The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-11-29

gong or lnternat10nal afIalfS WnlcT
 compels following. And when ethica
 considerations come to have place ir the courts of the nations, it will be
 much easier to win for them a place ir the hearts of the people.
 , In another phase of life the quality
 of moral frankness or ethical openness
 appears increasingly, and with an ad- vantage to the community perhaps
 even greater than those already point
 ed out. It is in the business world. It
 Is here where the cross-fire of chiticisnl
 is sharpest It is here, by reason of the
 vast extent and variety of production
 and distribution, and by reason of the
 numbers individually concerned in it,
 that moral principles find their widest
 field of application. It is here where the violations of them are most readily
 noted, because of the self-interest in-
 volved. By the interaction of these forces important ethical gains have
 been made, though there are many
 more yet needing to be made. In all
 the regular lines of business there have
 been forged out certain standards of
 common honesty and of mutual conti-
 dence and courtesy, which did not for
 merly exist. There are distinctions of
 regular and irregular which have to be
 reckoned with in such way that only
 those who conform to recognized
 standards are regarded as in the trade,
 while others are onutlawed. Reputa-
 ble concerns do not think of sending
 out goods which are not as represented.
 The short weight or count is the mark
 either of the amateur or the pirate in
 business, and indicates a full stop to
 all further communication. Men in the
 same line of business, instead Of being
 irreconcilable enemies as formerly, are
 wont to enjoy each others fellowship
 around the festive board, and to eX-
 change points of information for their
 mutual good in decently fraternal
 way They help one another in emer- gencies and trust one another as far as they are worthy to be trusted They beat each other in business If they can
 but it is done more above board and in the open, and by those means which are recognized as legitimate; for to stamp man as using methods which are irregular and illegitimate. as walk ing in craftiness and not renouncing the hidden things of shame, is getting to be equivalent to shutting him out Of his business. Do not demur that in these respects men are doing right from selfish motives; Is it not a good gain for the Kingdom of God if they do right? It is surely easier to correct the motive if the deed Is right. than If the
 hAt D Neither let us stumble at the fact that all business men do not always com mend themselves to every mans con- science in the sight of God by telling the truth, for they average at least as well as the world at large. and we are not claiming that this year Is a millennlal age.
 Modern forms of business represented by the semi-public corporation and the trust are chiefly subject to criticism at this point of frankness and ethical openness. But a just and rising pressure of demand for such openness of acting and accounting is the best guarantee for future safety to the con- munity from these quarters, and is a good testimonial to our rising moral sense.
 That peculiar type of business known by the misnomer of politics also falls under the same criticism. It could hardly be better described than in the words of the text, if we say espoused the hidden things of shame, instead of renounced them. It cannot live in the light. The sunlight of publicity is it's pf tIf- ragged public conscience, for which we are to-day giving thanks, has this year the severest rebuke which this business has ever received. It Is one more indication that the moral life of the community is finding health and safety in the open, and that 1t has some points of agreement with the gospel of Christ.
 In at least one other realm we may note some encouraging points in the Science and scholarship are slowly becoming the possession of the whole people. The scholar Is no longer magician or the trustee of a horde of mysteries to be guarded from the public gaze. On the contrary, his highest ambition is to make his knowl- edge as widely known as possible men guide their action by what they know rather than by the su- oerstitions of their patients of their clients. and are ready enough to give reason for the faith that Is in them. | The Apostle in this text alludes to one l specific instance under this head in the l words mot handling the word of God | leceitfully" The professional student | If the Bible may fairly be supposed to 1 snow more about the Bible than the | people who do not study it. or who only | cad it in a casual way, notwlthstand | ng the current comment which might | cad one to think that the more we | judy it the less we know about it. If | ve know the Bible differently from hose whom we teach, but still teach it lot according to our knowledge but ac- ording to theirs, does not that come ,retty near to handling the word of God | leceitfuly? The point to be made in his connection is that there is growing apidly less of this deception. Not in he pulpit and the church school merely ut in the public prints of this coun- ", in every library and in every book tore, there may be found the most full nd frank statements of the best knowl- dge, as we'll as the worst, together W tn | uch reasons as there are to support ach. There they are in the open arena aying to each other. "Defend yourself" t is a glorious contest.
 We are sorry for the faith that can