Fundamentals of Prosperity
What They Are and
Whence They Come
NEW YORK CHICAGO
Fleming H. Revell Company
LONDON AND EDINBURGH
Copyright, 1920, by
FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY
- New York: 158 Fifth Avenue
- Chicago: 17 North Wabash Ave.
- London: 21 Paternoster Square
- Edinburgh: 75 Princes Street
Foreword
Some two thousand years ago thegreatest teacher who ever walkedthe earth advised the people ofJudea not to build their houses on thesand. What he had in mind was that theywere looking too much to the structureabove ground, and too little to the spiritualforces which must be the foundationof any structure which is to stand.Following the war we enjoyed the greatestprosperity this country has ever witnessed;—thegreatest activity, the greatestbank clearings, the greatest foreign trade,the greatest railroad gross earnings, thehighest commodity prices.
We then constructed a ten-story buildingon a foundation meant for only a twoor three story building. Hence the problemconfronting us business men is tostrengthen the foundation or else see thestructure fall. I am especially glad of theopportunity to write for business men.There are two reasons:—first, because Ifeel that the business men are largely responsiblefor having this ten-story structureon a foundation made for one of onlytwo or three stories; secondly, because Ibelieve such men alone have the vision, theimagination and the ability to strengthenthe foundation and prevent the structurefrom falling.
The fact is, we have become crazy overmaterial things. We are looking only atthe structure above ground. We are tryingto get more smoke from the chimney.We are looking at space instead of service,at profits inst