Untitled article | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, January 14, 1868

A MODEL MERCHANT.

“Business is business,” “a contract is a contract.” These are sound commercial maxims, but the following incident illustrates the nature of the business Christianity which obeys the inspired injunction: “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

“A merchant of New York, during the late war, made a contract with a merchant to supply him with a quantity of tin cans. Not long after this the price of tin rose so much that the contractor must lose money by completing the work at the price agreed upon. However, he said nothing, but went on delivering the cans. When the first bill for the pay of the cans was received, the employer called upon him and said:

“‘I understand you are losing money on this job.’

“‘Yes,’ replied the contractor, ‘but I can stand it; a contract is a contract, you know.’

“‘How much will you lose?’ asked the gentleman.

“‘Oh! no matter,’ was the reply; ‘I don’t complain, and you ought not to.’

“‘I insist on knowing.’

“‘Well, since you desire it, I shall lose so much a hundred,’ naming the amount.

“‘Well, sir,’ said the noble-hearted man, ‘you must not lose this—it would not be right. I shall add the amount to your bill, and, as the price of material may still rise, I will advance you the money for the whole contract, which no doubt you can now use to advantage.’

“The difference thus paid, to which the contractor had no claim, amounted to $500. That was something more than business honesty; it was Christian principle carried out in business.”