Page:Robert Carter- his life and work. 1807-1889 (IA robertcarterhis00coch).pdf/249

Rh with this characteristic and that, perhaps in some way not intrinsically important, but for my part I do not care to analyze him to-day. Personality is more than quality, and to my mind and heart it is the man who presents himself,—the friend, the father, the brother, the fellow helper, the servant of God who lived and worked among us.

The secret of his beautiful and useful life is easily told. He loved Jesus Christ with all his heart, and like his Saviour, and for his Saviour’s sake, he went about doing good. And that was the whole of it. In his presence, no one could doubt the truth and power of the Gospel. He manifested continually the reality of the great spiritual light that comes from Christ. All his conduct was instinct with the spirit of his Master. Wherever he went he diffused a sweet savor of Christ. For more than fifty years he was in active business in this city. During that long period he made no enemies, but gathered about him a multitude of friends, He was more than a bookseller. He never published books simply to make money. He never printed a book for the mere reason that it was likely to sell. He only printed it after he had satisfied himself that it was calculated to do good. The imprint of his firm was never put on any unwholesome book. Thank God that all business men in this city are not intent on making money by all means and any means. Numbers of them are actuated by no low motives, and convert their business into the highest religious service. And with Mr. Carter this was particularly the case. Who will estimate what he has done for the highest, truest welfare of his countrymen by the circulation through more than a half-century of thousands upon thousands of good and honest and pure books?