ARE YOU A BUSINESS CHRISTIAN?
This is a strange question, isn't it? It is taken these days, as a matter of fact that in business everybody has a clear field for looking out for himself, for cracking good bargains; in short, everybody is expected to look out for himself, and himself only. But right here true Christianity shines brightest. And the sweet principle Jesus left, of doing unto others as we would they should do unto us, will have in it, when exercised, reacting power for great good, coming back in good will from those about us. As an illustration how such actions work, we clip the following experience from an exchange:— “Two neighbors, A. and G., called at the home of J., when substantially the following conversation took place:— “A. ‘Mr. J., I have come to buy potatoes.’ “J. ‘All right, gentlemen; I have about ten bushels to sell. How many do you each want?’ “A. ‘I want at least that many, and have the money to pay for them.’ “J. ‘Neighbor G., how many do you want?’ “G. ‘Well, I want about ten bushels also, and was intending to ask you to wait on me for the money; but as you can get the cash, you will doubtless not wish to sell to me.’ “J. ‘I’m not so sure of that. Mr. A., you have the money; you can buy potatoes anywhere. Neighbor G. has not the cash, and so must buy where he can be trusted. I will let him have the potatoes.’ “This was the beginning. Later, J. called G.’s attention to certain tracts, books, papers, etc., inviting him to read and investigate. This he willingly did, with the happy result that he fully believed and accepted the truth. “This is no fancy sketch. G. is now dead; but he died rejoicing in the truth of God. J. still lives, and still lets his light shine. A. has passed away, but during his lifetime many times spoke in the highest terms of his neighbor who refused cash in order to sell to a needy neighbor on credit. From this simple act of Christian courtesy there has gone forth a wave of influence, the complete results of which can not be known till the time when all the acts of our lives are made manifest.”