For Love or Gold? The Story of a Great Department Store — page 77: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Mr. Forbes Talks on Religion. —_ 73 - the love of Christ for man; in your dealings with men and women you can realize His interest in humanity, and through your wealth you have the power to reap a harvest — i of good, yet how have you improved these opportunities?” Mr. Forbes looked surprised, as well he might. They - were the first words of a personal application of belief that | his ears had listened to since he could remember. “But religion has no part in worldly affairs,” he said _ sullenly. ‘To be born for heaven is to be lost for earth ; surely we should take each condition in the order that it comes—wealth, position first; prayer and praise hereafter: earth for the body and heaven for the soul; goods and chattels now, faith our stock in trade for the future. This is practical, is it not? This is good, sound reasoning. _ You are a minister of the Gospel, yet you can't deny it!” “T can and do!” cried the minister bravely. “A belief that does not shape the life of the believer is not religion! Faith that does not light the path of the present is not the . inspiration of Heaven! The Spirit of Christ is an ever- present reagent, neutralizing every rancor of human strife and blending all grief into harmonious concord. Every human act should be weighed in the balance of a man’s belief. If he sacrifice divine faith to worldly ambition, he is in need of the chastening rod, and God will surely pun- ish him!” “You do not preach that from your pulpit, Dr. Villard,’ 3 he said slowly, “‘and there is hardly aman in your congre- gation who does not need it.” Dr. Villard’s thin face turned to a sickly pallor. It was’ a just retribution. He accepted it meekly. “We ministers are but human,” he began, softly. There was a rap on the door. It came as a welcome — interruption. When Mr. Forbes opened the door he saw his assistant, Mr. Watkins. The young man’s face was the color of a _ corpse, and his hollow eyes were red from weeping. _ “TI must see you, if only for a minute, sir,” he said hastily, then as he caught sight of the visitor a flush spread over his features. True to cis nature, Duncan Forbes scowled heavily for ae Ce Eomicbooks:co