Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-10-14
BEECHER ON BUSINESS.
An Interesting Discourse on
Practical A fairs.
The Foundations that ara Necessary to
Every Mans Success.


In the course of a recent sermon
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher said:
"NIen 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 will find there all you know and a
good deal more. 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. He 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 CON-
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 &C
down into a community of individual;
where fights and quarrels prevail yor
cannot expect to find peace and happi
ness. What kind of place is that fol
yourself or your chi Idren? But if yor
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 a nuis
ance of any kind. When we go forth
to drive out the nuisance we are moi
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 &C
complish, it is true. We cannot com
pei a man to 60 to church, but we can
make him send his children tt
school. We can come 50 near to it al
any rate. Moral and virtuous mer
pay the bills of criminals.
"N1en who pander to animals In.
stincts are dangerous to humanity
They are dangerous to your children
and mine. You remember the ole
fable about man selling his soul to
the devil--the poorest bargin the devi
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 disregardlug di
vine law. Many believe in the Bible
but not In its contents. The Bibl,
says rectitude is prosperity, but they
don't believe it. Do you believe speak
ing the truth at all times is essentla
to your prosperity, young man9 No, {
little evasion now and then is consid
cred smart You ridicule the blunt
country youth, who blurts out thu
truth at all times. He is green
"Men say they will first amass for
tunes by evasions and deception, ant
then they will join the church. They
can't do it while building up theil
properties. Oh. no! Why, a bushes:
man in New York persuing such {
course would bankrupt himself in ;
week. No mistake should be made II
the cases of men who are successful
in their wickedness. When such dC
prosper it is because of some qualitie!
in their natures which are really good
In what is called prosperity there /:
often not particle of true enjoyment
There are thousands Of men in dingy
shops who are happier than others il
palaces. don't believe bloodsucker:
of gold are happy. l would rather bI