The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-04
CAN AN HONEST MAN SUCCEED?
TENT or MIR. M'xErL's ADDRESS
BEFORE THE ". N. g. a.
He Thinks "Honcsty IL the Hest
Policy" Always nnd Quotes
scripture to Prove IL.

Mems Christian Association rooms yes
terday afternoon to a good sized au-
dience. Following is the text of Mr.. Nc
Ncil's lecture:
''Can young man be honest and sue
coed in business?'
know. and you know. he can in any
honorable business or calling You ask
how know this. From observation and
because Gods word gives to us some Of
the most striking examples wherein honest
young men achieved great success in this
world. All young men can not be million
aires. nor can all young men be presid ent
of these United States or governor OF some
places 10 go around.
Now. my friends. | come before you
this afternoon 10 talk to you for a short
time on this subject from Bible or
Christian standpo mt, and in dsing til s
call your attention to a passage in the
book OF Daniel, chapter l. verss S: But
Daniel purposed In his heart that he
would not defile himself with the portion
of the kings meat nor with the wine
which he drank; therefore he re Iuested
OF the prince or the eunuchs that he might
not deile himself"
At the time Daniel uttered these words
he was about IL years old--juss at the age
when boys make the beginning OF Il good
or bad life; when they stand for mo .ner.
father and God, or go OFF with tn. devil
and his crowd Why was it Daniel took
the position that he did take? Was it be-
cause he knew that refusal to obsy the
king would make him the FIRST man in the
kingom next TO the king? No, tlr 1t was
because he knew that what he purpos ID
in his heart was right; that is he was
honest with himself with his God, and
was following the teachings of his mother
Does 1t pay to be honest? Such ques-
ton as that is an insult 10 Col. Hear
something that Is said in Gods word about
being honest: First, / will give you the
shalt nots" in the Bible
Exodus Xxx, 10: "Thou shalt not steal"
Levitlcus tx. IL IL aud 49, Eye shall MT
steal. neither deal falsely. neither lie one
to another, and We shall not swear by My
name falsely; neither shalt thou profaue
the name OF God. l am the Lord: tnou
shalt not defrand thy neighbor." This is
what every Jewish child was taught from
his infancy, and Daniel had adopted this as
a part of his rule to live by. He knew il
he ate the kings meat and drank his wine
he would not be honest with himself or
God, because he knew 1t was prohibited by
the law. Therefore he requested that food
'De 'given- him that was right for Jew TO
eat. Being honest paid Daniel. did 1t not?
You may say all the quotations are from
the Old Testament and not binding on us;
we live under the Christian dispen sation.
] say yes. we do, but Christ indorsed and
commanded that we observe and keen the
ten commandments, and one of them SAYS
thou shalt not steal, Now hear what We
have In the New Testament about being
honest Eph. Nv, IS: LET his that
stole steal no more but rather let him
labor, working with his hands the thing
which is good that he may have to give
TO him that needeth.'
Romans xii. IL: Provide things hon
est in the sight of all men,
Romans xiii, IS: Let us walk honestly,
as in the day" Corinthians II, vii, Il:
providing for honest things, not only
in tho sight OF the Lord, but also In the
sight of men" So we find that God says
be honest and experience Will teach us
that honesty is the best policy" Now,
from what we have learned from Gods
word and the examples of men He gives
us herein. such as Joseph, who rose 10
the FIRST place in the land Egypt Moses,
and David, who came from shepherd to
be the greatest king the Jews ever had;
Daniel, from prisoner and slave to inc
minister of the Persian empire, and a
host of others. Who dares to say that
an honest young man can not succeed in
business? II 1t were not fact that hon
esty will bring success to any man, then
1t were best that God had never created
man at all. You have perhaps heard men
say; Every man has his price" and /
nave heard men say the same thing. If
that is so then no one in this world Ia
honest. neither is God mercful and good
Goa, should that be true, because He
created man for His glory. and If all men
VIII sell out THAT is steaD then Ii is inn
possible for all men To ne honest. Yet God
says for men not to steal and says for
all TO be honest. IT, then, every man has
MS price God made mistake. You Snow
ana ans KNOW our God makes no mistakes.
therefore TO say all men have their prioe
or VIII sell their Honesty for a price Ia
an absolute falsehood. Ii any one in this
room has given utterance to the sentiment
expressed In the words, every man has
MS price j pray you say II no more. for /
IL proclaims to the world that Won are
ior sale and you dishonor your Mike,
III The same time. Yet there is n reason
TOT the saying every man has his price,
The reason is because so many man hava /
been defaulters, and others have taken
snort cuts to wealth and position. Vel
the saying Is not true.
Gan young man who is honest succeed
% business | say yes, and Won mus,
answer yes, for Go1 in His word saws IA,
Is TO be honest and He tells us 10 he ana
10 AMY what Is best for us here ana here /
after.
Take few examples of msn In these
United States. George Washington was
honest and he was our first president ana
was called the father of his country. Abe
Lincoln. who rose from backwoods boy
TO the presidency OF the United States was
called Honest Abe" e. w. Cole who
recently died at Nashville. Tenn. came
10 Nashville poor boy and secured a
position in store. He said he was NOT /
as smart as some other boys. but he do.
clued TO do the work that was given him:
TO do IL Just as good and perfectly ms was
possible. which WAS being honest with
his work and hiS employer; and he went
up the ladder OF success until he became
president OF large railroad company ana
acquired fortune, dying noble Chris
tian man.
can not close until talk TO you about
some OF the snares the devil sets to make
young men dishonest. The devil sets the
snare OF self-lndulgence, and MANY a
young man loses his honesty. He tells
him he must dress tine or he can not stand
wen with the girls. So the Young fellow
spends moro than he makes ana somebody
mas to foot bills he makes. Ii Is either
MS employer or the man he buys his uood
Clothes from. Hear Il. young man. IL Is
not honest for you 10 spend more than
you make. The devil sets the tran nj an
petite and Says To the yo,,ng man va,