Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-11-07
AT THE TABERNACLE.
THE TRIALS AND PeRPLeXiTlES OF
CLERKS AND SAleSMeN.
A Sensible ard Earnest Talk-The Business
ofChristiauity ty-CIerks and What They
Can Expect-A Plea for Sales
women-promptnsss and 0be-
dience Necessary 10
Success.
HONESTY IHs BEST POLICY.

the pastor, Rev. Dewitt Talmage, rose
and read the opening hymn,
''out OH the ocean all boundless we ride
at the conclusion OF which he announced
his subject to be "The Troubles oi
Clerks" and read the following texts:
Acts xvi, IA: And certain woman named
Lydia. II seller OF purple OF the city OF ThyStira
which worshipped GCi, heard us: whose heart
the Lord opened
Prov. xxi. ~: "Seest thou man diligcnt in
business" He shall stand before kings
The first passage introduces to you
lydia, a Christian merchantess. Her
business is to deal in purple cloths or
silks. She is not giggling nonentity
but practical woman, not ashamed 10
work ior her living. All the other
women OF Philippi and Thyatira have
been forgotten; but God has made im-
mortal in our text, Lydia, the Christian
saleswoman. The other text shows you
a man with head and hand and heart
and foot all busy toiling on up until lie
gains princely success. "Seest thou a
man diligent in business? he shall stand
before kings
There is Great Encouragement
in these two passages for men and
women who will be busy, but no sOlace
for those who are waiting for good luck
to show them, at the foot o: the rain
bow, a casket OF buried gold. 1t is folly
for anybody in this world to wait Tor
something to turn up. 1t will turn
d w. The law OF thrift, is as inexora-
ble as the laG ot the tides. Fortune,
the magician, may wave her wand IN
that direction until castles and palaces
come, but she will after awhile avert the
same wand and all the splendors will
vanish in thin air.
There are certain styles OF behavior
which lead 10 usefulness, honor and
permanent Success, and there are certain
STYLES Of behavior which lead 10 dust,
dishonor and moral default. | would
like TO fire the ambition OF the young
people. Ihave no sympathy with those
who would prepare young folks for life
by whiting down their expectations.
That man or woman will be worth moth
ing 10 church or State who begins lite
combed down. The
Business Of Christianity
is not TO queuch but to direct hu-
man ambition. Therefore il
is that come out this even.
ing and utter words OF encouragement
to those who are occupied as clerks
in the stores and shops and banking
houses OF the country. You say:
"Why select one class and talk to one
specially this evening"" For the same
reason that surgeon does not open the
door OF hospital and throw in g bushel
OF prescriptions, saying: "Come, now,
and yet your medicine He first feels
the pulse, watches the symptoms, and
then prescribes for that particular case.
So tonight must be specific. The pee
pie in this audience, who are clerks, are
not an exceptional class. They belong
to great company OF tens OF thousands
who are in this country amid Circum-
stances which will either make or break
them for time and eternity. | should
be very slow to acknowledge that the
clerks, male and female, OF other cities,
are any more honest or faithful than the
clerks of our own city. Many of these
people have already achieved i Christian
manliness and Christian womanliness,
which will be their passport to any posi-
ton. | have seen their trials. ! have
watched their perpleXities. There are
evils abroad which need to be hunted
down and dragged out into the noon
day light.
Iu the first place, | counsel clerks to
remember that for the most part their
ClerSship is
Only School
from which they are to be graduated.
1t takes abe ut eight years to get one OF
the learned professions. 1t takes about
eight years TO get to be merchant.
Some OF you will be clerks all your lives,
but the vast majority OF you are on Y in
transient position. After awhile, some
December day, the head men OF the firm
will call you into the back office, and
they will say 10 you: "Now, YOU have
done well by US; we are going to 10 well
by you We invite you to have an in
terest in our concern" You will bow
to that edict very gracefully. Getting
into a street car to 60 home, an old
comrade will meet you and say:
what makes you look so happy to-
night" "Oh," you will say, "nothing,
nothing" But in few days your name
will blossom on the sign. Either in the
store or bank where you are now, or in
some other store or bank, you will take
higher position than that which you
now occupy.
So feel tonight that | am standing
before people who will yet have their
hands on the helm OF the
Worlds Commerce.
and YOU will turn it this way or that;
now clerks, but TO be bankers, impor'
ters, insurance company directors, ship.
pers, contractors, superintendent oi
railroads your voice mighty on Change
standing foremost in the great fnan'
cidi AMI .ri2.uui enterprises OF the day.
For though We who are in the probes
slOns may, on the platform, plead ioI
! the ph!lantnroples. after all, the mer'
| chants must come forth with their mil.
| lions 10 sustain the movement. Be there.
fore patient aud diligent in this transient
posi.ion. You are now where YOU can
| learn things YOU can never learn in any
other place. What you consider youl
disadvantages are your
Grsad Opportunity.
You see an s:tluent father some day
come down on prominent street with
his son who has Just graduated from the
university, and establishing him in bus
mess, putting $3.50, 900 OF capital in the
! store. Well, you are envlous, You
say: "Oa, if only had chance like
that young nan If | only had father
to put S250,OO0 in business for me
then 7 would have some chance in the
world" Be not envious. You have
advantages ever that Young man which
he mas not over you. AS well might
come down 20 the docks when a yesseI
is about 10 sail for Valparaiso
and say: "Let me pilot this ship
out OF the NMrJws." Why, would
sink crew and cargo before | got
out OF the harbor, simply because
know nothing about pilotaSe. Wealthy
sea captains put their sons before the
mast tor the reason that they know
that it is the only place where they can
learn to be successful sailors. 1t IS only
under drill that people get to under
stand pilotage and navigation, and
mani ,-O,, 20 ,,nlorstopJ that IN fox ns nC