Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-09-01

diences the majority of whom were
business men and business women. II
is not an abstraction of which l speak
but reality with which l am well &C.
quainted.
In the first place, | remark that busi-
ness life was intended as a school OF
energy. God gives US certain amount
of raw material out of which we are to
hew our character. Our faculties are
to be reset. rounded and sharpened up.
Our young folks having graduated
from school OF college need higher
education. that which the rasping and
collision of everyday life alone can eff.
feet. Energy is wrought out only In
the fire. After man has been in busi-
ness activity 10. 20, 80 years, his ener-
gy is not to be measured by weights or
plummets or ladders. There is no
height it cannot scale. and there is no
depth il cannot fathom. and there is
no obstacle II cannot thrash.
Now, my brother, why did God put
| you in that school of energy2 Was II
| uIcIcly lHdt sVU oS a taAooeANh
to measure cloth or n steelyard to
weigh four7 Was it merely that you
might be better qualified to chatter
and .higgle? No God placed you In
that school of energy that you might
be developed for Christian work. If
/ fhcs undeveloped talents in the Chris
tiar churches of today were brought
har he-
Iieve the whole earth would be con-
verted to God in twelvemonth. There
are so many deep streams that are
turning no mill wheels and that are
harnessed to no factory bands
God Demands the Best.
Now. God demands the best lamb
out Of every flock. He demands the
richest sheaf of every harvest. He de-
mands the best men of every genera
ton 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 Mon
day morning to Saturday night they
put forth for the achievement of
livelihood or the gathering Of for
tune and on Sabbath days put it forth
to the advantage of Christ's kingdom
and the bringing Of men to the Lord.
DR.. Duff visited a man who had in
herited a great fortune. The man said
to him: 81 had to be very busy for
many years of my life getting my live
lihood. After awhile this fortune came
that l toll since. There came a time
when said to myself, Shall now re-
tire from business, or shall l go on and
serve the Lord in my worldly occupa-
tion?" He said: Il resolved on the
latter, and l have been more indus
trious in commercial circles than l ever
was before, and since that hour have
never kept a farthing for myself.
have thought it to be great shame if
l couldn't toll as hard for the Lord as
| had toiled for myself, and all the
products of my factories and my COM
mercial establishments to the last
farthing have gone for the building of
Christian institutions and supporting
the church of God" Would that the
same energy put forth for the world
could be put forth for God. Would
that thousand men in these great
cities who have achieved fortune
could see it their duty now to do all
business for Christ and the allevia-
ton Of the worlds suffering!
Again, 1 remark that business life is
a school of patience. In your every
day 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,
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
meanneSses on the part of partners in
business. Annoyance after annoyance
vexation after vexation and loss after
loss.
School of Patience.
All that process will either break
you down or brighten you UP. 1t is a
school of patience. You have known
men under the process to become petI-
liant, and choleric, and angry, and pug
nacious, and cross, and sour. and
queer. and they lost their customers.
and their name became a detestation.
Other men have been frightened up
under the process. They were tough |
ened 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 stinging retort they would like 10
make, but they conquered their impa
tience. They have kind words now for
filings. They have gentle be-
havfor now for unmannerly customers. |
They are patient now with unfortunate
debtors. They have Christian reflec-
tions now for sudden reverses. Where
did they get that patience? By hear
ing minister preach concerning it on
Sabbath? Oh, no! They got it just
where you will get tiff you ever get
it at all-selling hats, discounting
notes, turning banisters, plowing corn,
timing roofs, pleading causes. Oh,