Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-01-30
{ +" COMMERCIALESN !"
A Brilliant Sunday Talk By Rev. Dr..
Reese r. Alison.
Jesus Christ Is the Measure OF the Sla:ure OF
the Perfect Man.

heard lately from a brilliant speaker
an address on "CommeTcialism. To the
surprise oi al, 1t was a panegyric rather
than a diatribe His argument was that
commercial, that .. business activity, the
industrial epoch in which we live and
Nhose push we feel. engenders certain use.
htfssnd even moral qualities such THRIFT.
underNfhx al accumuistions OF capital! !:
truth telling which is essential to success
tul trading; >pst. without which the vast
credit system the day could not exist !:
the sense of 9onsib,lity shown in the
place holders. = whom breaches OF
trust. defaults and the like are compare.
lively rare. the percentage al the honest
being surprisingly high. At the same time
our Civil War and the Boer War have
shown tina: the commercial spirit did not
cxtlncu,sh heroism and liberality. Wit
ness the gi!ts OF rich men 10 education and
charities
Now that is A. true. and yet there is a
bad flavor about the word cOmmercialism.
1t has another cannotatior. i it not a
matter of emphasis: Jesus says. Seek We
first the kingdom OF God. He SAYS again.
. What will a man give IN exchange Tor his
lie: What are men exchanging their lie.
with all its possibilities of symmetrical de-
vclopment. for: What are they seeking
first: is il not too largely material sue
cess: ST Paul says: Having food aad
to-day scorns ssch moderation. \ modest
competence is nowadays nothing accounted
ol. To make living Is not enough: To
achieve comfort for SELF and family i a
sc.ail thing: men ann and toll and strugg e
Tar more dazzling prizes a success that
makes 4 noise and Is talked uf; that glit
tiers and dazz.es the eye.
This - commercia.ism as | understand
II; The measuring of success by the stand
ard cf the market place the sinking Of
othCs aims in the eager rush after gam
There are high things possible Tor man
Culture OF body. mind. growth IN moral
and spiritual attainments. expansion IN
fscn,ty and usefulness There are magnifi
cent careers open 10 him in science. in art
IN literature, in philanthropic service.
Over against all these stands the spirit o:
the age AID cries follow me. The ideal =
man who turns everything to gold that lie
touches: 4 man who gets and holds and
then goes ON TO get more and hold more.
Two conversations late.r overheart! illus.
trate the point. DIR. Bains.ord. OF Il.
Georges Church. walking down New
York avenue, overheard she talk OF three
or four university men before him. Look
ing upon the cleaning eq,1pages ahd splen
did dresses fitting by. one sand 10 another.
Il tell Won. boys. IL i money thar goes IN
tais town. Is IL nos: The belief that 1t /.
money that goes-;he feeling that ii Is
n.ney that ought To go--arc cvidences OF
an almost universal sentiment.
WIG - building that magnificent
house: SAID one 10 another. oh. that i.
to he ;Ae residence OF 50 and so. He used
TO he poor Baptist preacher. but Rocsc
teller found out that he had business abil-
ity. aud ! tell you he did not leave him
long BAPTIST preacher. lie took HIM
into the Standard OH Company aud now
see what 4 success he has achieved. There
speaks commerciaism There Is the voice
OF the ideal which has almost hypaoiizsd
our generation.
Agassiz's splendid reply to the lecture
bureau. II have no time TO make money
sounds like piece oil insanity. G0rdOn's
refusal 10 accept reward from the Chinese
Emperor for his help in the Tai Ping re-
bciiien sounds like piece of Quixoiism.
The simple lie, as lived by Thoreau IN
the woods. rs pictured by Wagner. sums
only an idyllic dream. The pursuit OF
learning Tor Earnings sake. the service OF
man With no itch for reward, the quiet.
unosisntatious sacrifice OF personal interest
Tor the good OF Others. these are repu-
dated as folly. me maddening crowds
Ignon.e strife Is what makes Itself heard.
IL draws like the song OF the siren. Like
the suction OF vast mae.slrom. i. seizes
men and draws them in. rs and by, diZ-
zied by the fierce whiri. they forget the
hich things and are content 10 be simply
money makers. Iha: j. what | understand
hy commercia.ism; the thrusting into the
front place OF mercy material success. IL
- corruption OF the spirit III which HE Is
.lvid. IL l. .cw. wrong EotI:e. Ii brings
IN and holds before the soul false stand
ard oil ,alne. 1t misconceives what is the
real success OF life. 1t snbordinates the
man 10 his possessions. 1t Is a radical cor
tnptlon OF the idea.--an absolute reversal
OF what our text says. tommerc.alism de.
clares and persuades that mans life does
consist IN the abundance oi the things
whic.l he possesses. Therefore il urges
NAN b. N-w~
iI.l ann at them. follow after them. sink
s,i> VERY life in then. Let him for them
forego. u needs be. mem a. culture. artistic
development. moral elevation. spiritual ac-
tivity and all that goes TO max. full de-
veloped manhood. Quench. il necessary.
them about yol. enthrone yourself on and
among them. Let a;Topny seize every
other faculty SO yolr faculty los getting
and getting on grows stronger.
Lei me give an illustration or two.
There u story OF a man who was So eager
TO keep sac verY precious thing that he
took u with him into a closet. set his can
die on the hoo- and then diligently nailed
last The door, only 20 find. a. his candle
hickeTed out. tina. he had smut himself in
with his treasure. Nailed and encoffined
IN M own strong box. Here j. another
1 read some time ago OF 2 young ma1. who,
upon graduation from college ioua: him
sell tue possessor % $4,000 a veal lie had
heath, strength education. position.
Choices lay open before him. lie NIGH: 20
an Tor political lie. Tor philanthropic serv.
ace. 81 college settlement work He might
become a student and a patron OF art OF
literature. He might throw himself into
the o:vlc life OF ms day. In any OF a dozen
ways he might find his life BIZ losing il in
tine service OF man and OF God Bat a.asi
he was dazzled by tho ideal OF the age
Ambitious TO tE.'n his one million into
many. to win the power or notoriety vast
wealth can bring he flung himself into a
banking house. All tine beautiful onportu-
mites tina; invited him he iorewent simply
and on.y tia; he might increase his pi!e-a
pie which was a.read- sufficiently large
Grant him all the success he coveted what
would be the end: A dwaried man. with
an immense pile heaped up around him. 4
lie practically sunk aud lost in the abuni-
ance ~ the things which he possessed
As l sand. then, a moment ago CONNER.
cla1sm = found III a wrong emphasis
Wealth rs good fairly won and nobiv used
II ! not money, but the love OF money.
that as the root OF all evil. Business i
good. commerce Is good and necessary. IN
dusirialism Is good and brings forth a
good" progeny OF virtues; zeal activity.
perseverance. c!evernesS in affairs. are all
praiseworthy. Material success j. dcsir-
able. he blessing oi the Lord IL mal.elh
ricn. es. but L. put these things first
TO rash alter them "a eagerly a. To forget
other and higher things. IN 4 word 10 sn!;
IN tneia ones life WITH its possibilities Of
growth and beauty and usefulness. that Is
~ lave caught the spirit OF the CONNER
cialisn OF he day and The age
Who can look abroad without seeing
how Inns spirit tends 10 invade and even