The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1918, Page 52

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“The United-With-Heaven Business.’’

The following is a story of a business man in
China who served his fellows, and suffered the loss
of all things. .

Yuan was an elder in a Presbyterian church and
a well-to-do merchant. Five daughters had come
into the home, but no son. This was a great grief
to the family as, according to the Chinese idea,
not to have a son to perpetuate the family name is
a calamity. But the sixth child was a son, and
great was the rejoicing» Before the birth of their

‘The Lutheran Pioneer.

War, Elder Yuan, with another Christian leader, 4

opened a new store. They adopted the name Tien
Hnoa Cheng, or “The United-with-Heaven Busi-
ness.” The idea was to make money for the Lord.
The firm adopted the following rules: ~

1. To devote to the progress of the kingdom
one-tenth of all profits.

2. Elder Yuan to devote all his share of the
profits to the progress of the kingdom.

3. Every evening to have a Gospel-service in
the store.

4. Store closed to business all the Sabbath-day.

a : : ; “A Chinese Court Scene.

son Elder Yuan and his wife had been exemplary
Christians. Now their zeal for God knew no bounds.
E At their own expense they opened Christian village-
pe schools; they subscribed towards schools in villages
. where fellow-Christians were weak. ‘They helped
worthy pupils to attend village-school, and high
yi school, and college, and theological seminary. ‘To
the poor of their church, which has adherents in
many villages, they became as ministering angels.
T remember that once, when some Christians were.
in special straits, Elder Yuan, having no ready
_money for the exigency, had one of his men wheel
off in his barrow a squealing, fat pig, sell it in the
market, and turn over the proceeds tothe needy ones.
Some months before the outbreak of the World

5. No gambling or drinking allowed in the place.

6. No servants or helpers who are not earnest
witnesses for Christ to be kept in employ.

With uncommon foresight and good fortune the
firm, shortly before the war broke out, bought up
a considerable quantity of German aniline dyes and

washing soda, both highly prized by the Chinese as ~
The rapidly mounting trade su- ”

superior goods.
premacy of the Germans in China was an amazing
fact, and the open secret of it was not only the
quality of the goods and rock-bottom prices, but the
pains taken to cater to the trade where some other
traders were insolent or indifferent or dictatorial.
And the Chinese showed their appreciation by giving
Germans their.patronage. Elder Yuan was one

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