Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-08-13
MORALITY ANASSET
Relationship Between Business
and Religion Well Set Forth
by Advertising Expert.

Tho Associated Advertising Clubs OF
America are endeavoring to establish
a closer relationship than that which
exists between business and religion.
+ To this end few of the most promi-
nent advertising men in the country
are invited when the organization
holds its annual conventions, to de-
liver sermons In which efforts are
made to show why the material affairs
that engage the attention of men may
be developed without involving sac
rifice OF spiritual growth.
Last year the clubs met In Balti.
more. where notable sermons were de-
livered by number OF well-known ad.
vertising men. This year the conven-
ton was held in Toronto. where on
Sunday a small number OF the most
prominent advertising men in America
delivered sermons. Among the gen.
tlemen who were asked to FIJI pulpits
N the Dominion city was Mr.. G. b.
Hamilton Of Grand Rapids, Mich. Mr..
Hamilton preached in the Broadway
Methodist tabernacle at Toronto
Defining his Interpretation Of spir-
ituality in business. Mr.. Hamilton
said. u certainly do not have in
mind that old conception OF the word
that implied sanctimoniousness and
the ability to cant religious phrases.
read in the Bible much larger mean
ing than that When Isuse it / mean
that kind of life which Christ exempli-
lad ,s,1t til 49, X
who differ respecting the historicity
OF miracles or other historical facts
that Is to say, the essence OF real
spiritual character is the possession
and the expression Of the Christ
spirit
For Honesty In Business.
With reference to honesty and dis
honesty In business, Mr. Hamilton
made the following interesting decla-
rations:
THE discovery that honesty really
pays in business il apparently only q
matter of yesterday. But today dis
honesty in business methods in prac-
tise is disappearing under the white
light OF publicity that has been forced
upon it, Generally speaking, notwith-
standing all the undoubted wrongs of
modern business, ethical standings
were never more earnestly urged ia
the business world, and never was
there more widespread determined
effort to bring all business into har-
mony with our highest ideals Of JUS
tice and truth.
The business man is beginning to
recognize the fact that he is more than
money-getting and money-spending
animal, as the old political economy
taught He is beginning to see his re-
lations to his fellow men, and so he is
struggling to humanize business SO
that its operation will bless, and not
curse society"
Mr.. Hamilton insists that morality
pays in dollars and cents, that high
standard OF manhood is an important
business asset and that the advance
ment of material prosperity ought to
and eventually must have benefcent
effect upon civilization and the oppor-
tunities for higher life He does not.
however, limit himself to making de-
mand upon the business man or the
employer for spiritual development
and moral growth. The workman also.
must, in Mr. Hamilton's opinion, set
for himself high standard of ethics
II he expects to be worthy Of his hire.
He must rid himself Of habits that In
terfere with his health and efficiency
and he must get a larger vision Of life
than that which is bounded by factory
walls, or he will fall by the wayside
with the man who tries to remain in
business by pursuing dishonest meth
DDS
The Real Issue.
AS man who has had widespread
experience In the advertising field, Mr..
Hamilton's views of advertising meth
DDS are worth examining.
Advertising" he says, involves the
publicity OF mans work in which his
ideals are expressed. We came to be
advertisers conceal or misrepresent
facts about the products of human toll
which disclose dishonesty or unworthy
achievement. or shall we insist that
that which is advertised be worthy of
publicity? For years the struggle has
gone on, and an increasing number are
now advocating that advertised com
modities shall be what they purport or
are represented to be. The mainte-
nance of this standard Is slowly doing
two things First, 1t is forcing greater
honesty in business, both in product
and in sale; second, it is compelling
both advertisers and their business
customers to consider the moral issues
of business, and as a result education
in morals has been strengthened by
business forces. This controversy has
widened in its scope until men are
considering as never before the whole
problem of the mora character and in
fiuence Of the printed page
Mr.. Hamilton's creed, as it applies