Farther, we have been told that there are some in business who will not credit those who make a profession of godliness. They deem that profession a cloak, and they either tear it off or despise it. Now, we reckon that, to a great extent, just a display of the worldly man's hatred to the restraints and the sanctities of religion. He knows that such a profession upon /his/ lips would be hypocrisy, and he ignorantly deems it the same in others. Hence his contempt for a religious profession--his distrust of all who make it. Yet, is there no pretext afforded to that worldly man for the opinions which he holds? If those professing religion are known to imitate examples, or to adopt practices, and act upon maxims which religion repudiates --if they be as grasping as those who make no such pretensions as they do, are they not cheering on the ungodly in their unchristian career? Are they not doing all that they can to assure the worldly man that his views of religion are correct--that it is a pretence, hypocrisy, and a name? THE BELIEVER'S OBLIGATIONS. For these reasons, we return to say, that all compliance with customs founded upon what is known to be false, should be shunned in business by a man of God. All should be transparent as sunlight with him. He should never forget, that to escape detection is very different from being honest; and that the man who has committed himself to some course opposed to what is pure, or lovely, or of good report, must either trample conscience out, or endure its gnawings, as fable says Prometheus endured the vulture. There /are/ temptations, we grant, in a state of society like ours, where gold is not merely a standard of value in the market-place, but often the standard of character among men. Withal, however, I am not bound to be rich; but I /am/ bound not to bring an evil report upon the Christian name. I am not bound to remain in a certain sphere, and there draw a certain revenue; but I /am/ bound not to sin. I am not bound to retain my position at the expense of conscience; but I /am/ bound not to cheer on a covetous world to ruin by sharing its ungodliness or smiling upon its falsehood. Nay, by the grace of God, we are to hold fast our integrity. We are to say, "Get thee behind me, Satan," to the most plausible pretext for sinning; and if there be few among our merchant princes who act on such maxims--if they be uncommon in the Market-place--that is because few go to the Word of God for their standard of duty--few, with meekness and reverence to the Holy One, combine in action these three clauses: "Not slothful in business"--"Fervent in spirit"--"Serving the Lord." "One is your master, even Christ." To him we are responsible in every relation; and that responsibility is discharged only when we remember the words: "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." But we have only broken ground in regard to Christianity in the Market-place. THE STANDARD.