The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-31

five virgins who had oil in their lamps
ready for lighting. and the other I'VE who
did not have oil in their lamps. This teaches
US to be on the alert always. TO be pre-
pared for any emergency We should DO
thrifty and look out for cur own interests.
Perhaps il is a proof of the hold he has
on his hearers that no one looks conscious
at the mention OF oil" No doubt the idea
has not entered Mr.. Rockefeller's mind that
his father and he are in the oil business.
THE other parable about the Master who
gave each of three servants money and
went away to see what they would do with
IL, is another important lesson, says the
class leader. THE man who received FIVE
talents and earned five by good invest
ments. returning ten 10 his Master, was re-
warded by being made ruler over five cities.
The other servant, who earned two talents
with the two originally intrusted 10 him.
was made ruler over two cities But the
man who simply put his talent In napkin
and returned IL TO his Master suffered the
humiliation of having the talent taken away
from him and given TO the man who had
earned five.
Here we have the lesson that those who
earn much in this world are made the
cipients of much more. The man who has
much gets that which is taken from the
man who has less. i have tried to study
this out. / suppose il is a law of nature
Take man who sits still all his life and
does not exercise the muscles of his legs
His legs will shrivel UP and he will not be
able TO walk at all. The man who does
hustle and exercise the muscles grows
stronger.
These are plainly ideas that would nat
urally occur to a man in Mr.. Rockefeller's
position. He sees many a man losing that
which he has. The millions that have
robbed his father of health preoccupy his
mind. He thinks in terms Of profits and
success. Investment" was a word that
came to him as a natural paraphrase OF
the word ''usury'' in his King James's
Bible.
He believes in success Believes that the
religious man is in duty bound TO employ
his talents and his opportunities in the ev-
eryday mart Hear him again:
Many men to-day think that dishon-
esty is the best policy and that business
and Christianity are Numerically opposed
to each other. There are three chief
| quisites for a successful business man.
The first is honesty-absolute honesty The
II have seen many who were willing to
| do certain things and 10 work hard along
certain lines but they were not willing to
success of life you must do whatever comes
your way. 10 the best Of your ability. Was
there ever a better example of industry
4 than the founder of the Christian faith, the
| Son of Mary? Without murmur He la
bored not only all day. but in the evening
also.
Perseverance is the third salient point.
| We must not be cutters. We must keep
| our goal constantly before us. and strive
for it. If ever there was a persistent
The son of the founder Of the Standard
| OIL Company has In mind the attacks on
the trusts as he goes on:
4
| tice. As man extends his business you
| ask: rs II just for him TO do IL at the ex-
pense Of other smaller concerns?' Large
| concerns often shut out the smaller men
! who cannot compete. The smaller man
may lack the experience. the plant. the
funds and proper preparation. and cannot
| sell as cheaply as his larger competitor.
"Oftentimes cannot reconcile this
| fact. 1t seems to to be contrary TO the
Golden Rule. Let us go back and examine
| the true causes. The big businesses IN
| crease because they can. by the use OF
| advanced methods and appliances, place
their goods on the market cheaper than
| They are thus able to benefit a great
| number OF people. They are doing the
| greatest good to the greatest number. even
| though IL may be at the expense of few
| war may cost many lives. but IL is for
the good OF the country at large. The
growth of large business is merely a
| survival OF the fttest
1.-The American Beauty rose can be pro-
| duced in the splendor and fragrance which
bring cheer to the beholder only by sac
rihcing the early buds which grow up
so the growth of the great business to
the destruction Of the few is not an evil
| tendency II is merely the working out of q
| law Of nature and a law OF God.
The parable OF the talents again. applied
to the growth of the modern corporation.
| There is no real divergence between the
Christian and the business life," the speak,
| er continues. THE Christian world needs
the ability of the business man. his wis
dom and pre-eminent strength. II needs
| his financial help. Education. philanthropy
| ic and many of our great religious move
ments are the result of the spirit of our
| Christian business men.
THE business man needs Christianity, be-
| cause IL protects him against the temptation
| common in business life and gives him an
| opportunity to spend his money wisely"
These last sayings are by a man who
| has found a way TO spend money wisely
for philanthropic work. 1t Is because John
| d. Rockefeller. jr., is interested in the edu-
| cational work In the South. illustrated by
| Hampton and Tuskegee. that his father ha :
| given President w. II. Baldwin. jr.. of the
| Long Island Railroad Company the privi-
| lege of drawing on him for 81 600 900 for the
! general education fund of which Mr.. Bald
| win is chairman.