The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-04-30
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: "Duties and Responsibilities
of Business Men"

TEXT: ut is naught, it is naught. saith
the buyer; but 1Uhen he is gone his tUaY then
he boaSteth."-Proverbs Xxx. IA.
Palaces are not such prisons as the world
;mag ines. If you think that the only time
kings and queens come forth from the royal
gates is in procession and gorgeouslY at
tended, YOU are mistaken. Incognito, by day
or by night, and clothed in citizens apparel
or the dress of a working woman, they come
out and sec the world as it is. In no other
way could King Solomon, the author Of my
text have known everything that was going
on. From my text I am sure he must, in
disguise, some day have walked into store
of ready made clothing, in Jerusalem, and
stood near the counter and overheard a con-
versation between buyer and seller. The
merchant put price on the coat, and the
customer began to dicker and said: "Ab-
surd that coat is not worth what you ask
for it, Why, just look at the coarseness of
the fabric! See that spot on the collar! Be-
sides that it does not fit. Twenty dollars for
that? Why, it isn't worth more than ten.
They have better article than that, and for
cheaper price, down at Cloathem, Fitem g.
Brothers Beside that. don't want it at
any price. Good morning" "Hold," says
the merchant; don't go off in that way. I
want to sell you that coat. have some pay
ments to make and I want the money. Come
now, how much will you give for that coat"
''Well," says the customer, II will split the
difference. You asked twenty dollars, and |
said ten. Now, I will give you fifteen"
'Well, says the merchant, Its great sac
riGce; but take it at that price" Then Solo
mon saw the customer with a roll under his
CT. ~ nJ o,,to nd apfar hic nlacn
of business; and Solomon, in disguise, fol-
lowed him. He heard the customer as he
unrolled the coat say: Boys, have made
q great bargain. How much do you guess I
gave for that coat:" 'Well," says one, wish
ing to compliment his enterprise you gave
thirty dollars for it." Another says, Il
lhouid think you got it chelp if you gave
twenty-five dollars" 'No," says the buyer
n triumph; Il got it for fifteen dollars.
beat him down and pointed out the imperfec-
lions until really made him believe 1t was
aot worth hardly anything. 1t takes me to
make bargain. Hal Haw On, man, you
got the goods for less than they were worth
oy positive falsehood; and no wonder, when
Solomon went back to his place and had put
off his disguise, that he sat down at his writ
ng desk and made for all ages crayon
sketch of you: ut 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
The world than those now at the head or
merchandise in Brooklyn and New York and
n the other great cities Of this continent.
Their casual promise is as good as bond
with piles of coHaterals. Their reputation
,or integrity is as well established as that
If Petrarch residing in the family OF
Cardinal Colonna, and when there was great
disturbance in the family the cardinal called
Ill his people together and put them under
bath to tell the truth, except Petrarch, Tor
when he came to swear the cardinal put
lway his book and said: LAS to you,
eetrarch, your word is sufficient"
Never since the world stood have there
been so many merchants whose transactions
AN 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 temptations which have
iung msny so fiat and flung them so hard
:hey can never recover themselves. While
Ill positions in life have powerful bssetments
20 evil there are specific forms of allurement
which are peculiar to each occupation and
profession, and it will be useful to speak OF
she peculiar temptations o. business men.
First, as in the scene of the text business
men are often tempted to sacrifice plain
ruth, the seller by 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
If the value of the goods. He shows himself
10 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,
be gradually advances toward those OF more
thorough make and of more attractive pat
tern. How he watches the moods and whlns
Of his customer. With what perfect calm
aess he takes tho order and bows the pur-
chaser from his presence, who goes away
having made up his mind that he has bought
The goods at price which will allow him
living margin when he again sells them. The
goods were worth what the salesman said
they were, and were sold at price which
will not make it necessary for the house to
tail every ten years in order to fix up things.
But with what burning indignation we
think of the iniquitous stratagems by which
goods are sometimes disposed of. 3 glance
1T the morning papers shows the arrival at
one of our hotels of young merchant from
one of the inland cities. Heis a comparative
stranger in the great city. and, of course, he
must he shown around. and it will be the duty
If some of our enterprising houses to escort
him. He is a large purchaser and has plenty
Of time and money, aud it will pay to be very
attentive. The evening is spent at place of
doubtful amusement. Then they go back to
the hotel Having just come to town, they
must, of course, drink. A 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
FOL hl lich hr11n
are about to fail, and for such kindness and
mapnanimity of caution against the dishon-
esty of other business houses, OF course, 1t ls
expected they will, and so they do, take
drink
Other merchants lodging in adjoining
rooms find it hard to sleep for the clattsr OF
decanters, and the coarse carousal OF these
shall fellows we'll met wakes louder. But
they sit not all night at the wine cup. They
must see the sig ghts. They stagger 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 the steps of the carousers sound with the
rumbling thunders Of the damned Farewell
to all the sanctities of home! Could mother.
sister, father, slumbering in the inland
glimpse of the ruin wrought they would
Tend out their hair by the roots and
bite the tongue till the blood spurted,
shrieking out; "God save him"
What, suppose you, will come upon such
business establishments? aud there are hum
dreds Of them in the cities. They may boast
of fabulous sales, and they may have an I'M
precedented run Of buyers, and the narUe of
the house may be terror to all rivals and
from this thrifty root there may sprirg 6 up
branch houses IN other cities, and all the part
uers of the firm may move into their man
sions and drive their full-blooded span, and
the families may sweep the street with the
most elegant apparel that human art ever