| The Best Things in Life |
Chapter 8 |
Page 3 |
Dr. R. F. Horton, of London, has suggested that the names of the days should be changed, since they are all called by ancient heathen names. He would have them renamed after great and good Christian men. It may not be possible to do anything of this kind, but it ought to be possible for every Christian to write the name of Christ at the head of every day. Some people seem to think that if they keep the Lord’s Day while and holy in a fashion, they may stain Monday and the other weekdays with all manner of evil. But we are learning that Monday belongs to God as truly as Sunday. The ancient commandment reads, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” The new commandment, however, reads, “Remember the weekdays, to keep them holy.”
The true Christian consecration will make all business holy. It has been said that the application of the Ten Commandments to business and to politics is only an iridescent dream, something entirely impossible. Nevertheless, there the commandments stand, given not for Sundays only, but for weekdays as well; not for the quiet life of the home alone, but just as truly for the marts of trade, for the mill, the factory, the shop, the counting room. “Do not trouble yourself too much,” said Michael Angelo to a young sculptor who was anxious about the light for the proper exhibition of his piece of statuary, “do not trouble yourself too much about the light on your statue; the light of the public square will test its value.” It would be easy in the studio to pose the marble so as to bring out its fine qualities and conceal its faults; but the statue will have to be set up on the street by and by, and there no posing, no arrangement of light and shade, will hide its defects. It is not enough that in the church on Sunday men appear good, true, honest, and devout. Our Christian profession must stand the light of the street, of the public square. WE must have our honesty tested in our business transactions, our truthfulness tried and proved in our common intercourse with men, our devoutness of manner subjected to the sneers and profanities of ungodly people.
Jesus himself gave as the rule of his life, “I do always those things that please him – my Father.” Every friend of Christ should be able to say the same things. All who bear Christ’s name should live so carefully in their business affairs that no reproach ever shall come back to the name of the church from anything any of them may do during the week, in their common work. It never should be said of nay of them, “He is an enthusiastic Christian on Sunday, but on Monday he drives sharp bargains, he takes advantage of others, he does not pay his debts, he is not honest, he oppressed the poor, he does not live a clean, pure life.” Ruskin found on a church in Venice these words engraved, “Round this temple let the merchant’s weights be true, his judgments just, his contracts without guile.” This is a good motto for all Christian men in their business affairs.
Page 3