ligious motive is like a watch without a spring or a
body without the breath of life. The trouble, to-day, is that we are
trying to hatch chickens from sterile eggs. We may have the finest
incubator in the world and operate it according to the most improved
regulations--moreover, the eggs may appear perfect specimens--but unless
they have the germ of life in them all our efforts are of no avail."

I have referred to the fact that the security of our investments is
absolutely dependent upon the faith, the righteousness and the religion
of other people. I have stated that the real strength of our investments
is due, not to the distinguished bankers of America, but rather to the
poor preachers. I now go farther than that and say that the development
of the country as a whole is due to this _something_, this indescribable
_something_, this combination of faith, thrift, industry, initiative,
integrity and vision, which these preachers have developed in their
communities.

Faith and vision do not come from the wealth of a nation. It's the faith
and vision which produce the wealth. The wealth of a country does not
depend on its raw materials. Raw materials are to a certain extent
essential and to a great extent valuable; but the nations which to-day
are richest in raw materials are the poorest in wealth. Even when
considering one country--the United States--the principle holds true.
The coal and iron and copper have been here in this country for
thousands of years, but only within the last fifty years have they been
used. Water-powers exist even to-day absolutely unharnessed. Look the
whole world over and there has been no increase in raw materials. There
existed one thousand years ago more raw materials than we have to-day,
but we then lacked men with a vision and the faith to take that coal out
of the ground, to harness the water-powers, to build the railroads and
to do other things worth while. So I say, the second great fundamental
of prosperity is Faith.

III

INDUSTRY VS. OPPORTUNITY

Industry is the mother of invention. Struggle, sacrifice
and burning midnight oil have produced the cotton gin, the
sewing machine, the printing press, the steam engine, the
electric motor, the telephone, the incandescent lamp and
the other great inventions of civilization. Some religious
enthusiasts think only of the "lilies of the fields" and
forget the parable of the talents.

A few years ago I