p. 8 | Christian Business Principles by James Montgomery

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 3, 1910

Christian Business Principles

By James Montgomery

JAMES MONTGOMERY

So much is being said in these days of commercial activity about business and business methods that it may not be amiss to attempt to set forth briefly some of the underlying principles of the business relation from the standpoint of Scripture.

The worldly maxim, “business is business,” is frequently quoted to justify present-day methods. Too often it is intended merely to excuse some lack of Christian forbearance in dealing with our fellow men. It may, at times, even be made to justify some shady transaction. And it is therefore apparent that the Christian business man can not make use either of questionable principles or of this expression that justifies them.

The foundation principles of true business relationship are but few and easily understood. They embrace first of all the matter of common honesty, which, I may say, is the foundation-stone of all right Christian business principles. This principle is greatly prized by all worldly business enterprises,—to the extent that it constrains employees to respect the property of the employer. Whether these same enterprising firms value honesty as an asset in their dealings with other firms, remains an open question. That such should be the case goes without question, for upon this rock of common honesty of man between man rests all safe business relations. And when once established upon this foundation, the matter of details in business affairs will quickly adjust itself. There can be no hesitancy in knowing what to do in any transaction when one is determined to be strictly honest.

What is honesty? Is it not identical with the golden rule? The admonition, “As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6: 31), is not different in intent, so far as I am able to see, from this expression of the apostle, “Provide things honest in the sight of all men.” Rom. 12: 17.

On the other hand, I would not urge that one practise honesty and upright dealing for the same reason some business men claim to use it; that is, because “honesty is the best policy,” for “a business man is not necessarily a scheming, policy man.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VII, page 248. In doing anything from policy it is not done because it is right, but because it appears better before those whom we wish to please. It is merely scheming,

as intimated by the above quotation. The demoralizing influence of such motives is seen in the business world of to-day. It is to appear honest before the customer, but it is an open secret that the claims made for both goods and prices are to be taken with considerable allowance. The extravagant claims of the average advertisement do not lead one to think that the average merchant of our day is at all particular about strict honesty in all his dealings. There can be no reason for extravagance in advertising claims unless it be to deceive the public into believing that this one or that one offers more goods at the same price, or better goods at the same price, or else the same goods at a smaller price, than his competitors. Of course this, in the main, is not true. Hence any merchant that does this is not practising true honesty nor following the principles of Christian business methods. This applies to religious institutions as well as to business concerns, perhaps in a larger sense, for certainly those who have been converted from the old ways and principles need to put into practise the new.

In a certain scripture we have the right principle set forth, as follows: “If thou sell aught unto thy neighbor, or buy of thy neighbor’s hand, ye shall not wrong one another.” Lev. 25: 14, A. R. V. After all, “business transactions” are merely the act of buying and selling. Be the deal large or small, it is either buying or selling. The exchange of money for goods or goods for money, and the trading back and forth of goods for goods, are various forms of buying and selling, and the transactions are freely covered by the text quoted. We are to do no wrong to one another whether we buy or whether we sell. It makes no difference whether it be a deal in which railroads change hands or merely the exchange of a five-cent piece for a bag of nuts, the principle involved is the same—“Ye shall not wrong one another.” This leaves no place at all for driving sharp bargains, or for taking advantage of a brother’s necessity. The opportunity comes sometimes when a man is hard pressed for money and is obliged to sell some of his possessions at a great sacrifice, but we are not to take advantage of his necessity to defraud him out of his possessions at a price below their actual value, or at least what they are worth to the buyer. “According to the number of the years of the crops he shall sell unto thee;” “thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of the years [of the crops] thou shalt diminish the price of it.” See Lev. 25: 15-17. We are not by any means to take advantage of another’s necessity. It is better that we suffer ourselves to be defrauded than that we defraud another. These principles are infinitely superior to the principles of the business world. The one is that of unselfishness, the other is that of self, pure and simple. The one is of the world, worldly; the other is from the Lord of heaven. And it is this fact that we are permitted to make known to those with whom we deal. “By his grace every provision has been made for us in all our transaction of business to demonstrate the superiority of heaven’s principles over the principles of the world.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VII, page 142. As we faithfully manifest these principles in all our business deals, great and small, we commend to the world that One whose principles we follow. “Sharp dealing, the effort to drive sharp bargains with one another, is a wrong that he will not tolerate.”—Id., Vol. VII, page 174.

“We are to be ‘not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.’ We are to be active in our work, but another element is to mingle with this energy,—a living zeal in the service of God. . . . If you carry on your business without this, you make the greatest mistake of your lives; you commit robbery toward God, while professing to serve him.”—Id., Vol. VII, page 196.

Thus we are greatly in the wrong if we do not find the true principles of all business dealing and follow them. There can be no loss in doing the right, even if Satan is busy trying to persuade many that Bible principles can not be applied to present-day transactions.

Newark, Ohio.