A lad of 16 years named William left home to seek his fortune, all his possessions tied in a bundle carried in his hand. He met an old canal boat captain.
William told him his father was too poor to keep him and the only trade he knew was soap and candle making.
The old man then kneeled and prayed earnestly for the boy and advised:
"Someone will soon be the leading soap-maker in New York. It can be you as well as someone else. Be a good man, give your heart to Christ, pay the Lord all that belongs to Him, make an honest soap; give a full pound, and I'm certain you'll be a prosperous and rich man."
Into the city, he remembered the captain's words, and though poor and lonesome, he united with a church. The first dollar earned, he gave 1/10 to God.
Ten cents of every dollar were sacred to the Lord.
Having regular employment, he soon became a partner and later sole owner of the business. He made an honest soap, gave a full pound and instructed his bookkeeper to open an account with the Lord of 1/10 of all income.
As Colgate`s business endeavours continued to prosper and be blessed by God, he instructed his accountants to increase his giving- first to 20 percent and then to 30. And as he continued to give, his company began to prosper all the more.
The business grew, so he gave 2/10, 3/10, 4/10, 5/10 and finally he gave all his income.
The soap king met the King of Kings on March the 25th 1857. His son succeeded him in business and the company continued its successful course, due to William Colgate`s solid biblical foundations.
Today, Colgate-Palmolive is one of America`s oldest and most successful Fortune 500 companies.
Its worldwide sales revenues exceed nine billion dollars annually and it offers its products in 221 countries and provinces around the globe.
Its product lines include oral, personal, household, and fabric care, as well as pet nutrition. Brands and products include such well-known names as Colgate, Palmolive, Speed-Stick, Fab, Murphy, Ajax, and Irish Spring.
The success of Colgate-Palmolive is a testimony to what God can do with a young apprentice committed to following his dream and committed to acknowledging the God who fulfils dreams.
This is the story of William Colgate, who has given millions to the Lord's cause.
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