The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-03-27
THE BUSINESS MANS BUSINESS
WITH RELIGION.
BY REV. LEE s. NC coLLEsTER.
COLUMBUS. Wis.

BY REV. LEE s. NC COLLESTER.
The real dangers of business are
that men become slaves to their
work. Man should not live to do
business but do business to live.
Some men carry their business every
where they go. They are engrossed
in business even when they are at
home. Some cannot get over Sun
day without going to their store to
figure and attend to business engage
ments. Home and children are not
so strong elements in their lives as is
business. For these and other rea-
sons the business man needs ac-
quaintance with ennobling religion.
And by religion l mean thought on
the relations of man to the whole uni
verse, on his duty to his mind, on the
grade of character he is producing
out of his efforts, on the friendships
he is building.
Like everyone else, the business
man goes through this life only once,
and he is only half true business
man who has not made business of
living as we'll as had a business to get
his living by. If business is worth
doing at all it is worth doing we'll,
but it is not worth doing all the time,
especially if it stands in the way of a
mans higher development and pre-
vents his giving some time to art,
philosophy, history, travel, morals
and religion. Business of itself mar
rows a man. It is inadequate to ex-
press the whole man. Its tendency
is away from fine sensibilities, and
aspiring ideals. 1t makes man one
sided. For this reason it must be
tempered by religion.
Speaking awhileago with business
man, he remarked: 81 am too busy to
give much attention to religion. l
expect the minister will keep me
posted in those affairs" This is not
an exceptional case. Many think re-
ligion can be bought as law opinion
is purchased-with little thought on
their part. You can buy an opinion
in law, but if the court awards $4,000
to your opponent, you must pay. But
if religion says, to satisfy the right
eous demands of your soul, you must
give one hour day to meditation, to
good reading, and time to church
worship, you say "Thatcannot be en-
forced. 1 will leave that to my con-
venience." True, but while you may
put off the church in this way you
cannot avoid the effects in your own
soul. He who does not take this time
for personal improvement and the
refining of his nature will find his
nature growing gross, miserly, mean,
and coarse.
A business man should give atten-
ton to religious culture because it
will give point to a business itself
The average man starts in business
because he must gain living. He
selects what he thinks will be con-
genial and be profitable. After a
time he works from habit, and as
slave to material ideals. Religion
counteracts these tendencies. 1t
causes man to analyze his purposes,
to seek the tendencies, to put life
first and trade second. 1t gives a
purpose to the result of life. Some
of the richest men il this city are
poor in money. Their richness is
refinement of nature. | know en-
ployes in stores and shops, or men
in humble places, who are greater
men in the true sense than those
who employ them. They cannot
travel, yet their minds have wandered |
wide and long in the field of finest
thought and character.
1t also gives an answer to a man
who ask, "What shall l do with my
money!" 1t tells a man that his
business is not only to gather well
but to scatter we'll. 1t was the world
that made riches possible to a man;
back to the world should he send his
No man is truly success
full business man who is not real
philosopher. He will get deal of
comfort out of his study of life in ac-
ton. He will find that disaster is
not so bad as dishonor. 1t shall
keep man from STOPPING to ques-
tionable methods, and from the slay-
cry of greed. Religion is to the busi-
ness man a compass. Ii directs the
true course in life. In these days of !