4? ~ OUR NEW NAME SS ~~ ? ?
B. S. THOMPSON & CO.
(LETTER BELOW EXPLAINS WHY THE LORD'S NAME WAS LEFT OUT
The Prizes Are Awarded The Same As If The Lord's Name Had Been Included In The New Name
- FIRST PRIZE
A NEW JANSEN SPINNET PIANO GOES TO
Mrs. E. W. Harrison ? Whiteville, N. G.
For submitting the name nearer the name we had intended using
? intended the new name to be K
"THE LORD & THOMPSON CO."
The name submitted was The Lord - Thompson Co. There were a
.tl0d many names submitted similar to this, but the winner came the
barest to it. \\e only had to add the word "and". On all others we
could have had to make at least 2 changes in the wording.
EXCEPTS FROM LETTERS ON
why THE LORD'S NAME SHOULD APPEAR
IN THE NAME OF THE BUSINESS
WHY WE SHOULD PUT THE LORD'S NAME IN BUSINESS
For His wonderful love and Mercy to us, we need His partnership in all we do
JTinVflCnS name*'* " bUSin?8a' He de8erves to have Hia ^e
"ti the name of our God we will set up our banners (a quotation from one of
David's Fsajms 1 hro"f agr?* m*n who haye exalted the name of the Lord
aw found Him to be the greatest partner.
" I think your business partner deserves recognition.
Thert can ?? "T" that ^ "? anting to use the Lord's name
Sat is you intend to be fair and square in your dealings with your fellowman?
ierwise you would be using the Lord s name in vain.
in as much as you have taken the Lord in your business as a partner I think
His name should be incorporated in the style of the firm
" ; !:ke the name "Lord" beet because it includes the Father. Son. and Holy Ghost.
If it was not for the Lord you would not have anything. I think it is wonderful
<? vou to let the public know the Lord is a stockholder in the business
'This act on your part goes to show that you are not ashamed of Christ. If we
et ashamed of Him here. He will be ashamed of us later.
I think the Lord will be glorified by having a business which will promote His
aod works.
Putting the Lord's name in business gets it on a solid foundation.
When people pass by and see the Lord's name on your store, they will know
cthout a doubt that you have not left the Lord out of your business.
I believe in putting God first, if you are a Christion you are a son of God
It enhances the value of Christian religion by showing it is not just a Sunday
?c-to-neeting thing, with only spiritual values, but that it is a workable, every-day
justness affair.
I believe in including Him in all things even tho it is just a little thing like
?arm? a store after Him. The little things for Christ are going to count in the
?orid to come.
I can t think of a single good reason why you should not incorporate the Lord's
a? in vour business.
.411 that we are and have we have received as a trust.
In giving Him the credit?as you are doing?it is only fair that His name should
k m the business?to show people that your firm is doing something to glorify the
Lcrf and that the profits are going to be used for the Lord's work in this world.
God is forgotten all too often these davs. If His name is used in the name of
tfce business. I am sure it will make Him glad to know He was not forgotten.
To incorporate the Lord in a business is only using good business tact. There is
locthor sure wav for success.
I think the Lord's name should be used in the name of your business because
5? is a stockholder, because of the sacredness that will reach far and near to the
tee? of your manv customers who remember why your place of business was
am?i after the Lord.
It seems very fitting to include the Lord's name in some way in your new busi
m I think people should know about it.
I think you have a real spiritual value in vour plan to incorporate the Lord's
> --re in the name of your business. Whether it is a business or an individual, the
ssic fact in the enrichment of life that is truly life is stewardshin, so for vour busi
es? vou are saving-: All it is, all it has, all it can do. is a trust from the Lord, to be
sM for its highest good, for the blessing of mankind, for the glory of the Lord, and
ft: 'be advancement of His Kingdom.
I think this is one of the ereatest things that could be added to your business.
After all. the Lord ownes it all.
I think your idea a rood one I commend vou for It. Bv taking your Lord in
harness with vou. you will be serving your Lord and vour fellowman with s scven
frv.wek religion, going from your church on Sunday into your store on Monday
?ith vour Lord, to service Him all week.
Kxceot the Lord build the house, thev labor in vain that build it. So make Christ
tie l?ad of the house. First in all business and walks of life.
Take Christ as the head of wur business. He owns the world and sli that dwell
4e*'T?the silver is His. the gold is His and the cattle on a thousand hills.
Cleselv connecting the Lord with your ds?1v business in name and an actual
pnt'Tship is a wonderful method of banging Christian religion into our dailv lives.
It is a new move but go forward. Who knows hut what this will pave the way
i a greater real'7a t ion of the nearness of God to those who trust Him.
"M is the Father and you are His son, therefore I submit the name Father &
Set Store.
_ r>od being the Supreme Being and ruler of the "niverse .it is onlv fitting that
should be so honored by s firm who recoenizes H'm as its oartner.
Tou should take pride and 1ov in your business being associated with the Lord's
' *
I think It is a grand thing to name vour new store in the name of the Lord.
It i? good to know that in this chaotic age there are people still who recorni*?
Urd's owTTshiD of this world's goods and who ?re not ashamed for the world
know that- He has first place, not only in our chur-h worshln but everydav of
t* reek. Xaming your business for the Lord in reverence makes Him a living
symbol.
I think the name of the Lord should be used in thetitle of the business in which
J B a major stockholder, because of the challenge it resents to others to affiliate
'^selves with God in their evervdav and business life. A person isn't really a
until he has made God his partner for all seven days in the week. In see
=* the store's name will naturallv arise in the mind of the passerhv the miestion, Am
' ?use mv part towards making this God's town. Ood's world ? Am I giving to God
?J'l 'hare of the world's good* with which He has blessed me?
I believe the example of publicly acknowledging Him as a business partner will
more to the citv of Whiteville than sny amount of monev.
He is worthv of having the oraise as a nartner in the firm as tho He was a
on earth I think vou-have a wonderful reason for incorporating the Lords
-' in vour business. In your exnlanation you have m'de It clear that the Lord
"y^'r Shenherd and that vou wish to share vour all with Him.
.. name should alwavs be ri?eed first because He is not satisfied with second
<*? m anv ones life or business. Whstever name vou "?e. out God's name first.
Srnce Ond j?* a co-owner He merits this honor. Not a oart but all we have,
'hat is good cometh down from the Father of Life.
if the business men and women wo..ld follow vour lead in taking the Lord ,nto
? lr business, the world would certainlv he a much better place in which to live,
'ese-ve a lot of credit for this new kind of venture.
It makes rv-v heart ha on v to know that there is someone that has the wavs and
, help the Lord and is taking the advantage of it in this wav for the whole
~ (ft Jif**
,,tnStlr*ly God Should share and wants to be a partner in the work He has called
??hows t'ie willimmess and courae-e to n?t God first in all ^7.
ch* , see and read some name of the Lord on vour store thev w>li feel
Him. . .
h incomo^tin* the Lor<V* vonr buMiwtm. von pr* on^iv
^ith a"nd nart^o -Th Him. Too manv men to"Z.~
C to he p-nod and too manv P-ood men have Wn
in ,Pr? nf what thev don't do. Ton know that He h?? ^
Z,y m fhis wav vou are onenlv declaring to the worid at. l?rpe that H
.^?r in V01tr a fine exsmole to Pive to the ?un?er F?"
in life The life that really counts is that which has been mstru
m bringing others to Christ.
-SECOND PRIZE
A NEW $223.50 3-PIECE LIVING ROOM SUITE
GOES TO
Mrs. H. A. Turner, Fair Bluff, N. G.
THE WINNING LETTER
Fair Bluff, N. C., July 12, 1948
DEAR SIR:
I think the name of the Lord should be used in the title of the business in which
He is a major stockholder be~ause cf the challenge it presents to others to affiliate
themselves with God in their everyday and business life. A person isn't really a
Christian until he has made God his partner for all seven days in the week. In see
ing the stores name, will naturally arise in the mind of the passerby the question,
am I doing my part towards making this God's Town, God's World? Am I giving
to God His full share of the worldly gocds with which He has blessed me?
Yours truly,
MRS. H. A. TURNER.
Why The Lord's Name Was Left Out
We have received much more mail from this contest than was anticipated. Judg
ing frorr. the replies including reasons both for and against using the Lord's name
in the name of the business, there are a great many people who are strictly opposed
to the use of the Lord's name in this manner for various reasons. ..Some think the
business is only trying to commercialize on the name, others think it is only show
manship of piety, others that it Is for sensational advertising, while some think the
motive is good, but that the Lord's name should not be used in connection with busi
ness. ..Among the replies however, about eight were in favor of the idea to one op
posed to It.
During the contest pericd I learned from other sources also that so many chris
tians were opposed to it until I decided to give up the idea of using the Lord's name.
I am of the same opinion as to begin with that I believe God would bs pleased to
have His name associated with any of His people in anything they do. It would be
one of the greatest delights of my life to have His name appear before mine on the
place of business I operate, but if it will offend my fellow christian and cause him
to think I am using the Lord's name in vain and am too careless with the name they
so highly esteem, then I very willingly submit to their protest. It is however, a great
disappointment to me as I was trying to honor Him the best I knew how. He is
your Lord as well as mine and if you think I am handling such a great name too
lightly then I go give up the idea that I oherished so much.
I did not have anything in mind when the unusual idea was presented to my
mind for the first time about two months ago, but to do a little more for the Lord
than I was required to do. I have made this a policy during my past twenty-eight
years as a christian. I am a great believer in the adage "If you never do more than
you get paid to do, you will never get paid for more than you do." I have worked
this principle into serving the Lord. ,
I intended placing the Lord's name into the business for the same reason that
I decided to pay the Lord more than one tenth of my income which was all that
the Lord required. I decided to go a step further and pay two tenths?and twenty
five years ago I promised Him that I would pay Him three-tenths. There was no
way to commercialize on this, as I have never published this statement before. I
intended putting His name in the business for the same reason I have been having
a devotional service in the business for the past twenty-five years by reading from
the Bible and having prayer with our employees and such customers who might be
in the building at the time each morning, and for the same reason that I have not
taken any medicine nor carried any Insurance for my protection or the Business for
the past twenty-five years. I did this for the sole purpose of doing a little more
than was required of me. I could name a good many things of the same nature but
it would appear that I was trying to make a display of piety.
About eighteen months ago the idea occurred to me to take the Lord In business
with me by giving Him an interest in the business. Soon after then I began setting'
Him up In the business as a partner and now His interest in the business is about
*$9Cl,000.00. It is my intention to keep increasing this investment until He becomes
one-half owner. In addition to this I intend also to keep giving liberally of the In
come I receive from my own individual Investment In the business. All the profits
from this partnership investment will go to the Pentecostal Holine?s Church of
Whiteville, N. C.
Knowing that one day I will be called up before the Lord to give an account
of my stewardship while on earth, it Is my sole aim to make the record as good as
I can and this is the real motive back of it all. If on that day I am fortunate enough
to hear this short sentence?"Thou hast been faithful over a few things"?Then my
purpose will have been accomplished. If I fail to hear this, then I will have been a
complete failure and will be terribly disappointed. Believe it or not this was the real
motive back of it all.
In Conclusion, I wish to express my appreciation for the large number of replies
to these advertisements and for the expressions for and against the idea in question.
As soon as the credit slips can be printed you will receive one by mail and also an
acknowledgement of your entry.
4
B. S. THOMPSON.
-THIRD PRIZE
A $212.00 MAHOGANY BED ROOM SUITE
GOES TO
Mrs. J. F. Freeman, Bladenboro, N. C.
The winning letter is lengthy there fore we are only printing ex
cerpts from it, showing the reason that won Third Prize.
WHY WE SHOULD NOT PUT THE LORD'S NAME IN* BUSINESS
I cannot feel that it is within human privilege to equal oneself with the Lord,
in making Him a publicized partner in business, unless one knows that he can act
for the Lord under all conditions exactly us He would Himself and with the imper
fections and limitations of man. That would seem to me impossible I feel very much
an John The Baptist, when he said he was not worthy to unloose the latchets of
his shoes and would hesitate to link His name with my own in material and com
petetive business. It seems to me that He would shrink from the publicity involved.
After His greatest works cf healing, He charged the person that he tell no one.
MRS. J. F. FREEMAN, Bladenboro, N. C.
EXCERPTS FROM LETTERS ON WHY
THE LORD'S NAME SHOULD NOT APPEAR
IN THE NAME OF THE BUSINESS
not A CENT DOWN & NOT
CENT TO PAY UNTIL SEPTEMBER
B. S. Thompson
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
& Co.
Columbus Motor Co. - Furniture Store
WHY WE SHOULD NOT PUT THE LORD'S NAME IN THE BUSINESS
The Lords name shculd r-ot be used in your business because He does not care
about His name being stamped on furniture stores.
I don't like using the Lords name in your store, because Christ said make not
my Fathers house of merchandise.
I question the widsom of incorporating the name of our Lord in business. He
already owns all business enterprises as well as everything else. The earth is the
Lords and the fullness therein. Incorporating the Lords name in business would be
inconsistent and would imply that the Lord does not own your other business.
With all due respect to you and your purpose in this new business, I will have
to say that I think it would be very unwise to associate the name of our Lord
with it.
In using the name of God, Lord or any name applied tn ?h TV>itv. great care is
necessary in order to avoid irr verence. Terms ppplvinp to r~r> prver b" used
Flippantly or even carelessly. The npme of a business m'fM h*?ve-v rommon
and casual. Therefore I think it might be best not to include Gods name in th
business name.
I do not think you should use the Lords name in connection with your business
becauw He is tile greatest ruler of all the world and His name should ba connected
with Heavenly things and not the everyday things of life. We should not try to con
nect Him with the lower things of life.
You will be breaking the third commandment.
I don't think God would be pleased with a money making: enterprise in His
name unless the profits were all for Him. I don't think He would like for us to tell
man what we have given or the things we intended to give. That is between you and
God.
It will cause unbelievers and fault finders to say that ycu are bragging and
trying to make gain for yourself by using the Lords name as a drawing card.
Is nothing to be kept sacred? Not even the name of the Lord? In this day and
time and especially in this great country of ours, there seems to be a comolet" dis
regard of all sacred things. To me the name of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
is the most sacred thing we have left in the wcrld today and to incorporate it in
a business is sacreligious and sounds too much like commercializing on something
we should think of in all reverence. There has already been too much of this sort
of thing done at Christmas and Easter.
Sure the Lords name should be in our business but not on a sign. The Lords
name in this way would be very unethical, unorthodox and exceedingly unfair to
your fellow merchant. It would not approve of the Lords name in this way. I have
not heard of the first one speak in favor of it. Could vou be sure the Lord is in
your business. Then are you sure the Lords share would be used as the Lord would
use it. The Lord makes us responsible for the use we put our talents. mon?v and
livs to. The public would feel that the use of the Lord's name in this w?v ww for
personal gain They will not feel like the Lord is in the business when vni fnr'clo?e
on them, or when a tire goes bad and vou fail to renince it. Too it sw that vou
wruld have to give away a lot of merchandise when people did not have the money.
Millions claim the Lord and the proper place for Him is in our lives and not on a
j sign heralding the sale of merchandise.
My Lord's business is saving souls and net selling mer-h?ndi?e T unviM *??*? to
go by a store and see His name on soearthlv a business as a m?rohant when H"
sells nothing but gives to all.
Sir if vou old somerne some furniture and they foiled to nav fir it wmld he
forced to take the furniture and mavbe the family cow or som'thin?* of th? ?nrt
then if you had the Lords name involved peonle would say look there! <"it the
Lord's name in it and doing things like that. Besides our Lord's name is Holy and
should not be used to draw people into a store to buy things.
God is Holy, He is a supernatural being. It would be sacreligious to address the
Lord with our business without someone associated in business as Dear Sir or
Gentlemen.
A great manv customers including myself would be shocked bv the lack of
reverence we shculd be likely to do our shopninir elsewhere. It seems entirelv alien
to the nature and teachings of Jesus to include His name in any mon^v making- en
terprise, especially one in which poor people are sometimes mortgaged to th"*' l*<>t
frying pan. There is no precedent among the followers of Jesus nor ?nv Biblical
characters for using His name in such a way. I must protest against His name be
ing used in the business.
Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that
are Gods
Our greatest blessings come when we serve God for love and service alone and
not for show?Even tho your motive might be good the people of the world can be
brought into the blessings of Gods kingdom better bv love and service than bv ob
serving his name incorporated into a business firm. Man is imnerfect and with the
Lords name in the business people might often misiudge your mistakes and feel like
p. business incorporated with God should be perfect. Even tho God is a partner in
the business ,the business is directed by the wisdom of m?n. Such a nam? would be
a target for sarcasm and irony by the people of Satan. Many would perhaps sneer
and make fun.
I do not believe the Lords name should be included in the name of vour ?tor?
however I think He should be given credit for the success of the business. I don't
think the word "Lord" should be used as that could be mistaken for a partner with
a sirname "Lord".
Will net such an innovation impress the general public that it is but a case of
showmanship in piety? Will not some consider it a sacrilieious use of the name of
the Deity? There might be others to regard it as a presumntuous attemot to draw
trade under the guise of religion. If a man is sincerely religious and practices the
principles of righteousness, there will be no need for him to advertise it on his
windows cr over his door by using God's name; for the publi" will be auick to dis
cern it through fair dealings and transactions in relationship to his fellow man.
Avoid using the name of the Lord too boldly in commercial affairs.
You should not incorporate the Lords name in the newname of your store be
cause God is such a great Father compared to man. I do not think it would be do
ing His iustice to belittle His name by having it appear on such a small thing as
a store. There are lots better ways to pav tribute to His name
Alwavs keep the Name cf God Holy. That is mv answer. Using the name of God
for a business can never bring that business to God's level: it can only lower God
to the level of wordlv thing's in man's opinion. Regardless of how scninlous a busi
ness man mav run his affairs, there are time? when his business and himself are ac
cused of unfair dealing's, dishonesty, or fraud. What a calamity to add one iota of
sticrna. to His name. He will glory is the good work done in His name?not in hav
ing hi" name in Neon signs or printed on a plate glass windows.
fVirf hos no esrthlv husines? He is a snirjt and ha? no earthl" desires as we do.
I don't believe He wotild want His name in an earthlv business. "Thou shslt not take
the namo of the I,ord thv On<1 in vsin" and God made the laws and we should keen
them. The Lords name should not be used lr. any way excent in a spiritual way. If
it is it is used in vain
If your store had a name with the Lords name in it, it would cause the Lords
name to be spoken in vain so many times. I think His name should be used only
in a religious form.
If you are a willing and obedient servant of the Lord it is not ne-essary for you
to put His name in the name of your business. If you live the life others will see and
knew. It is a very true saying "actions speak louder than words".
You will do more harm than good. It is sacreligious, almost blasphemy. If you
sell on credit and then take back what you have sold the Lord's name should'not be
in the business.,
I would consider this very sacreligious because business is business and religion
is religion?each in its proper place. The public would consider this very unbusiness
like and would look down on it.
Columbus County has seen its first neon sign on a church of God?must we now
see his name on a new business establishment.
While the Lord was here he did not ask that His good deeds be publicized. He
did them for His heavenly Father and humanity and not for public recognition. If
God had wanted a business established in His name I fee? like His only Son would
have been privileged to establish it.?It seems that you have lost the faith and are
seeking only the things that money will buy.?I am not seeking a prize but wanted
you to know how the public feels about your advertising your business and giving
in the name of the Lord, just for your own vanity.