The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-25
ADDRESS TO YOUNG men
THE REV. WILLIAM w. CRILEY AT
N. VI. c. A. HALL.
He Tells N story Of III. c. Tricks WILL
ingness to Advance s5OO,OOO-
Christian Character.

Have a conscience void OF all offense to-
ward God or man." said the Rev. William
w. Criley, OF the First English Lutheran
Church. yesterday afternoon at the Y. NJ.
c. A. meeting. Whether you are able or
incapable of helping on the great move
ments of the world. be at least no hind
rance to other men who are workers in its
progress.
II never had the value OF integrity as \
purely worldly proposition so strongly pre-
sented to me in my life," he continued. las
it was a few days ago in Wooster. o. One
week ago to-day there died in Wooster
Jacob Frick. uncle OF Henry Clay Frick,
formerly business associate and partner OF
Andrew Carnegie, and one of the monu-
mental fnanciers OF the country. Jacob
Prick exerted a remarkable influence on
the life OF Clay Prick. as the great iron
master is known in Wooster, and more
than any other man was able TO influence
him in a course of action. His influence
was always for good. / doubt II there ever
lived a rich man who was more completely
the antithesis OF the accepted
type OF rich man. His death was sincerely
mourned by the poor, the widow and the
orphan. To all OF them he had been a SYM
pathetic counselor, ready at all times with
advice from the heart. He was a foremost
figure in the church as well as in business
life and stood before the community as the
standard of unostentatious honesty. But
the incident / am recalling is this. When
his death occurred his son. cashier Of the
leadlng bank In Wooster, telegraphed 10
Henry c. Prick asking him 10 lend a hand
in case there should be "A run on the bank
occasioned by the death Of its president.
his uncle. Henry c. Prick was utterly un-
acquainted with the details OF his uncle's
financial affairs. had not the slightest idea
how much money the bank had In its
vaults or what obligations IL had Incurred.
but he telegraphed on the instant: Draw
on me-, IL necessary. for half a million
His confidence In the integrity of Jacob
Frick was so thorough. so unquestioning
that he was ready TO advance NO0.O0O as a
proof Of belief in the sincerity OF the Chris
tianity OF one man. Purely from a practi-
cal business standpoint integrity pays"
The minister declared that the phrase.
Have a conscience void OF all onense to-
ward God or man. Is apparently an cx-
preston OF negative Christianity when Il Is
positive Christianity that seems TO be de-
manded by the conditions OF the world.
But the phrase expresses. he said, a course
Of life which Is very pleasing In the sight
or God and which Is sure TO lead men who
observe IL through an honorable life 20 a
peaceful end. If We have consciences void
of offense toward God or man It viii be
said or US when II comes our time 60 lay
side the cloak Of life. You may not have
done much TO become great. or much that
was noteworthy, but you at least furnished
An AliAL aAAAt " NIX mfAs
He continued: People do not always EtoD
to consider that there are several kinds Of
cOnsciences. The idea is pretty GENERAL.
when conscience Is spoken OF. that only one
kind OF mentor is meant-the kind that
prompts men TO avoid evil. on the con-
trary, men have committed some terrible
deeds at the instigation OF their con-
sciences. To-day terrible evils are being
committed because the co~nsciences Of some
men urge them on TO desperate acts. Why
Is IL the Turk s~laughters the Armenian and
considers that every time he sinks his Shin
ing sword In the quivering body OF an Ar
menian peasant he Is doing an act pleasant
I'm the sight OF GOd2 IL Is because his con-
science is at work in him and urges him TO
the heretics who will not bow
10 the word OF Allah. as expressed by the
Prophet MOhammed- In all ages SONS aw-
full atrocities have been done because %
c~onscience's sake. Why did the Spanish
lnquisition exist 10 torture and nay men
and maidens OF the Protestant faith2 Be
cause for cOnscience's sake the priests OF
the church wished 10 serve their faith as
conscience pointed out. Paul the apostle.
IN his earlier days. was a prosecutor for
c~onscience's sake. Hold fast 20 a good con-
science" he concluded. "a conscience that
Is void OF onense toward God or man.