The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1891-12-25

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churches of today were brought out
and thoroughly harnessed, ! believe the
whole world would be converted to
God in a short time. There are 80
many deep streams that are turning no
mill wheels and that are harnessed to
no factory bands. Now, God demands
the best lamb out of every flock. He
demands the richest sheaf of every har-
vest. He demands the best men OF
every generation. A cause in which
Newton and Locke and Mansfield toiled
you and can afford to toll in.
Oh, for fewer idlers in the cause OF
Christ and for more Christian workers,
men who shall take the same energy
that from Monday morning to Satur-
day night they put forth for the achieve
ment of livelihood or the gathering OF
a fortune, and on Sabbath days put it
forth to the advantage of Chrlsts
kingdom and the bringing of men to
the Lord.
Dr. Duff, in South Wales, saw man
who had inherited great fortune.
The man said to him. II had to be
very busy for many years OF my life
getting my livelihood. After awhile
this fortune came to me, and there has
been no necessity that l toll since.
There came time when l said to my
self, Shall l now retire from business,
or shall l go on and serve the Lord in
my worldly occupation9'" He said:
II resolved on the latter, and have
| been more industrious in commercial
circles than ever was before, and since
that hour have never kept farth-
ing for myself. l have thoughtit to be a
great shame if I couldn't toll as hard
for the Lord as had toiled for myself,
and all the products of my factories and
my commercial establishments to the
last farthing have gone for the building
of Christian institutions and supporting
the church of God" Oh, if the same
energy put forth for the world could be
put forth for God! Oh, if thousand
men in these great cities who have
achieved a fortune could see it their
duty to do all business for Christ and
the alienation of the worlds suffering.
HOW PATIENCE is CULTIVATED.
Again, remark that business life is a
school of patience. In your everyday
life how many things to annoy and to
disquiet! Bargains will rub. Com
mercial men will sometimes fail to meet
their engagements. Cash book and
money drawer will sometimes quarrel.
Goods ordered for special emergency
will come too late or be damaged in
the transportation. People intending
no harm will go shopping without any
intention of purchase, overturning great
stocks of goods and insisting that you
break the dozen. More bad debts on
the ledger. More counterfeit bills in
the drawer. More debts to pay for
other people. More WEAKNESSES on the
part of partners in business. Annoy
ance after annoyance, vexation after
vexation, and loss after loss.
All that process will either break you
down or brighten you up. 1t is school
OF patience. You have known men un-
der the process to become petulant
and choleric and angry and pugna-
cious and cross and sour and queer,
and they lost their customers and their
name became detestation. Other
men have been frightened up under
the process. They were toughened by
the exposure. They were like rocks,
all the more valuable for being blasted.
At first they had to choke down their
wrath; at first they had to bite their lips;
at first they thought of some singing re-
tort they would like to make; but they
conquered their Impotence. They have
kind words now for sarcastic filings.
They have gentle behavior now for un-
mannerly customers. They are patient
now with unfortunate debtors. They
have Christian reflections now for sud-
den reverses. Where did they get that
patience2 BY hearing minister preach
concerning it on the Sabbath9 Oh, no.
They got it just where you will get it
if you ever get it at all-selling hats,
discounting notes, turning banisters,
blowing corn, timing roofs, pleading
causes. Oh, that amid the turmoil and
anxiety and evaporation of everyday
life you might hear the voice of God
saying: I'm patience possess your soul.
Let patience have her perfect work."
I remark again that business life is
school of useful knowledge. Merchants
do not read many books and do not
study lex;cons. They do not dive into
profounds of learning, and yet nearly
all through their occupations come to
understand questions of finance and
politics and geography and jurispru-
dence and ethics Business is severe
schoolmistress. Hpupils will not learn,
she strikes them over the head and the
heart with severe losses. You put
o, 900 into an enterprise. It is all
gone. You say, That is dead loss"
Oh, no. You are paying the school
ing. That was only tuition-I told
you it was schoolmistress--but it was
worth it. You learned things under
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