Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-04-25
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVISE'S SUN
DAY SERMON
Subject: Duties and Responsibilities
of Business Men

Palaces are not such prisons the world
;magines. If you think that the only time
kIGgs and queens come forth from the royal
gates Is in procession and gOrgeOuslv at
tended, you mistaken. IncOgnitO, by day
or by night and clothed in citizens apparel
or the dress Of working woman, they come
out and see the world il is In other
way could King Solomon, the author Of my
text, have known everything that was going
on. From my text l am sure he must, in
disguise, some DAY have walked into a store
of ready made clothing, in Jerusalem, and
stood near the counter and overheard
versatIon between buyer and seller. The
merchant put price on the coat, and the
customer began 10 dicker and said: Alb
surd! that coat Is not worth what you ask
for it. Why, just look at the coar5eness Of
the fabricl See that spot on the collar! Be
sides that 1t does not fit. Twenty dollars for
that; Why, it isn't worth more than ten.
They havea better article than that. and for
cheaper price, down at ClOathem, Fitem &
Brothers, Beside that, l don't want it at
any price. Good morning" Hold" says
the mercha It: ''iOn't 90 off in that way. l
want 70 sell you that coat. | have some pay
ments to make and | want the money. Come
now, how much will you give for that coat"
We'll, says the customer, Il will split the
difference. You asked twenty dollars and |
said ten. Now, | will give you fifteen"
well. says the merchant its great sac
rifice; but take it at that Urice." Then Solo
the customer with roll under his
arm start ana go out ana enter MS own place
OF business; and Solomon, in disguise, fol-
lowed him. He heard the customer as he
unrolled the coat say: Boys have made
a great bargain. How much do you guess |
gave for that cOat?" 'Well, says one, wish
ing to compliment his enterprise you gave
thirty dollars for it." Another says, Il
should think you got it cheap if you gave
twenty five dollars" NO" says the buyer
triumph; Il got it for fifteen dollars. [
peat him down and pointed out the Imperfect
, liyrv tCl:D
lot worth hardly anything. 1t takes me to
make a bargain. Ha! Ham On, man. YOU
got the goods for less than they were worth
by positive falsenOOd; and no wonder, when
Solomon went back to his place and had put
)ft his disguise, that he sat down at his writ
ng desk and made for all ages a crayOn
sketch of you: 1T is naught, it is naught,
saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way.
;hen he bOasteth."
There are no higher styles Of men in all
5he world than those now at the head Of
merchandise in Brooklyn and New York and
the other great cities of this continent.
Their casual promise is as good as a bond |
WITH piles of cOllaterals. Their reputation
Tor integrity is as well established as that !
Of Petrarch residing in the family of |
Cardinal COlOnEa, and when there was great |
disturbance IN the family the cardinal called |
all his people together and put them under
oath to tell the truth, except Petrarch, for
when he came to swear the cardinal put
away his book and said: LAS to you |
tetrarch, your word is sufficient"
Never since the world stood have there
been so many merchants whose transactions
can stand the test OF the Ten Command |
nents Such bargain makers are all the
more to be hOnOred because they have with
stood year after year tempta tiOnS which have
Sung many fat and flung them so hard
they can never recover themselves While
all positions i'll life have powerful besetmeuts
70 evil there are specific forms of allurement
which are peculiar to each occupation and
profession, and it will be useful to speak of
5he peculiar temptations Of business men.
First, i'll the scene Of the text business
men are often tempted TO sacrifice plain
truth. the seller Oy exaggerating the value of
goods, and the buyer by depreCiating them.
We cannot but admire an expert salesman.
See how he first induces the customer into
mood favorable to the proper consideration
Of the value OF the goods. He shows himself
to be an honest and frank salesman. How
carefully the lights are arranged till they
Tall Just right upon the fabric.
Beginning with goods of medium quality,
De gradually advances toward those of more
thorough make and of more attractive pat
tern. How he watches the moods and whimS
Of his customer! With what perfect calm
nesG ne takes the order and bows the pur-
chaser from his presence, who goes away
having made up his mind that he has bought
5he goods at price which will allow him a
1vlng margin when he again sells them. The
goods were worth what the salesman said
hey We're, and were sold at a price which
wi! not MAKE it necessary for the house to
sali every ten years in order to FIX up things.
But with what burning Indignation we
.hlnt- OF the lnIqultOuS strata gems by which
goods are sometimes disposed of. 4 glance
a. the morning papers shows the arrival at
one o. our hotels OF young merchant from
one of the inland cities. He is a comparative
stranger III the great city, and. of course he
must he shown around. audit will be the duty
0t some OF our embarrassing houses to escort |
liD,. lie is large purchaser and has plenty
u time and money, and it will pay to be VERY
attentive The evening is spent at place of
doubtful amusement. Then they 90 back to
The hotel. Having Just come to town they
must Of course, drink. \ friend from the
same mercantile establishment drops in and
usage and generosity suggest that they must
drink. Business prospects are talked over,
and the stranger is warned against certain
dilapidated mercantile establishments that
are about to fail, and for such kindness and
magnanimity of caution against the dishOn-
esry OF other business houses, OF course, it is
expected they will, and so they do, take a
drink.
Other merchants lodging in adjoining
rooms find it hard to sleep for the clatter of
decanters and the coarse carousal of these
hail fellows we'll met wakes louder. But |
they sit not all night At the wine cup. They
must see the sights. They Staggar forth
with cheeks flushed and eyes bloodshot. The
outer gates Of hell open to let in the victims.
The wings OF lost souls fit among the lights,
and TIE steps OF the carOuSerS sound with the |
rumohng rhunderS OF the damned. Farewell
TO all the >anctites of home. Could mother
sister, father slumbering in the INLAND |
home in some vision of that night catch a ;
ren0 out their hair by the roots and
bite the tong4e till the blood spurted
out: God save him.
nat. suppose you, will come upon such