Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-17

toners, or to take money out Of their pock
cts, he would be simply giving them les
sons in dishonesty. and would have no rea-
son to be disappointed If they applied these
lessons to his own disad vantage. Evidently,
if a man will lie to customer, he will just
as easily lie to his employer.
The business man who told me that busi-
ness men are missionaries of absolute right
eousness had in view the scrupulous honesty
which good business exacts from all who
are concerned in 1t And I agree with him
upright, honorable, immaculately just
and Christian business men of this
city would be in itself an educa-
tion in ethics, and training in all that is
best in religion, that could not be equaled
in any parish church in ehristendom. In
the concerns with which these men are asso-
ciated there is no constraint put on any
mans conscience.
Bread Sometimes Depends on It
Nevertheless, I know 1t to be q fact that
in reputable industries in this city men are
set tasks that cannot be done with the hon.
est truth for witness. And say that I
am sorry for the men who are given these
tasks to do. Their daily bread depends upon
their obedience. When they think of pro-
testing they remember their families at
home. And very often the matter is only
one of these questions of casuistry, these
fine distinctions between the transcendental
and the practical in ethics, which the man
at the head has simply happened to decide
in a way which does not meet the under
mans approval. His conscience is quicker
than his chiefs. The employer honestly
thinks, perhaps, that this questionable
thing is right.
Now, what shall the man do? A good
many times he puts aside his scruples, per-
suades himself that his employer must bear
the blame, thinks, perhaps, that he has q
foolish and misleading conscience and goes
and writes lie. But, according to the tes-
timony of the best men in Pittsburg, the
great majority of business men want to do
that which is unquestionably right. They
are all agreed that it is better to be honest
than to be shrewd. They maintain with en-
tire unanimity that such reputation is the
best capital that a man can put into his busi-
ness.
The Cure for a Troubled Conscience.
It seems, then, that the best advice that
can be given to any clerk, or to any employe
whatsoever, when he is told to do what is
against his conscience, is frankly to say so.
He is to take it for granted that his employ
ers desire to do the very most Christian
scruples to their notice is to pay them the
highest tribute of respect, and also to COM
mend himself in the surest way to their es-
teen. IT, however, this does not prove in
actual experience to work, the meaning is
that the young man has the misfortune to
serve dishonest men. And that means that
he is engaged in a business that is bound,
sooner or later, to come to disgraceful fail
ure. The law of certain retribution for dis
honesty is just as sure as the law of gravita-
t1on. The sooner he gets out of that falling
building the better.
But if he has to face starvationi If he
has choice to make between a lie and
loaf of bread, if he has choice to make be-
tween pain of body and pain of soul, he
must make it. No one need expect to find
1t altogether easy to be Christian. In the
past men have often found it necessary to
choose between being Christians and being
put to painful death. And they have
made their choice. Many a man has died
rather than lie. ALI honor, now and for
ever, to the noble army of martyrs Still
that army marches on. And day by day,
good men and brave men, of whom the
world is not worthy, are found willing to
enlist in the great fight of the hosts of God
against the armies of the devil, and to en-
list for the whole war, come what may.
Honesty and Success Go Together.
And so the answer to the second question
of my letter, must man, in order to be
successful, lie or steal? is NO." and stNo"
thousand times repeated. The emphatic
testimony of business men who have sue
ceeJed is that genuine honesty and genuine
success are married together, and cannot be
divorced either in this world or the next
As for the third question of my letter,
touching the duty of the preacher, have
tried to follow the good advice of my corre-
spondents in the writing of this sermon.
Our Lord, being asked to settle dispute
about questionable transaction, declined
Into the addition and subtraction of the
dollars and cents of that matter, he refused
to enter. He contented himself with laying
down a deep and eternal principle, which,
applied, would settle that and all other like
questions. 'Take heed" he said, land be-
ware of covetousness, for a mans life con-
sisteth not in the abundance of the things
which he possesseth."
How that meets this whole difficulty, and
settles it not by any outside influence, not
by law, not by arbitration, but by change
in the mans own heart! The surest way to
get all business conducted on Christian
principles is to get all the business men
converted to Christianity.
be loyal 10 Cnrlst Win ali your heart.
Set His example before youas the unfailing
pattern of your daily life. Meet the daily
problems of your business as you honestly
think He Himself would meet them, if He
sat IN your place at your Office desk. Try
to live in Pittsburg as He lived in Caper-
naum, true as He was, honest as He was,
loving God as He did and loving all your
brother men with that genuine love that
you would like to have Christ find in your
heart, and you will conduct your business
yes, and succeed in it to the uttermost-on
Christian principles.