Colgate

William Colgate
Many years ago a lad of sixteen was obliged to leave home because his father was too poor to support him longer. So he trudged away with all his worldly possessions in a bundle dangling from his hand, resolving, as he journeyed, to set up in business as a soap maker in New York.
When the country boy arrived in the big city, he found it hard to get work. Remembering the last words of his mother and also the godly advice given him by the captain of a canal boat, the youth dedicated his life to God, determining to return to his Maker an honest tithe of every dollar he earned.
So, when his first dollar came in, the young man sacredly dedicated ten cents of it to the Lord. This he continued to do. And the dollars rolled in! Soon this manufacturer became partner in a soap business; and when his partner died a few years later, he became sole owner of the concern.
The prosperous businessman now instructed his bookkeeper to open an account with the Lord and to credit to it one tenth of all his income.
The business grew miraculously. The honest proprietor now dedicated two tenths of his earnings; and then three tenths, four tenths; and finally, five tenths. It seemed as if his sales increased in exact proportion to his generosity, so that soon his make of soap became a household word throughout the world.
The late William Colgate was this man whom God so signally prospered in return for his faithfulness to his Maker. While this story is not written with the object of advertising Colgate products, it is related because it illustrates so well the blessings that accompany the faithful payment of an honest tithe.
By Ashley G. Emmer, Signs of the Times, August 2, 1938. With permission from Dale Galusha

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Years ago as teenagers we read a wonderful story in Guidepost magazine about Joseph Colgate, founder of the forerunner of Colgate-Palmolive and Colgate University. Mr. Colgate’s business was so successful, he quickly became a multimillionaire and decided he had far more money than he needed, and so he started giving it away.
He first gave away 10 percent of each year’s income, but after he started, his income multiplied. He then upped the percentage to 15, and the same thing happened again. Next, he gave away 20 percent of his income, but money poured into his coffers like water through a broken dam. After studying his "problem," Colgate finally chose to turn his money over to a foundation and let others figure out what to do with it. Giving away his money created a giant hole, which was refilled with more money than ever before

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