BUSINESS

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 1, 1900

The King's Messenger.

Does business interfere with the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts?—No, not by any means. The absence of it may; for idleness is an atmosphere in which the Holy Ghost will not reside. In this age of the Holy Spirit, work is the order of the day,—not work to gain an eternal reward,—not that by our service we can secure a higher or richer place in the hereafter,—not that by means of our labor here we lay up for ourselves a richer treasure there. But by being in business, for and with the Executive, we develop our lives, we come into a relationship with our Creator, and do what we can through his direction in making this world brighter and better for our living in it, and preparing it for the coming and residence of its owner and King.

Business is now done to make money out of it. Money is the motive. The dollar is the wheel that moves. We worship the almighty dollar. Business should not be transacted on these sordid lines. We should be in business to bless, and of course we shall be blessed. Business should be done with delight, done unto Him. The golden rule should be its guide—done for others as for ourselves, done as unto the Lord. We help ourselves best by helping others. The best way, the most pleasant and profitable way, to do business is to do it unselfishly. We, as Christians, live in every other way but Christ's way. The Christian world, in its business transactions with heathendom, brings no honor and glory to itself; rather otherwise. Rich Christians act badly toward poor Christians, and the poor as meanly to the rich and to those who are poorer. The times are sadly out of joint. There is to be great reform in business. New lines are necessary, a new departure is needed. No more eye-servers as men-pleasers, but in singleness of eye seek the good of others, and the glory of God.

Business is a blessing; blessed is the man or woman who has plenty of it. Miserable is the man or woman who is not kept busy. Idleness, inactivity, indolence, is the mud in which the spawn of evil takes birth and multiplies. “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop,” and slothfulness is sin. Get a business that pays. If you have none such, make it. Go out into new lines, under the direction of the Holy Spirit. He has a lot of untried avenues for usefulness and wealth. He is opening them up, and the best days to make a successful business are these.

A Holy Ghost business man or woman of to-day, possessed of wisdom, strength, tact, and power, the gift of the Holy Spirit, is the highest style of humanity made.