The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-03-13


life. They have been the resources OF the
thousands Of financiers il days Of business
exigency. They stand for accommodation, for
facility, for idiy idual. state and national re-
lief. At their head and III their management
there is rs much interest and moral worth as
in any class OF mcn-perhaps more. how
ncfarioUs, then, the behavior OF those who
bring disrepute upon this venerable, benignant
and God-honorcd institution.
We also deplore abuse Of trust funds, be-
cause they fly III the face of that divine good
ness which seems determined to bless this
land. We are having tie eighth year OF mex
ampled national harvest. The wheat gamblers
get hold of the wheat, and the corn gamblers
get hold of the corn. The full tide of Gods
mercy towards this land is put
haGk by those great great q dykes Of
enough food and clothing to feed and apparel
this whole nation like princes the scrabble of
dishonest men to get more than their share
and getit at all hazards keeps everything sllak-
ing with uncertainty and everybody asking:
What next?" Every week makes new
revelations. How many more bank presi-
dents and bank cashiers have been specializing
with other peoples money, and how many
more bank directors are in imbecile silence let
ting the perfdy go on, the great and patient
God only knows. My opinion is that we have
got near the bottom. The wind has been
prckod from the great bubble of American
speculation. The men who thought that the
Judgment day was at least 5000 years off,
has been taught that men must keep their
hands ont of other peoples pockets. Great
business is built on borrowed capital have been
obliterated" and men who had nothing have
lost all they had believe we are started on
higher career of prosperity than this land
has ever seem if, and if, and if.
II the first men, and especially Christian
men, VIII learn never to speculate upon Dor
rowcd capital. If you have mind to take
your own money and turn it all into kites to
them n
states, yOn Go society TO wrong, except when
you tumble your helpless children into the
poor house for the public to take care of. But
you have 10 right to take the money of others
and tuln 1t into kites. There is one word that
has deluded more people into bankruptcy and
state prison and perdition than any other
word i'll commercial life, and that is the wo,d
borrow that one word is responsible fer ali the
defalcatlons, and embeZZlemets. and financial
considerations of the last twenty years. When
executors conclude to speculate with the
funds oil an estate committed to their charge,
they do not pUrloin, they'say they only borrow
when banker makes an overdraught upon his
institution, he does not commit theft
he only borrows When the officer of COM
pany, by flaming advertisement in some relig-
lous papers, and gilt certificate OF stock, gets
multitude OF country people TO put their small
earnings into an enterprise for carving on
some undeveloped nothing, he does not fraud
niently take their money, he only borrows
When young man with easy access to his
employers money drawer, or the confidential
clerk by close propinquity to the account books
takes few dollars for Wall street excursion
he expects to put it back; he will put it ali
back: he will put ii all back very soon. He
only borroWs. What is needed is some man OF
gigantic limb TO take his place at the curb
stone i'll front OF Trinity church. and when
that word borrow comes bounding along, kick
it clean through to Wall street ferryboat and
If, striking on that, it bounds clear over till it
strikes Brooklyn heights or Brooklyn hill, it
will be well for the City OF Churches.
Why, when you are going to do wrong, pro
nounce so long word as borrow, word of six
letters, when you can get II shorter word more
descriptive of the reality, a word of only five
letters, the word steal?
There are times when we all borrow and Dor
row leSltimatey and borrow with the divine
blessing, for Christ in His Sermon on the
Mount enjOins from him that would borrow
OF thee turn not thou away" A young man
rightly borrows money to get his education.
Purchasing house and not able to pay all
down in cash. the purchaser rightly bonews il
on mortgage. Crisis come in business when it
would be wrong for a man not to borrow But
roll this warning through all these aisles,
over the backs of all these pews, never borrow
to speculate not dollar, not cent not a
farthing. Young men, young men, [ warn
you by your worldly prospects and
the value OF your immortal souls, do not do it..
There are breakers distinguished for their
shipwrecks-the Hanways, the Needles, the
rieS-and many craft has gone to pieces on
those rocks; but l have to tell you that all the
Hanways, and the Needles, and the Baskets,
and the Skerries are as nothing compored with
the long line oil breakers which bound the
ocean Of commercial life north, south, east and
west with the white foam Of their despair and
the dirge Of their damnation: The breakers
of borrow.
If / had only a worldly weapon to use on
this subject would give you the fact
/ fp,AEh rnhE npaf l,nr. 90
| so per cent of those who go into
/ speculation in Wall street lose all
| but l have better warning than a worldly
/ warning. From the place where men have
| perished-body, mind and soul-stals off
stand off Abstract pulpit discussion must
| step aside on this question Faith and repent
ance are absolutely necessary, but faith and
/ repentance are no more doctrines of the Bible
than commercial integrity. Render to all their
| dues. Owe no man anything. And whi,c |
| mean TO preach faith and repentance, more and
more to preach them, / do not mean to spend
any time in chasing the Hittites and Jebustes
| and Girgashites OF Bible times, when there arc
| so many evils right around US destroying men
and women for time and for eternity The
/ greatest eYangclistic preacher the world ever
saw, Il man who died Tor his evangelism
peerless paul-wrote to the Romans.
/ ''Provide things honest in the sight
/ of al men: wrote to tho CORN
thianS, do that which is honeSt;' wrote Il
the Philippians, whatsoever things are hon
! est - wrote to the Hebrews. willing in all
things to live honestly" The Billie SAYS that
/ faith without works is dead, which being liber-
/ ally translated, means that ii your business life
does not correspond with your profession, youl
I religion is humbuG.
Here is something that needs TO be sounded
into the ears of all the youngmcn of America.
and iterated and reiterated, if this country is
ever to be delivered from its calamities, and
commercial prosperity is to be established and
+ perpetuated, live within your means.
/ / have the highest commercial authority for
saying that when tie memorable trouble broke
out in Wall street four Years 40, there were
! SOB, 200. 900 in suspense which had already
been spent. Spend no more than yon ma e.
And let us adjust all our business and our
homes by the principles of the Christian re
l.gion.
Our religion ought to mean just as much on
Saturday and Monday rs it does on the day be-
tween, and not be a mere perphrasis Of sancti-
ty. Our religion ought TO first clean our
/ hearts, and then it ought to clean our lives
Religion is not, rs some seem TO think
a sort OF church delectaton. a kind Of c0nfec'
tionerya sort OF spiritual caramel or molly gum
I drop. or sanctitied peppermint, or theological
anaesthetic. II is an omnipotent principle, all
controlling, all conquering You may get
I along with something less than that, and you