Editorial February 12, 1903 Issue

"The things that be Caesar's"

M.

Some of the practitioners whose cards appear in the Journal complain that they frequently receive letters and circulars soliciting them to purchase merchandise, subscribe for the stock of newly organized corporations, embark in real estate speculations, and in various ways engage in business enterprises of which they have no information other than that the authors of the letters and circulars claim to be Christian Scientists.

It is not our purpose, nor do we understand it to be within our province, to inquire into the merits of these enterprises and pass upon the status of those engaged in them, although we are sometimes solicited to do so, but we think we may be permitted to state that practitioners do not insert their cards in the Journal in order to receive these business propositions, and if we may judge of the feelings of all by the letters received from a number, the communications are not acceptable to them.

If we may offer a word of advice to our friends who send out these letters and circulars, it is that every business proposition should stand upon its own merits, and that the promoters of an enterprise are liable to be honestly mistaken in supposing that it is one to be certainly successful and extremely profitable. In case of failure we feel sure that they would be considerably chagrined by the recollection that in urging others to invest their money because they are Christian Scientists, they had made use of an argument which placed the transaction upon the plane of sentiment instead of deliberate business judgment. There is a radical difference between the taking of our religion into our business and the taking of our business into our religion, and if we abstain from doing the latter we shall not be subject to the criticism that we are making merchandise of that which is most sacred.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Editorial
Circumstances
February 12, 1903
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit