The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-04-25
TALMAGE. TRADE.
He says it is Hard Work to
Be Honest and Make
Any Money.
How the Guileless Country
Merchant is Treated
in Town.

the Academy of Music this morning DR.. Tai.
mage, announced az his text Proverbs xx.,
IL: ut il naught, It is naught, saith the
buyer; but when he is gone hts way, then he
boasteth." Following 10 his sermon in full:
Palaces are not such prisons as the world
imagines. Ifyou think that the only time
kings and queens come forth from the royal
gates is in procession aud gorgeously at
tended, you are mistaken. lncoRnito. by
day or by night, and clothed In citizens ap.
parel or the dress of a working woman they
come and see the world as it ia. 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 dis.
guise, some day have walked into store
OF rendy made clothing, in Jerusalem, and
stood near the counter and overheard q con-
versation between buyer and q seller. The
merchant put n price ON coat, and the GUS
toner began to dicker and said, absurd!
that cont is not worth what you 1.k for It.
Why, just look at the coarseness Of the fa.
hricl See that spot on the collar! Besides
that, it does not fit. Twenty dollars for that?
Why, it isn't worth more than 10. They
cheaper price. down at Clonthem, Fitem 4
Brothers Besides that, I don't want II at
any price. Good morning" Hold" says
the merchant, don't go of in that way. I
want to sell you that coat. have some pay
ment to make aud want the money. Come
Well" says the customer, II will split the
Now, i will give you sl5" We'll" says the
merchant, sit'a a great sacrifice, but take it
ut that price" Then Solomon saw the Gus.
toner with roll under his arm start
md go out and enter his own
followed him. lie heard the customer Is hs
unroled the coat say: Boys. have made
gave for that coat?' "Weli," eays one.
wishing to compliment his enterprise, "you
gave $40 for it." Another says, Il should
think You got 1t cheap il you gave &25. Z"
SIS ! beat him down and pointed out the
imper:ections until really made him believe
it was not worth har.ily anything 1t takes
me to make a bargain. IIn! Hal" oh man.
you got the goods for lesa than they were
worth hy positive ialsehood; and no wonder.
when Solomon vent back to his palacs and
put on his disguise, that no snt down ut his
writing desk and made for all ages crnyon
sketch of you: '.it is naught, it is naught,
smith the l,uyer. but when he is gone his way
then he bonsteth."
There are no higher styles of men In nll the
world than those now ut the head OF mer.
chandse in brooklyn and New York and in
the other great cities ofthis continent. Their
casuai promise IL as good as q bond with
piles Of collaterals. Their reputation for In.
tegrity is as we'll established ns that Of
l'ctrarch residing in the family OF Cardinal
ColOnna, and there was great disturbance in
the family the Cardinal called his Jaopls to.
getler. and put them under oath to tell the
truth except Petrnrch, for when he cnn,e up
n rfi uAl mt a. t,0n
and said: AS to you. Petrarch. your word
liz sufficient. Never since the world stood
have there been many merchants whose
transactions can stanh the test Of tho ten
commandments. Such bargain makers are
all the more to- be honored because they have
which have flung many 90 fiat, and flung
them so hard. they cnn never recover them.
selves. While all positions in life have pow
erful beRetmentsto evil, there are specific
forms of allnrement which are peculiar to
each occupation and profession, and it will
he useful to Bpenk of the peculiar temptations
Of business men.
First, as in the scene of the text, business
men are often temple 4 to sacrifice plain TRUTH
:he seller hyexnggcrating tho value Of goods
and tho buyer by dpprociating them. We
cannot but admire an expert salesman. See
how lie first induces he customer into mood
favorable to the proper consideration Of the
an honest and frank salesman. How care
fully the lights nrs arranged till they fall just
right nhove ;hefnbric! beginning with goods
OF medium quality, he gradually advances
toward those of more thorough make. and
of more attractive pattern. How lie watches
tho moods nmi whiIns of ofhiscustolner! With
what perfect calmnrss lie takes the ORDER
and bows the purchaser from his prese nee.
who goes nwny having made up his mind
that he has bought the goods at price
which will allow him q living
margin when he again sells them.
The goods were worth what the salesman
sai,l they were. and were sold ut n price
which will not make it necessary for the
house to fnil every 10 years in order to fix NJ
things.
But Will, what burning Indignation We
think Of the iniIuitoua strategems by which
goods ire sometimes disposed Of. glance
at the morning pnpers shows the arrival ut
one of oar hotels of n young merchant from
one Of the inland cities, and. ni course, he
must he shown around, and II will lie the
duty of some OF our enterprisnx houses To
escort him. lie iva large purchaser and
has plenty Of time nn,l money, and it will
pay to be very attentive. The evening is
spent at n place of doubtful amusement.
Then they go back to the hotel. Havingjust
come to town. they must, OfcOurse drink.
A friend rom the same mercantile establish.
ment drops in, md usage md generously y Rng.
gcat that they must drink. business pros.
pects are talked over and the rangeri 10 warn.
ell agninst certain dilapidated mercantile es.
tablishments that nre about to fail, and for
such Kindness md magnanimity Of caution
against the dishonesty of other business
houses, oI course it Unexpected they willard
SO they do-tley take n drink. Other mer-
chants lodging in adjoining rooms find it
har,i to sleep or the clntter Of tlecanters, and
the coarse caroMsnl Of these hail fellows we'll
met" WAKES louder. hut they sit not all
night mt the wine cup. They must see the
ed and eyes bloodshot. The outer gates Of
hell open to let in t lie victims. The wings Of
lost souls fit among the lights. and tho steps
Oftha corousers sound with the rumbling
thunders of the damned. Farewell to all
the sanctitcs Of home Could mother, siater,
father, slumbering in the inland home, In
some vision OF that night catch q glimpse Of
the ruin wrought they would rend out their
hair by the roots and bite the tongue till the
blood spurted. sllrieking out: "God save
him!"
What, suprose you will come upon such
business establishments? and there IRE hun
dreda ..f hem in the cities. They may boast
Of fabulous snles. nni they may have On un.
precedented run Of buyers. and tho name Of
the house may lie q terror to all rivals, and
from thia thrifty root there may spring up
branch houses in other cities, and ali the
partners Of the firm may move into their
mansions and drive their full hloodcd spnn.
and the families may sweep the street with
the most elegant apparel that human art
ever wove, or earthly magnlAcencs ever
achieved. But IL curse IL gathering some
where for those men, and IL It does not seixs
hold ofthe IhlInrs and in one wild ruin bring
down the temple Of ofcommercial glory, it will
break up their peace and they will tremble
with sickncssrs and b!oat with dissipations,
and, pushed to the precipice of this life, they
will try to hold hnck. and cry for heln hut