In His Steps eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 290 pages of information about In His Steps.

In His Steps eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 290 pages of information about In His Steps.

He would engage in the, business first of all for the purpose of glorifying God, and not for the primary purpose of making money.  All money that might be made he would never regard as his own, but as trust funds to be used for the good of humanity.  His relations with all the persons in his employ would be the most loving and helpful.  He could not help thinking of all of them in the light of souls to be saved.  This thought would always be greater than his thought of making money in the business.  He would never do a single dishonest or questionable thing or try in any remotest way to get the advantage of any one else in the same business.  The principle of unselfishness and helpfulness in the business would direct all its details.  Upon this principle he would shape the entire plan of his relations to his employees, to the people who were his customers and to the general business world with which he was connected.

Henry Maxwell read this over slowly.  It reminded him of his own attempts the day before to put into a concrete form his thought of Jesus’ probable action.  He was very thoughtful as he looked up and met Wright’s eager gaze.

“Do you believe you can continue to make your business pay on these lines?”

“I do.  Intelligent unselfishness ought to be wiser than intelligent selfishness, don’t you think?  If the men who work as employees begin to feel a personal share in the profits of the business and, more than that, a personal love for themselves on the part of the firm, won’t the result be more care, less waste, more diligence, more faithfulness?”

“Yes, I think so.  A good many other business men don’t, do they?  I mean as a general thing.  How about your relations to the selfish world that is not trying to make money on Christian principles?”

“That complicates my action, of course.”

“Does your plan contemplate what is coming to be known as co-operation?”

“Yes, as far as I have gone, it does.  As I told you, I am studying out my details carefully.  I am absolutely convinced that Jesus in my place would be absolutely unselfish.  He would love all these men in His employ.  He would consider the main purpose of all the business to be a mutual helpfulness, and would conduct it all so that God’s kingdom would be evidently the first object sought.  On those general principles, as I say, I am working.  I must have time to complete the details.”

When Maxwell finally left he was profoundly impressed with the revolution that was being wrought already in the business.  As he passed out of the store he caught something of the new spirit of the place.  There was no mistaking the fact that Milton Wright’s new relations to his employees were beginning even so soon, after less than two weeks, to transform the entire business.  This was apparent in the conduct and faces of the clerks.

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Project Gutenberg
In His Steps from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.