The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-29
RELIGION IN BUSINESS.
"eV. Ed +. Cook Holds That IL
should he Found There.

day morning Rev. Ed F. Cook continued
his sermon, begun last week. on Religion
ana Business A large congregation was
present and heard with interest his dis
cussion of the subject
'These two propositions are plain" said
Mr.. Cook. we need more business in our
religion we need more religion in our
business. Having presented the first Of
these propositions last Sunday. l now ask
your attention to a discussion of the SEE
ond' viz We need more religion in our
business.
Inc highest service We can render bust
ness is to develop more of the moral quail
lty in business methods. This is nre
emlhenty the age of business Men in
former time were engaged in few and sim
PIE occupations, but now industry mas de-
Veloped unnumbered lines of activity wifi,
all their attendant complications. Com
mereial centers have sprung up everv-
Where and business travels on at a rapid
rate.
The moral side of business is interest
ing 10 one who studies it in its influences
| upon the lives and characters, of men.
Modern commercial life is no different
from that of former days as to present
are many and multiplying
lhe first great danger to which l call
your attention is the tendency to divorce
the daily and the religious life An emf
nent preacher has said wherever God
puts man, there is he to be Gods man,
hVlng as He directs and showing that
the Christian life is not a thing to be
put on and taken off as if it were a Sun
day garment" In every occupation, in
any sphere, there is to be one method.
one requirement. one spirit-the method
requirement and spirit of the Christian re-
lgion.
Paul says in substance, Let every man
abide in the same calling wherin he was
cahed Art thou called being a servant?
Care not for it. Serve God right there For
he that is called in the Lord being a SER
want, is the Lords freeman; likewise,
also, he that is called, being free, is
Christ's servant The principle laid down
is this; that in all occupations and IN
all relations the Christian spirit is to
control. Thousands have divided their
lives. They have a secular and religious
life. Religious enough on Sunday, but
laying aside the principles and faith of
the Christian religion, when they enter
the competitions and temptations of the
week. l know of no greater hindrance to
spiritual progress in our time.
In a recent book Prof. Ely of Johns
Hopkins, himself churchman and Chris
tan, says; "Laboring men do not feel
that it is necessarily better to work for a
Christian than one who denies the obliga-
tons of Christanity-the outcome of ex-
perience has taught them that such is the
case. They do not rejoice when they
learn that railroad magnate, in whose
employ thousands of their number stand,
is regularly attending an orthodox church;
they do not anticipate in consequence the
shortening of working day, inhuman in
its length, dangerous alike to patrons and
employees; on the contrary, they greet the
news that one of their oppressors has al
lied himself with the Church with mock
ing laughter This is a sad verdict, and
while there are exceptions that relieve it,
who can wholly deny it? Alas that there
should be so much ground for complaint"
How surely it all comes from that sharp
separation of religion and daily life so
common in our time! Plenty of piety on
Sunday. but no piety no care for mems
souls during the balance of the week.
seeming spirit of reverence and devout-
ness in the sanctuary, and the grinding,
exactng spirit of the world in the shop,
store Office, This is the perversiOn of the
spirit and purpose of Christianity. 1t ut
terly kills grace in the soul. brings re-
proach upon the cross, gives lost men an
occasion for stumbling and turns many
an otherwise useful occupation into a
means of harm" To correct this evil re-
ligiou and business must go hand in hand.
1.-THE second great danger is the tempta
ton to dishonesty. There are some hon
est business men; but it is a painful fact
that in our day in business there is little
morality involved-no middle ground.
Questions of right and wrong, truth ana
falsehOod. are not considered. But the
question is, is it legitimate or criminal?'
Many a merchant will tell you that goods
cost $50 when they only cost $40. That
an article is all wool and a yard wide.
when he knows thai it is a yard wide and
50 per cent. cotton That an article is gem
ulne. when he knows, by the price ne
paid for it, that it is aduterated. 1 have
known young men to lose their jobs be-
cause too honest to lie in order to make
a sale The fearful competitions of trade
and the greed for gain tempts men to be
dishonest ! know that the basis of bust
ness is wise buying and selling for legit-
innate profit. The honest man is satisfied
with legitimate profits"
Mr.. Cook discussed with earnestness
what he called the great robbery of the
trusts" He then offered, as a correction
to the dishonest tendencies in business
methods, the Introduction of more of The
religious principle in business, more love,
more mercy, more truth.
The third danger the speaker mentioned
was that business Is 100 euSTOSSlnS.
"Such are the competitions one must
contend with in this day" he said, that
success is only possible to the man who
devotes the closest and strictest attention
TO his business. The tendency of such abb
sorbing and engrossing interest is TO con-
fine thought and aspiration within com
,nercial limits But religious interests
must be attended TO as well as business
concerns. and there is danger lest, becom-
ing wrapped up in the anXieties and actiV-
Ties of the latter. we forget the higher
and more enduring Interests of the former.
Another gigantic robber IS the great
cornoration that compels a man to work
over hours. and on Sunday, and robs him
If The pleasures Of home and loveThe only
remedy is more of the spirit of the Cos
neI which recognizes Gods claim upon
mans body, brain and time as well as his
heart. which recognizes mans duty to
himself and family, as well as to his en-
ployer." ,--.,.. - $500,
cess and the perils Of gain Mr. Cook con-
Guided his remarks with this fervent
nraver: God hasten the day when every
man's life shall be one beautiful whole,
nervaded throughout with this divine and
pIt1htaous Law, Not slothful in business,