SAMUEL PRIME
Samuel Prime (1812–1885) was a Presbyterian minister in New York City and the author of The Power of Prayer, a volume that chronicles a series of prayer meetings from 1857 to 1858 on New York’s Fulton Street. The popularity of the Fulton Street prayer meetings grew during hard economic times and fostered similar prayer meetings in churches around the city and eventually the nation. In this episode, prayer convicts a dishonest businessman of his need to right a wrong. More than once, prayer has stimulated a man’s conscience.
It was often made the subject of daily prayer, that none who came there to pray might go away to do business according to what was commonly denominated “the laws of trade.” We remember that the men of business prayed that they might be always enabled to do business on Christian principles, and go from the prayer-meeting to carry out the principles of the gospel into daily life. We have often heard men exhorted to do their business on Christian principles. There has been a great quickening of the consciences of men in regard to this matter. Much that was done in business was considered to be in direct contravention of the laws of Christ’s house. Many have had great trials in their own minds in regard to their business. Some have felt that they must give up their pursuits or lose their souls; many have felt that if they carried the gospel into all their business relations they must fail; as they would stand no chance in the trade if they were scrupulously honest. An extensive hardware merchant made an earnest address in the Fulton street prayer-meeting on this very subject. He appealed to his brethren to set a holy example in this business, to have the same religion for “down-town” which they had for “up-town”—the same for the week-day that they have for the Sabbath—the same for the counting-room as for the communion-table. This address was four or five minutes in length, and was very effective. He was followed to his store by a well-known manufacturer with whom he had had dealings for many years, and of whom he had bought largely.
474
“You did not know,” said the manufacturer, “that I was in the meeting, and heard your remarks. But I was there. Now, sir, I have for the last five years been in the habit of charging you more for goods than other purchasers. I want you to take your books and charge back to me so much per cent on every bill of goods you have had of me for the five years last past.”
The merchant came into the prayer-meeting the next day and told what had transpired, and made another exhortation to the same effect—on doing business on Christian principles.