BARGAIN DRIVING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 148, 25 June 1898, Page 4 (Supplement)

BARGAIN DRIVING.

By CANON" ERSICINE CLARKE, M.A., Yi'_ar of liutttraca, anil chapi-un in Ordinary to the wuccn.

•"It is ni-ÜBhl—lt is nat-K-j., salth tho buyer, but wueu lie is gone uw way mci. lie boast, th. '—rroveroa xx., ... I think wc may hold clearly in our ov.-n mind tne right ot every n.a.i .;»%•.•._ dnu; or trouble or capital lor ihe supply of his neighbour':. net-US to have a liv.ns proIH out of ms labour or his capiiai, c<o ho manufacturer, wnok-saie dea_e., or Btu-pitbcpcr. Vhe market price of any ar.tolt) commonly Ilxes itself, wit.*, duo • regard to all these. He content to pay I that market price—he suspicious ot any j article o/lcrc-U to you beiow L. Above j ali, do not use any devices or deceits to set it t>«lo-,\ that price-. Oi course, ns L hwc said, there may be circumstances which may enable unc pj.ii, w-'itn aue refwcl to the living profit, to 0f...-" any article for le.s money than another— special experience, skill'in :;;-iect;on, access to markets, capital to huy tersely and at the right timc-ard wh«i you :;-x; such openings you may avail ;o«i..c-li <.*: them without injustice. Bui this i. totally different from hasglins with a tradesman who has not nad snch a I chunco to let you have his yoods for less than he aaks. In so doing you, in | fact, accuse him of dishonesty in put- i ting on a price beyond that lair living prollt which is his due. 1 allow that living in a time when bargaining and cheapening stems to be] counted a virtue we may thus pay mora ; than others—the trader may haA-e put I on an extra prollt. to leave a margin for tho badgering of tho bargain drivers. But, surely, it would be better to pay .i little too much a hundred times over rather than never enter a shop without suspecting that the person across tne counter Is bent on defrauding us. The bargain driver, in fact, changes the relation of shopkeeper and customer—which should be one of exchange foil mutual convenience—into a struggle which can hold out most (irmly against the pressure of the other; which can most craftily elective tho other. If anyone, after such r. day's shopping wore to think over all they had said they avoul'O find that they liatJ often violated the dictates of truth, candour, charity. Possibly some may .-.<. thinking that religion has nothing to do with such questions—that this is nc-t teaching the Gospel. To my mind such cpiestions are of the very essence o" religion.. A religion which does nottouch our every-day life, our money matter:., our actions nnd influence in and oi_ Society around us is a religion which is me-'-dy on the surface. 'Religion is nothing else than the God-like spirit in which the Avorld's work should be done.-' Therefore if it be that much of your thought has to be given to the honourable business of buying and felling—: seeking gain—let mo urge you to do this ! business religiously. Let ihe golden prin- . , cip.les which Jesus—our great patter"— left from Mis lips in His Ilfe-lcl theSi.lt. forgetting love, of the brethren, which He taught by word and deed be as the groundwork of your character that no greed of gain, no craving for cheapness, may lead you in any aviso to Injure your neighbours or to alii against God. Archbishop Benson used Lo say that Nothing is secular but what, is sinful.' It. is the undue severance of things secular from things sacred which makes so much of men's religion unreal, so much ol their business unrighteous—i.e., car- ' lied on without thought of what is right I from man to man. ! This false view of that wherein true 'religion consists is often seen In refer-' once to the. highest act of our worship the central manifestation of our faith in the Incarnation of Christ, it is not an uncommon reason which men give lor not coming to the Holy Communion that they are too engrossed in the work and business of common life, A man says or thinks, 'I intend to draw near to that Holy Sacrament aft soon as T am done with this world'n struggle,' That l-_ as so soon uh sickness, feebleness old age,, enable him to give himself! to that lite of contemplation Avhich, in his mind alone deserves the name of religionarid • compasses the saving- op (he soul He forgets that an all wise God has arranged the- manifold and various cails to active effort which surround ps, and

that it is by the right use of these that we are nrepared for eternal life. And how can we use them aright, unless ..all along the common road of life we look up to Him who is our guide. ■ our protector, and unless we avail ourselves of the stores of spiritual provision which He has laid up to refresh and strengthen us on our way? The momentous question to be asked about each of us, when we go hence, is not 'How did he die?' but • 'Hoav did he live?' It is not 'What was he in the church, in 'the secret chamber?' but 'What was he in town, in his. business, In the market, in the shop?1' For it is by the way in which we meet the duties of common life that we prepare our characters^ for weal or woe in the Land of the Hereafter.