The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1906-03-16
CHRIST|ANIzATION OF BUSINESS
Rev Mr.. Balch Delivers Strong Sermon on the
at Modern Methods of Business-The Rela-
tionship of Employer and Employe Christ
the Head Of the Great Corporation.


Christianization Of Business. - His text was
Col. 3 %, "a: And whatsoever ye do, do it
heartily as to the Lord. and not unto men; for
we serve the Lord Christ" He said in part:
Our national vice is stealing! Thus lately
spoke publicist of recognized authority Sus-
tanning that assertion were the patent facts of
frenzed finance, the insurance scandals, cor
porate greed and usurpation and all the enormi-
ties of current graft and monopoly. The evil
is not that the masses of our people are thieves,
but that they are willing to continue a system
under which theft can be at SO profitable,
prevalent and so respectable-for nation
that is Christian and republican cannot acquit
itself OF being accessory to crimes which it per.
mits and condones
In the text ST. Paul tells us the better way
hand service is. to be made heart-servce
whatsoever We do do it heartily All service
is to be made divine service; Whatsoever We
do, ye serve the Lord Christ To this end we
must observe three great live truths taught by
Jesus Of Nazareth. First, Life is greater than
things; second, service is the greatness Of life
third business is service.
L. Life is greater than things. Is not the
life more than meat, and the body than raj
ment9 That saying challenges us to reverse
many of our current customs and ideals.
First. The prevailing relationships Of So
ciety. Why do we most often associate to-
gethero Why did you this week most often
seek out other men and enter into transactions
with them9 Was it because you loved their So
ciety, or longed to do them good, remember
ed that Jesus had said, 'Inasmuch as We did it
unto the leafs of these, ye did it unto me?'
Sometimes, but more>often it was because you
sought to make advantageous bargains with
them: to make money by competing or co-ope-
rating with them; interested in chiefly be-
. cause they represent money. The result is that
we too often love money more than humanity,
gain more than God.
Second, Our ideals of national greatness
must be corrected by the truth that life is more
than things. Few experiences are more dis
heartening than our familiar boasts of the vast
ness OF things American. We not really
great until learn that our nations great
ness is not in areas nor acres, revenues nor
sources: not in the dust of the ground nor
things that grow out of it, but only in the
hood that comes down from God and returns to
Him again, and in the moral worth of his
tory.
Third, Our ideals of success must be
rected by the same principle. In common
speech successful man means man who has
acquired wealth rather than who has
quired character. Thus we cheat ourselves, for
wealth has no value except in proportion to
character that is able to and enjoy it. He
who loses his soul loses the world also
Fourth, Our conception of human labor
must be rectifed by the principle that life is
more than things. The assumption has been
that labor is commodity to be bought
and sold at competitive prices Against that
falsehood I would set these three ringing state
: ments:
Labor is not commodity. 1t is not a
thing. 1t is phase of life!
And so to buy another s time, strength and
skill is to buy part of his very being, and the
consequent relation OF employer and employe
must either partake of the shame of slavery or
the beauty of brotherhood.
iS he 0f TJo hat
would be greatest among you, let him be your
servant And service to God and your brother
men is more than the amiablc incident of Sab.
bath days or leisure hours. Service is the privi-
lege of all days and all hours Life is so organ
lied that the who loves and worships can
all his time, directly indirectly, for the
benefit Of others. Even when good man works
for himself he thereby prepares himself in body
mind, other means, to be more efficient
want of others. When he profits by bargain
he is careful that the other party profits also
And any who gains without serving
whether by vulgar stealth or fraud or by ap-
plauded speculation dignifed monopoly,
that is thief,-John d. Rockefeller as
truly Pat Grove. And the vile vagabond
who tramps the highways in ragged shoes is no
more tramp than the idle son of wealth whose
only business is to spin over the same highways
in costly automobile. Understand, it is not
riches, it is not recreation, that is wrong; it is
any acquisition not merited by service it is
amy idleness not necessitated by foregoing ex-
erton for the common good. For someone pays
for these,-if not the who enjoys them then
one who has earned them and enjoys them not.
Ill Business is service. The world says,
business is business. Christ says, Business is
service Let what this may mean. First,
it, means that it is blessed to give than to
receive. The business problem for the Chris
tian becomes, not how can get the most, but
how can 1 give the most In the mind Of Christ
lahe thinks such thoughts these: | am a car
I penter as Jesus was: what happiness [ have in