I Want To Be Like Milton
Have you ever heard the saying, “Be yourself. Unless you can be Batman. Then be Batman.” (or a Mermaid, or some other name)? Well, when I grow up, I want to be like Milton Hershey.
In October I had a meeting in Hershey, Pennsylvania. I did not go to Hershey Park, but I did go to the Hershey Story, which is an interactive museum all about Milton Hershey.
Besides tasting hot chocolate from different countries and doing the Lab (where you get to make a tasty chocolate craft and learn about the chocolate making process) you also get a token which you touch on various screens throughout the museum to learn something about Milton’s life. Here are 4 things which I learned:
1) “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
When Milton was about 11, he left school to begin working at a print shop. Sadly, he did not get along well with the boss. One day, Milton accidentally dropped his hat in vat of ink, an incident that angered his hot-tempered boss. Milton eventually left that job and became apprenticed with the local confectioner, where he worked for 4 years. Just think, if things had been different at the print shop, we probably would not be enjoying Hershey’s Chocolate today.
2) “So He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.’ ”Matthew 17:20
In 1900, Milton had created a chocolate bar, but he did not really like the taste of it. So in 1903, while he was having a factory being built to make his chocolate bar he was busy working on the recipe to improve the candy. In other words, he had the faith to build before he had a product to make.
3. [Jesus said] “ ’…because I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you welcomed me. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me’ “. Matthew 25:35-36
During the Great Depression, when jobs were scarce and money was tight, Milton helped to create the community of Hershey. He built housing units for his employees, a hospital, several churches, and had the roadwork improved. In South America, where he got the cocoa beans for his chocolate, he created jobs during the off-season, so the people could have money year around, not just during their busy season. He believed that to have better workers, they should have better living conditions.
4) [Jesus said] “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” Matthew 6:3
You may have heard about the Hershey School, which was originally called the Industrial School. This was set up for orphan boys to have a place to stay and learn. Milton and his wife, Kitty, were not able to have children and Milton had not finished school past grade 4. What I found awe-inspiring is that no one knew Milton had been helping to fund the school. Not until it was discovered by a newspaper reporter who printed it in the local paper did anyone find out that he had been donating to the school for 4 years! If the reporter had not found out about it, I wonder how long he would have been able to continue in secret.
From what I saw, Milton Hershey was quite the philanthropist and someone who showed good Christ-like qualities. I never did find out if he was a Christian, but from his actions, I believe he was. And I hope that I show at least some of the same qualities, too.
TLB