Missionaries or Pirates?
By Editor
A COMMITTEE authorized by the legislature of the State of New York has been conducting an investigation into the methods employed by the officials of three of the leading life insurance companies of New York City. The disclosures have greatly shocked the moral sense of the whole country. The highest officials of these companies have unblushingly admitted such evasions of the laws, such manipulations of the funds for their own profit, such use of the policy-holders’ money for political purposes, and such raids upon their treasury in the form of extravagantly liberal salaries, as will doubtless furnish a basis for criminal prosecution. But in the face of all this, one of the witnesses, whose salary is one hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year, declared it to be his belief that a life insurance company was of the nature of a philanthropic or missionary enterprise, and that it was his duty to extend insurance even at the expense of the policy-holders. That a man who has proved false to the trust reposed in him, and who really confesses that he has treated those who have done business with him as a highway robber treats his victim, should try to shield himself under such a pious subterfuge has raised a perfect storm of protest throughout the country. Publications which have the reputation of being conservative are speaking with startling plainness of the terrible condition of things recently revealed, and the utter collapse of moral character. Conspicuous among these is the Outlook (New York), which prints an editorial on this subject under the significant title, “Hoist the Black Flag.” From this editorial we quote the following paragraphs:— Recent disclosures of low moral standards, cheap deceits, and callous indifference to the rights of others on the part of men of financial and business prominence have sorely hurt those who4long for a decent world to live in; . . . The shame of the United States Senate, with several members who have been under indictment or known to be unscrupulous corruptionists; of department officers of high station selling information as if it were produce; of men entrusted with vast funds for purposes which ought to make their custody a sacred charge, greedily using the money of other people for their own benefit,—these things are ominous and menacing in the last degree. . . . The time has come for frankness with ourselves and the world; if we can not be decent, let us at least be truthful. Let us purge ourselves of dishonesty and hypocrisy, and be what we pretend to be; or let us preach squarely the doctrine of greed and success without scruples, and keep on doing what we are now doing. Let United States Senators stop talking about national ideals, or let them cease to disgrace the country by corrupting legislatures, dividing profits with land syndicates, and accepting from corporations salaries which they have not earned; it is time for them to make their choice; the country is in no mood to stand further hypocrisy. It demands that the thieves take their hands off the sacred things of the nation; let them ply their trade if they must, but let them forbear to touch with polluted speech the ideals, the aspirations, and the hopes of the nation; they have done their best to destroy these things. And it is high time for the officers of some life insurance companies to cease talking about the duty of providing for one’s family, the solemn obligation of a man to think of the welfare of his children after he is gone, the beauty of present self-denial for the sake of the dear ones dependent on one’s exertions. If the gentlemen whose dealings with the vast funds committed to their care have recently come to the light have any sense of honor, they will put an end to the sham philanthropy which they have preached for business purposes, and make their appeals for patronage with manly frankness. If they can not be honest, let them at least drop the mask of honor, and deal squarely with the public. Let them make an end to all the sentimental nonsense about widows and orphans, and say bluntly: “We want your money; pay us the largest possible premiums, and we will give you the smallest possible returns.” . . . It is high time for plain dealing; the country is weary of scandals in high places; of men of reputation who are suddenly discovered to be without character; of moral sham and humbug among the eminently respectable. There are too many pious schemers; far too many well-behaved self-seekers. If we can not be honest, we can at least stop pretending to be what we are not. Let us hoist the black flag, and stop sailing as a missionary ship. This editorial was made the leading feature of the issue, and attention was directed to it by printing on the front of the cover and in large letters an announcement of it under the sensational heading, “Shall We Hoist the Black Flag?” Sober, conservative men, who would disavow any sympathy with this advent movement, are compelled to recognize the seriousness of the situation which is being discovered to them. Those who in past years may have jeered at what seemed to them to be the fanatical and pessimistic interpretation of the prophecies made by Adventists are being brought face to face with a condition of things which answers to the specifications of those prophecies as the face in a mirror answers to the man who stands before it. There is spreading abroad a kind of sickening fear which may well be regarded as the beginning of that experience described by our Saviour in the statement, “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” The times are certainly ominous. What does all this mean to us? The time is short. The end is near. There is a great work yet to be done. The warning and saving message is to be given in all lands. The significance of this peculiar intensity from beneath should be intelligently explained to all who will hear. The standard of obedience to the commandments of God must be uplifted, and the power for obedience must be ministered. Those “who long for a decent world to live in” ought to be informed concerning “a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” The missionary flag should be nailed to the mast by those who have truly embarked on the old ship Zion, and officers, crew, and passengers should be true to the flag. Let us be missionaries rather than pirates.