The Colorado statesman., 1922-04-15
(By William II. Peck, Pastor ST. James
A. M. E. Church, ST. Louis, MOI
.HEY are -in flesh. blood and bone

THEY are in flesh, blood and bone
related. AS has been the case
Il with brothers in flesh under all
conditions, they have each gone
their own way; while there has been
no emphatic denial of close relation
ship upon either's part, yet because of
their pronounced individuality, there
has been Independent action and the
taking of paths that led them far from
each other in their wanderingS. They
are absolutely dependent upon each
other: this truth has come home to
both with peculiar force as Il result of
their experiences so forcibly that both
have with shame vowed to the other
that never again" would they think of
leaving each other; but they are chill
gren of weakness and fail to often to
keep their word. Religion, the older
of the two, has found out that there is
no success for her without using busi-
ness methods. Business, the younger,
has found out that disaster awaits her
without religious principles governing
her activities. In proportion as relig
ion has employed business methods to
assist her in her great mission, she has
met with unbounded success. We all
acknowledge that religion today is an
enormous business. We are trying to
make her more so take for instance
the attempt upon the part of denomi-
nations to combine and do away with
wasteful duplication that is to be
found everywhere: this we at once rec
ognize as a modern business method;
the only reason that greater degree
of success is not obtained is that re-
ligion refuses to surrender her entire
personality to her younger sister, bus
mess; while we are hopeful that her
pride will not drive her to continued
foolishness, we must admit that there
is great charm in her peculiar indie
pendence. Religion has of recent years
adopted that wise business method
known as ''the cost sheet" She no
longer blindly rushes into an under
taking without calling on business to
see what are the requirements for the
undertaking: in other words, she is
constantly taking an inventory of avail
able resources before engaging in any
great undertaking. Business is knock
ing at the door of religion, asking her
to please give her faith; this hour of
industrial depression is caused because
business has spurned the companion
ship of her older sister, religion bust
ness has lost faith largely in God and
in man. a case in point: religion has
long since cried aloud, "rhou shalt not
kill - business has refused TO hear her,
and has replied, "Your words are
dreamy and impractical :" but now
business stands shackled before the
court of world opinion and sees the
poor folly in employing millions in
ornaments to destroy and not to build;
business is now trying hard to get
from her older sister, religion, enough
of faith, to ''beat her swords into plow-
shares and her spears into pruning
hooks, so that n nation shall not lift
sword against nation, and that they
study war no more" 1t is like her to
say (f she succeeds) that it was bus
will never succeed unless her older
sister, religion, lends her great de-
gree of faith. Business is finding out
that there is no success for her unless
there is more employment of religions
brotherly love in the conduct of her
enterprises: the rising tide of restless
ness that too frequently expresses it
self in the wasteful and destructive
method of industrial revolution, is
something that business can only avoid
by adopting from the home of religion
the child of brotherly love. The ad-
of this contention; what is therefore
our conclusion? only that peace and
progress can come to this sorely-tried