect to find peace and happi-
ness. What kind of a place is that for
yourself or your children? But if you
60 into community of tastefulness,
sobriety and godliness you are lifted
up. Hence it is that no man or class
of men has right to maintain nuis-
ance of any kind. When we go forth
to drive out the nuisance we are not
meddllng in what is not our business.
1t does concern US, and it is our right
to interfere. We cannot always &C,
complish all that we would like to ac-
complish, it is true. We cannot COM
pei a man to go to church, but we can
make him send his children tc
school. We can come so near to it at
any rate. Moral and virtuous men
lay the bills of criminals.
"Men who panler to animals in
stncts are dangerous to humanity
They are dangerous to your children
and mine. You remember the old
fable about man selling his soul to
the devil-the poorest bargin the devil
could make by the way. But while
no man probably ever sold himself to
the devil at wholesale, many are sell
ing themselves to him at retail. When
ever you violate the great fundamental
canons of morality you are selling
yourself. There are men in Brooklyn
who are seeking prosperity by sacriic-
ing purity and morality. thinking that
they will succeed by disregarding di,
vine law. Many believe in the Bible
but not in its contents. The Bible
says rectitude is prosperity, but they
don't believe it. Do you believe speak,
ing the truth at all times is essential
to your prosperity, young man? No, 4
little evasion now and then is consid-
cred smart. You ridicule the blunt
country youth, who blurts out the
truth at all times. He is green
"Men say they will first amass for
tunes by evasions and deception, and
then they will join the church. They
can't do it while building up theil
properties. oh, no. Why, a business
man in New York persuing such a
course would bankrupt himself in a
week. No mistake should be made in
the cases of men who are successful
in their wickedness. When such dc
prosper it is because of some qualities
in their natures which are really good.
In what is called prosperity there is
often not particle of true enjoyment.
There are thousands of men in dingy
shops who are happier than others in
palaces. / don't believe bloodsuckers
of gold are happy. l would rather be
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