Christian
Fellowship
By John Angell James, 1822
CHRISTIAN
TRADESMEN
A very large number of our church members are engaged in the pursuits of
trade, manufacturing, or commerce; and from their very calling are exposed
to peculiar dangers, which must be met with proportionate vigilance.
It is highly incumbent upon them to take care against a
worldly spirit. They are in extreme peril of losing the power
of godliness from their hearts, and joining the number of those, of whom it
is said, in the expressive language of Paul, that "they mind earthly
things." Such people look upon the possession of wealth as "the one thing
needful." It is their chief object of pursuit, the chief source of
happiness. Nothing modifies or mitigates the desire for riches. They are of
the earth, earthy. Now certainly a Christian tradesman is, or ought to be,
of another spirit than this. He should be industrious, frugal, and
persevering in his attention to the concerns of this world—but still there
should be in his mind, an ultimate and supreme regard to the possession of
everlasting life. He ought not to be, slothful in business—but then he must
be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. He should be seen to unite the
diligent tradesman and sincere Christian; and to be busy
for both worlds. The men of this world should be constrained
to say of him, "This man is as attentive to business, and as diligent in it
as we are—but we can perceive in all he does, an inflexible regard to
morality, and an invariable reference to piety. We can discover no lack of
diligence or prudence—but it is perfectly evident, that his heart and
highest hope are in heaven. He is neither so elated in prosperity, nor so
depressed in adversity, as we are. He has some secret source of happiness,
of which we are not possessed; and his eye is upon some driving force, which
we do not recognize. He is a Christian as well as a tradesman."
What a testimony! Who can obtain a higher one? Who should
seek less?
There are many snares to which a Christian tradesman is
peculiarly exposed in the present mode of conducting business. The
stream of trade no longer glides along its old accustomed channel, where
established and ordinary causes impelled its motions and guided its
course—but under the violent operation of new and powerful impulses, it has
of late years veered from its course, and, with the rapidity of a torrent or
the force of an inundation, has swept away the restraint of religious
principle, and carried a deluge of dishonesty over the moral world.
It is quite time for Christian tradesmen to return, in
their mode of conducting business, to the sound principles of Christian
morality. Let them beware of excessive speculation; and where the
property with which they trade, is scarcely their own, let them err rather
on the side of caution than of enterprise. Let them beware of all
dishonorable means of propping up a sinking credit. Let them view with
abhorrence those practices which are resorted to only by rogues and
swindlers. Let them tremble and blush at a single effort to extricate
themselves from difficulty, which the world would condemn as unfair or
dishonorable. Let their motto be, "whatever things are true, whatever things
are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever
things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there be any
virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Phil. 4:7.
A Christian should be careful not to conceal, too
long, the fact of his being in a state of insolvency. A false
pride, or a foolish hope, has led many to the dishonor of their profession,
to go on floundering in difficulties, while every struggle has only carried
them farther and farther into the current of ruin, until at length their
fortune and their character have sunk together, to rise no more. I do not
say that a man ought in every case to call his creditors together the moment
that he discovers he cannot pay twenty shillings in the pound—but he
certainly ought to do it without delay, as soon as he ceases to hope that he
shall ultimately do so.
Every Christian tradesman should be very watchful
against those artifices, violations of truth, and unfair advantages, which
many resort to in the selling of their articles. It might indeed have
become the 'general practice'—but tricks of trade, if contrary to truth and
honesty, are clear and flagrant violations of godly duty. No prevalence
of 'custom' can make that right, which in itself is wrong. The standard
of a Christian's morality is the Bible; and whatever is opposed to that, he
must avoid and abhor.
A tradesman who makes a profession of religion, should
be most eminent for justice, truth, honor, and generosity--in all his
dealings. His religion should be seen in all his conduct. "I know nothing of
that man's creed," said a person of a religious tradesman with whom he
dealt, "because I never asked him what he believed—but a more honorable,
punctual, generous tradesman, I never met with in my life. I would as soon
take his word for a thousand pounds, as I would another man's bond
for a shilling. Whatever he promises he performs, and on time, also."
This is adorning the doctrine of God his Savior in all things.
It is very dishonorable, when a Christian tradesman is
actuated by a spirit of envy and jealousy towards others, and when he
employs ungenerous means to prevent their success. No one has an exclusive
monopoly, except in the case of patents. Others have as much right to live
where they like, as we have. It is their world, as well as ours; and
to employ our wealth in any case to ruin them, by underselling, is a
spirit totally incompatible with the essence of religion, and the nature of
Christian fellowship. Such an envious person deserves excommunication, not
only from the church of God—but from the society of rational creatures!
It is perfectly obvious, that the tradesman ought to
regulate his expenditure by his income. The man who lives beyond his
resources is a robber and a thief. His extravagance is supported by the
property of others; and as it is taken without their consent, it is a
felony, for which he is answerable, if not at the court of man, yet
certainly at the tribunal of God!