The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-17


 world her outstanding intellectual leaders.
 3. Does 1t pay Financially? Who are the leading financiers of the world today? Write down their names and watch the daily papers and see how tften such names appear on programs in church circles. You say, Yes, they happen to be church. men. but that has nothing to do with their financial successes Why not? Right living certainly encourages frugality. Frugality increases earn ing capacity.
 have before me the names of IS Of the biggest business concerns of the world. each one of which is own ed or controlled by person noted for his Christian activities.
 asked one of the leading bankers of Birmingham recently: What do you business men think of Mir. Roger w. Babson, who is playing such 8 prominent part in the church world2' His reply was: MT. Bab- son Is to the business world. about what Paul was, and Is to the theo- logical world" But he is known not only as a financial genius, but as an exponent of Christian principles. In his recent writings and public utter anees, he has given to the thinking business man new appreciation of the church. He informs us that the attitude that We as men and women assume toward the churches will a rp Iu dat irn ditions of the country. He reminds us of the fact that the periods of fi- naneial depressions of the past have been preceded by waves of spiritual indifference and turning away from the churches. Likewise that periods of prosperity have been pre- ceded by revival of interest in spiritual things. Tn other words when the leading financier of Amer ica offers to forecast the financial conditions of our country, he goes to the church and not to Wall street for his information.
 But thus far we have merely mar shalled arguments from the realm of experience and observation to show the value of the Christian religion to the life that now is.A There is more convincing evidence yet, certainly for the Christian mind. God has issued clear cut challenge to every busi- ness man who will take Him into his life plants. Turn to the third ehapter of Malachi and read the tenth verse. Copy 1t and have it framed and placA 1t in your office and resolve that you will accept heavens challenge and prove God. Here it is:
 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith. saith the Lord of hosts, if l will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing. that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
 have yet to see the first man who has accepted and met the conditions or that challenge. who had not sue ceeded. John D. Rockefeller. Sr.. took God Into his plans when he was making but four dollars per week. and gave the church forty cents of his first weeks wages. He lived to see the day when it was necessary to employ special help to keep account of the Lords tenth of his income. know six men who met Gods chal- lenge, made Him the silent partner of their businesses when making less than one thousand dollars each per year. Today these same men are rated as millionares. have never known one man to give the matter an honest test and then re- nounce l. as a had policy.
 Turn to the fourth chapter of First Timothy and read the eighth verse and observe with care the condition of profitable living.
 "Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which Is to come.
 If we are wise at all. we would live the profitable life. Certainly no man has a moral right to live otherwise. To live carelessly is to commit a crime against character, civilization and God. It Is the unacceptable duty of every man among us to see to it that his life shall be distinct com tribution to his day and generation
 Let us glance at the annals of his- tory and pick out the names of those who have won and worn the title of the great. Is not service the high est common denominator of great ness? Accumulated wealth never made a-man great. Notoriety never made man great. Jesus gave us the hallmark of greatness when He said: He that Is greatest among
 
 MT. Gladstone, the grand old man of England" whose greatness of character is sung to this day by both peasant and princess, won. such mark of distinction. not by place or prefer ment, but by service. He did no. deign 1t beneath his dignity to push aside the duties of Parliament and go into the humblest home of London to lead d lost dying soul to Christ Gen. Robert E. Lee, who is regarded In wide circles as the greatest char acter that the Anglo Saxon race ever produced, did not win such badge of honor by military achievements upon the battle field, though he was grea. in war. He regarded duty as the greatest word and service as the greatest privilege and obligation icnown to man. He spurned place position and self and accepted the presidency of small Christian col iege that he might render service to the youths of his country.
 In conclusion le. us hear the voices of reason. observation and ex- perience proclaim in unison, If you would lift humanity higher, phy- sically, Intellectually and economical ly. then champion the cause of the Christ and stand by His churches. Christianity Is the chieftest contrib utor to the ongoing of civilization Let us hear the clarion call of the great and good coming from the archives of the past: If you would be great. then you must not live for self, but to serve.''