The Advocate and news., 1898-01-05

peutl0n Is 3 poWeTIul lucky one anu
powerful well managed. When the
years work is done and the wages have
been paid, and the rent and the interest
OH the capital paid, and the salaries
paid to the brains that run the thing,
it's a remarkable business that's got
anything over in the way Of profit. Now,
the farming business as l look at II Is
a lOng way behind all that. We don't
know much about close culture in farm
ing in America, and / don't believe
there's one farmer In five hundred that
keeps books and can tell you exactly
where he stands; and these things we've
got to learn. It's terrible easy to let
things go their own way pretty much
until the fences are falling down and
your buildings are out of repair and
your tools going TO ruin with rust and
your children are not having good ad-
vantages. You may think tAat you're
too poor to afford anything different
and that it's economy to live so. But II
amt; it's the worst kind Of waste.
You've got to make q close calculation
on every penny, but It's the only true
economy. The difference between the
economy of shabbiness and the economy
Of thrift is the difference between waste
ana saving"
The great interest which Mr. Wyckoff's
papers attracted as they appeared In
SCribner's Magazine brought him hun
dreLs of letters. His experience in the
West will be published in Scribners this
year, and 1t promises to be even more
absorbing. It will deal with more COM
plex problems than those which confront
the unskllled laborer; he goes into the
crowded cities and lives In tenements,
taking part in strikes, attending meet
ings of anarchists and nearly starving
as one of the unemployed in Chicago
Another book on social questions
which attacks them from a very differ
ent angle Is Rev. Charles M. Sheldon's
I'm His Steps," already in It's twenty
first Thousand. Mr.. SheldOn's work as
pastor Of the Central Congregational
church of Topeka has been governed
wholly by his application thereto Of the
question, what would Jesus do?" and
this query is the subtitle Of his book.
1t Is, therefore, hardly necessary to add
that Mr., Sheldon is a Christian socialist,
tnat ig, a firm believer in practical or
applied Christianity. He has been sue
cessful in making his church power for
good in it's community, especially among
the poorer colored class who form
settlement within few blocks from the
church door.
Mr.. Sheldon tried a local adaptation
of Mr.. WyckOffs experiment in reality"
in tAe same year that the Princeton
graduate was tramping through the
East. Actuated by a sincere impulse
to ascertain the difficulties which beset
a man looking for work he put on an
old suit of clothes and went down In the
Santa Fe shops and yards and through
the districts where employment might
be found. The attempt was a failure In
80 far as the Job alone was concerned,
but L. was characteristic Of the man.
His sympathy for the workers Is very
much in evidence in all his books.
I'm His Steps" Is an attempt to pOr-
tray what would happen II a large
number of the members Of q Christian
church should pledge themselves to do
noUhing for a year without first ask
ing the question, What would Jesus
do?" ard following Christ in that line
regardless of results. Henry Raymond,
the pastor of a leading church In
large city, is led to make this request to
his congregation, and through peculiar
circumstance it meets with a consider
able response. The situations that arise
are numerous. The editor Of an influ-
ential newspaper, successful business
man, a superintendent Of railroad shops,
and many others are influenced to make
their Christianity practical part OF
their life for year at least. OF course
they meet with great difficulties. Milton
Wright, the business man, draws up the
following set or rules, which he believes
Christ would apply to the business OF a
great merchant:
l. He would engage in business for
the purpose of gIorifying God, and not