The Citizen, 2007-07-19, Page 11By Pastor Ernest Dow,Living Water ChristianFellowship (EMC), BlythI am not a radical activist, but
lately some in my family have been
challenging my consumer habits –
including our frequenting of one
major corporate retailer in particular.
A recent documentary movie
criticizes North America’s leading
retail giant for environmental
practices, impacting communities
negatively, how it treats its
employees, including those in
foreign countries. Small
communities such as our own see
local merchants close their doors as
buyers are attracted to the big box
stores offering cut-throat pricing.
The Lord is seeking to raise the
profile on justice and what’s right.
The prophet Isaiah calls Israel to
task at a time when things were
booming economically. “Woe to you
who add house to house and join
field to field till no space is left and
you live alone in the land. The
LORD Almighty has declared in my
hearing: ‘Surely the great houses
will become desolate, the fine
mansions left without
occupants.’...Woe to those
who...deprive the poor of their rights
and withhold justice from the
oppressed of my people, making
widows their prey and robbing the
fatherless.” (Is.5:8ff; 10:1f)
Here in Canada the economy is
steaming along very nicely. StatsCan
reports Gross Domestic Product is
up 2.2 per cent over a year ago;
employment is up 1.8 per cent; the
stock market is up 19.7 per cent. The
Canadian Dollar is “at a multi-year
high” against the U.S. Dollar (about
94 cents compared to 65 cents just
five years ago). Yet pressure is
always on companies to raise their
profits; CEOs are tempted to take
advantage of flourishing markets to
line their own pockets unethically
(e.g. the Black case currently before
the courts).
Corporations move increasingly to
a less expensive contract-style of
employment which exempts them
from providing benefits to their
workers.
John Whitmore is a former
professional racing car driver who
now is a business and coaching
consultant. He writes, “Many people
believe that a major shift in the
attitude and role of business is
inevitable and in fact is already
under way, driven in large measure
by public demand. People...are
demanding that the economy be
made to serve people.
Will this come about by a series of
managed course corrections as
businesses learn to accept their
responsibility, their true meaning
and purpose? Or will they continue
their blinkered pursuit of wealth at
any price until they run into
barricades manned by ordinarypeople with higher demands andaspirations?A company with vision will not
just be keeping pace with the public
mood but will want to be ahead of it,
particularly because it realizes that it
has a responsibility to society.”
(Coaching for Performance).
This year marks the 100th
anniversary of the death of Timothy
Eaton, and the 150th year since
Eaton immigrated to St Mary’s from
Ireland to join his brother James
who’d started a store there. Michael
Clarke (in Canada: Portraits ofFaith) recounts that Eaton’s parentswere devout Presbyterians esteemedby their neighbours for their
Christian character and ready
generosity. His father named his
sons after his favourite books of the
Bible. His mother ensured her sons
were familiar with the Presbyterian
catechism through daily Bible
readings.
During Eaton’s apprenticeship at a
dry goods store, he slept under the
counter, and learned empathy for all
who worked long hours for little
reward.Eaton made a confession of faithafter hearing a Methodist ministerpreach the gospel at an open-air
meeting. His first store in Kirkton
flopped, as did his first store in
Toronto.
The 1850s depression was hard on
businesses. At one point Eaton
assured John MacDonald that his
only assets were “a wife, five
children and seven dollars.”
But Timothy Eaton persevered,
and launched a revolution in
Canadian retailing. Other merchants
offered negotiable prices; Eaton
announced his goods would be sold
at one unalterable and fair price.
Shoppers were tired of never
knowing the true price of anything
they bought.
While others extended credit to
customers, Eaton declared
everything would be sold for cash.
He advanced the slogan, “Goods
satisfactory or money refunded” -
something that further rattled
competitors.
Eaton was revered for his
inflexible integrity; he said that in
ads, “the exact truth should be told
with regard to the goods offered for
sale”. He urged his sales staff to “use
no deception in the smallest degree –
nothing you cannot defend beforeGod or man.”He remained an unwaveringMethodist who never sold tobacco,
liquor, or playing cards in his store,
and did not allow them in his home.
Eaton’s greatest initiative in 1884,
the catalogue, became invaluable to
settlers flung far across an
undeveloped country. Remembering
the long hours of his apprenticeship
in Ireland, Eaton led the country in
introducing shorter working hours,
and paid welfare and pensions
before most employers had even
heard the terms.
By the 1880s, Eaton was among
Toronto’s leading merchants. He
contributed to the building of Trinity
Methodist, as well as two other
churches. At his funeral the preacher
said Eaton endeavoured “to have the
Sermon on the Mount wrought out in
his daily life.” Another said that the
“old-fashioned fear of God and faith
in Divine Providence was deep-
rooted within him.”
May the Lord bless our country,
our companies, and our communities
with more people who live out
Christian convictions in everyday
life. He’s waiting to show His
excellence through those who do
what’s right and just.
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2007. PAGE 11. From the Minister’s StudyPastor talks of doing business with integrity
A nice vacation
Vacation Bible School in Auburn saw several stations
teaching kids how to twine rope, build toy boats, featured a
petting zoo, team games and a little bit of cooking as well.
Here, Kirk Lauchlan uses a rolling pin to get his flapjack
nice and thin and ready for the griddle. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590
B l y t h C o m m u n ity Church of God
C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS
O
N
,
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N
D
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We welcome
Living Water Christian Fellowship
to worship with us
during July and August
Sundays at 10:30 a.m.
“The Church
is not a building,
it is people
touching people
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth
Sunday 10:30 a.m. - Sunday Worship Service
7:30 p.m. - Evening Worship Service
Wednesday 7:00 p.m. - Adult Bible Study
Something for everyone!
Call the church for current Youth events
HURON CHAPEL
EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH
Auburn - 519-526-1131
PASTOR DAVE WOOD
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Office: 519-523-4224
Worship Service 11 a.m.
Sunday, July 22
All Welcome
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come
and worship with us
SUNDAY, JULY 22
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 519-887-9273
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, JULY 22
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 519-887-9831
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Please join us at Melville Presbyterian Church
for services in July at 11 am.
Church services for Brussels Ethel Pastoral Charge
will resume August 5.
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Sunday, July 22
Evangelical Missionary Church
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
NOTE:
Joint services for summer at
Church of God
308 Blyth Rd. E., Blyth
Speaker: Pastor Les Cook