The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-30
LIES A BUSINESS
SHOULD BE so CONDUCTED,
SAYS MINISTER.
The Rev. T. Arid Moffat Delivers Year
E)id Sermon to Large Congregation
at First Congregational.

The Rev. r.. Arid Moffat, pastor of the
"end-of-the-year'' sermon last night. His
subject was "Life's Inventory He urged
that one should take stock at the end of
the year and learn whether there has been
a loss or gain. He said in part:
Life Is a business and the va
rious faculties are the different depart
ments Of the one grand concern, all in
tended to contribute to the enrichment OF
the personality. There should be a recog-
milton Of the value of the invested capital,
and an intelligent alertness and diligence
in making a profitable turnover. The re-
turns should be adequate to the original
endowments. Character should be grow
ing constantly.
And as we are dealing with hard facts,
we should be 81 re as to where we are and
not rely on mere %haphazard guesses. We
should take stock at the end of the year
and learn with some degree Of certainty
whether we ave lost or gained. To go
on blindly without such ~accountings is to
invite bankruptcy. Aid yet, while we see
the ACCESSIBILITY of doing so in our business,
how few Of US apply the same check IN
life itself. In view OF that coming day of
NAL accounting, 1t becomes each Of us, as
sane men. to face the present situation,
and possibly save ourselves from fearful
personal insolvency. For every man shall
give an account of himself unto Cod
ITO the original endowment OF potential
personality there have been bought up,
wisely or unwisely, certain emotions and
thoughts. These again nave been placed
upon the market of human need and sold
as service. Have we lost or gained In the
transaction? Is the original personality
richer, the character nobler than 1t was to
begin with? If not, we've failed.
Calmly, then, let us figure up the net
results of the years business; let us find
out for sure just what the movement of
experience has done for us. Is that d.
vinely endowed self Of yours worth more
to the original Divine Investor than ever
before, and is 1t yielding richer returns
to the active agent of the concern, your
selfg
There are certain clearly billed la
bilities which you must face. How do
you stand with regard to them? Have
you assets to meet them? For instance,
Sin will send her collector, Temptation, to
dog your steps relentlessly; have you
wherewith to meet It? Sorrow will send
her bills with fateful regularity; are you
ready for them? The heavy tasks of toll
will make constant emand on you; have
you serenity Of temper enough to liquidate
them? And then, just at the most mop
perfume moment Death will lay his rob-
Der hand upon your valhables; viii they
be secure against him? Honestly, are you
solvent and well protected? a stock,
face the facts, and govern yourself ac-
cordinglyl What can a man face to face
with personal bankruptcy do? Blessed be
God. though the black list of debts be
overwhelming. the blood-red gifts of Jesus
Christ will balance all our shortage, and
will put US on our feet again for better
things in the future. Now strike your
BALANCED What's the report! What is
your actual condition at this, the close of
the year A. D. 1907? Loss? Failure?
How much?
The experiences OF the year have led you
to lose your faith In your fellow men? And
because Of the actions Of Others you've
been led to act so that you have actually
lost your own self-respect? And becauSe
of this you've lost all hope for the world,
| and have become a pessimist? And. TOO,
you've lost AZ trust in God2 You've lost
your grip on things In general, and, as
for joy-your cash drawer is empty? It's
a sorry plight for a man to be in. But
it's lust as well for a man to know it,sif
it is so. Surely there was something wrong
in your running Of your Affairs. You
should have come out at the years end
in better shape than that.
However, Christ stands ready TO
make up to you ali you have lost, ami
If you. win let Him, will start you out
anew. Blu maybe your inventory was
faulty. Maybe the year has been more
profitable than you figured. You made
mistakes? But in the turnover you gained
experience, aud sSiely there's profit there!
From your faults perhaps you've learned
humility. From your disappolntments IN
others, caution and the need for ohser-
walton md discrimination. Your own
weakness, too, may have taught YOU to be
| charitable to others in their folly. The