A few winters ago, Southern California experienced one of the most severe freezes in its history. Considerable damage was done to the citrus crop, which was ready for harvesting. Shortly after this severe weather, I purchased a box of delicious-looking oranges from an orchard. Upon arriving home, I was greatly disappointed to find that half of the oranges were void of juice. Not much could be done about it, for the ones without juice looked outwardly exactly the same as those that contained it. The coldness of this world can do the same to the lives of Christians. From the outside they remain the same; yet the damage is often accomplished within.
Somehow the world really expects more from a Seventh-day Adventist than it does from members of other denominations. People know that our standards are high, and also that we profess to be obedient to the perfect law of God. One of the outstanding requirements of this law is honesty in business. Surely this fine attribute should never be questioned in a Seventh-day Adventist.
I recall a story I heard when I first became a member of this church. A stranger moved into a certain community, and needed some lumber for a small building he wished to erect. He drove to the lumber yards with his sleigh, and told the dealer just what he required. He was waited upon promptly, and the lumber was loaded on the sleigh. The man explained that he had just moved into the locality, and was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist church there. Upon this statement the dealer granted him credit, and, returning to his little office, watched from his window as the man wrapped himself in his blankets preparatory to driving away. He noticed the man hastily pulling from his hip pocket what appeared to be a piece of tobacco. He was certain of this when he saw him bite from the piece and quickly return it to his pocket.
Hurrying out of his office, the lumber dealer roughly demanded that the driver unload the lumber, saying: "You have deceived me; you are not honest. I know that Seventh-day Adventists do not chew tobacco." The driver quickly unloaded his sleigh, and returned to his home without the lumber. Indeed, people know what to expect of us if we profess to be Seventh-day Adventists.
On a recent trip into the northwest, I listened to a much more encouraging experience, which came to one of our doctors not long ago. He was a new graduate expecting to settle in that section of the country. Having found his place, he went to a large medical-supply house and told the proprietor that he had to have some medical equipment in order to open his office. He explained that he was a graduate of the College of Medical Evangelists, and the owner said : "Oh, yes, I know a number of your graduates who have bought their equipment from me. I have a great deal of respect for your school, for I have yet to be disappointed in any one of its graduates not paying his bill."
Whereupon he instructed the doctor to go into the supply room and pick out what he wanted, make out the bill in his own handwriting and on his own terms, and leave the bill on his desk on his way out. I think this speaks very well for the representatives of our medical school, as there are now nearly one hundred graduates located in the northwest country. The doctor who told me the story said: "Be sure not to send anyone up this way who might be tempted to spoil this good record."
Payment of honest debt is one of the attributes which all Seventh-day Adventists need to sincerely guard. I was made sad recently to receive a letter from one of our conference presidents concerning a loan made by this conference some three years ago to a doctor who moved into that field. He wrote as follows:
"We have made loans to three more doctors this year, and it may be we shall make another. However, in this connection I wish to tell you that it is going to be rather hard to do, especially in the light of late developments regarding Doctor Blank's unpaid loan. Our committee asked me to write him regarding it, since nothing has been paid on it. This I did, but he has never answered my letter. I would not have you get the idea that I am disgusted with the making of loans. I do not believe that because one or two go foul, we should hold this against the other men. I think the policy is a good one, and this case of Doctor Blank is rather an exception to the rule. Nevertheless, Elder Woodman, you can readily see how some members of the conference committee would feel about it. Truly I am much disappointed. He could have at least recognized my letters, and told me that he was not able to pay at the time."
Since connecting with the medical college, I find that quite often students need a little more money than they have to get through their course in medicine. It is quite natural that a number of these try to secure help from doctors who have already made good and are able financially to aid them. In some instances I have heard doctors who have been quite generous with their help make this remark: "Well, I am about through making loans, because all seem very needy and earnest when the loan is secured, but several have forgotten to make good their faithful promises to return the money when promised."
I feel sure that if such delinquents only realized how much their neglect hinders the honest ones who come along after them, they would put forth a more earnest effort to faithfully pay back those from whom they have received help. Even if they are unable to pay in full, they should at least make arrangements to pay something at regular intervals. They should be as sincere and earnest in this as they were the day the loan was sought.
It is encouraging to know that but few fail to make good their word or note. We recall, however, the wise man's words: "Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor." Eccl. 10:1.
