The Observation Post – May 2017
It will not be a good time for 6,000 employees who will lose their jobs when up to 140 J.C. Penny stores close, as the department-store industry sags in competition with online sellers and nimble niche retailers. It’s a sign of shifting shopping patterns brought about by great technological change and it will go on and on in other industries as well.
But it is sad that a chain founded by such a great man is falling victim. You know, sometimes, really great men do really great things, outside of making money, building legends, moulding events, or, seeking glory. J.C. Penny was one of these and in this day when corporate greed seems to be everywhere, we should never forget the great ones, or their contributions. The Kingdom Digest had this to say many years ago about Mr. Penny in a brief article entitled “A Rich Man.”
“J.C. Penny, founder of the chain that bears his name, was one of the most wealthy and successful businessmen of our time. He was a member of a family of twelve children, born in Missouri. He became a Christian early in life and started tithing and practiced tithing rigidly, even of all of his great profits from his many stores, all during his colourful career. We thank God for a businessman who can be a Christian and will tithe, and it is our firm belief that this is one of the secrets of his great success—he took God as a business partner, walked with the Lord, and the Lord blessed him. The Lord will do this for anyone who will obey Him in this, and other matters.”
Mr. Penny lost control of his stores in the 1929 crash when bankers foreclosed on loans of some $40 million. Lesser men would have lost all hope but in true “Penny” style, at age 56, he regained control. It was a very telling statement he made in later years, “I believe in adherence to the Golden Rule, faith in God and the country. If I were a young man again, those would be my cardinal principles”.
As I thought about J.C. Penny, I couldn’t help but think once again of a nineteenth century Canadian giant, Alexander “Boss” Gibson. Indeed, like Penny, Alexander (Boss) Gibson is one of those rare exceptions to the world of mostly unfeeling corporate greed we experience today. This little known Canadian industrialist is to business what Lincoln is to statesmanship, Mozart to opera, MacArthur to military strategy and Good Queen Bess to royalty. He was truly one of the uncommon ones of history, a great Canadian, a great businessman, fiercely dedicated to community and people, and such a servant to a code of ethics that even when it threatened to bring down his empire, he would not compromise. The greatness of this man should be shouted far and wide because he exemplifies how success, strong leadership, management, compassion, community concern, family values, generosity, Christian values and love of fellow man can be married together in the greatest harmony and for the greatest good of all those involved. During the years of his ascendancy, he founded lumber mills, railroads, constructed towns, bridges and community facilities. He even donated a huge church to his beloved Marysville.
One of the great stories about the Boss evolves around the company stores he owned and which provided credit to hundreds of employees between paydays. Whenever he made a handsome business deal, he instructed his store manager to “Wipe out the accounts.” Of course, he always filled his pockets with candy from the store to pass along to children who would regularly run up to meet him as he walked through the community. Tales of his generosity are legend and it is no wonder that he remains a most revered man in his home province. I’m sure the internet stories will be of interest to readers.
Revelation 18:4 tells us, “Come out of her, My People”. An excited Michael Clark of BIWF, UK wrote, “A Day to REJOICE ! Article 50 triggered. UK leaving Babylonish EU — It appears we had to go in, in order to come out!”
And the one-worlders are still showing their distain. As Michael further reported on another news item, “The European Parliament today is debating Brexit and Guy Verhofstadt, who leads the negotiations for the EU, said that Brexit is ‘stupidity” And “when Nigel Farage said they were acting ‘like the Mafia’, the Italian chair, Mr Tajani, responded: “There are no mafia or gangsters here. There are representatives of the people. This is nothing to do with national sensitivities, it is to do with being civil and democratic.”
Or, it has to do with that long-ago prophecy, “Come out of her, my people”.
God is never mocked!
Recently, I received this comment from a reader, “Brooks, I really liked your series about the “Monarchs of Destiny” but I am left wondering why you did not include Queen Victoria, who until Elizabeth II was British Israel’s longest serving monarch and at the time when the British Empire had reached the peak of its power.”
It’s true! The Victorian era, the period of Queen Victoria’s reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901, was a long period of peace, prosperity and national self-confidence for the United Kingdom. For Canadians who do not know, the birthday of Queen Victoria was a day for celebration in Canada long before Confederation, with the first legislation regarding the event being in 1845 passed by the parliament of the Province of Canada to officially recognize May 24 as the Queen’s birthday. And she was especially treasured by all her subjects, world-wide.
As she was relatively unknown at the time of her ascension to the British Throne, (the Throne of David) Viscount Palmerston was to say of her, “Few people have had opportunities of forming a correct judgment of the Princess; but I incline to think that she will turn out to be a remarkable person. And gifted with a great deal of strength and character.” Winston Churchill was later to write, “He [Palmerston] was right.” Indeed, it reflected Victoria’s character and sincerity, when, on the eve of her accession at eighteen years of age, the new Queen wrote in her diary: “Since it has pleased Providence to place me in this station, I shall do my utmost to fulfil my duty towards my country; I am very young, and perhaps in many, though not in all things, inexperienced, but I am sure that very few have more real good will and more real desire to do what is fit and right than I have.” Churchill remarked, “It was a promise she was spaciously to fulfil.”
We could not have asked for a more able monarch and I feel certain the Lord God Almighty was most pleased with His choice. Still, she was not on the throne when prophetic matters of immense importance came, like they did when Henry VIII, Edward I, Elizabeth I, James I and George III reigned or came or have yet to come to pass in the reign of Elizabeth II. But there is no taking away from Queen Victoria’s contribution to True Israel.
By the way, it was said that Victoria knew she descended from Judah and was a true Israelite.
With all the upheaval taking place in the Middle-East, particularly Syria, we should never forget the yet to be fulfilled prophecy on Damascus, “The Burden of Damascus, Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap”. (Isaiah 17:1) Well, could it happen soon? We now have five players in Syria; there is the Government under Assad, the Russians, the Rebels, ISIS and now the Americans. And with the Israeli’s watching the whole thing from the sidelines.
So, the question is, “Who is going to make the next move”?
