The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-06-05
TnH onnIsrIAN MRRonANE.
a Fine sermon by Rev, q, NJ. Afford Last
Evening,

At the Third Presbyterian church
last evening the pastor, Rev. G. NJ. Al
ford, preached to u large congregation a
fine sermon on ''The Christian Mer-
chant" He took for his toxt Prov. g..
l8 and IA; Happy ia the man that
lndeth wisdom, and the man that
getteth understanding; For tho MGR
chandise of II is better than the mer-
chandise Of silver, and the gain thereof
than fine gold" .,.
The key word OF Proverbs, he said, is
"Wisdom." 1t is ranked far above gold
and silver and precious gems, This
wisdom is not merely u cultured mind
stored with knowledge OF history and
philosophy, but it is spiritual wisdom,
knowledge OF those things which per-
tain to the higher life, 1t is wisdom
not only OF the brain but Of the heart,
Our text compares the child OF God
seeking wisdom, to u merchant. This
comparison honors the merchant, be-
cause from Gods standpoint seeking
wisdom. is the highest, grandest and
most necessary employment in life.
Christ said, seek first the kingdom Of
God and His righteousness and all
other things shall be added unto you"
It is also honoring to the child OF God
to be compared to u merchant, because
the business OF q merchant Ia the most
honorable OF all business.
The business OF commerce is next to
husbandry in its antiquity. Zldon and
Tyre we're among the Oldest cities OF the
world and they were commercial citles
Isaiah speaking OF those who carried on
the trade OF Tyre said, 'Its merchants
are princes, and its trafickers the hon.
orable Of the earth" lie represents
them as the royal family OF the earth.
Royalty and government cannot sue
coed without them; they are compelled
to look up to them. Many times 1t has
been the case that parliaments and
cabinets OF Europe have waited to hear
what a jewish banker had to say on the
subject. Merchandise is tho most hon
orable business in which men engage
for two reasons
First. Because trading is mans pre-
rogativo.
It separates him from tho animal
Kingdom. Animals exhibit rare intelli-
genCe, but no animal over engaged in
buying or selling. Man alone Is n ira
der. 1t is a human business, not even
do the angels engage in 1t.
SeCond-It is also an honorable bust
moss, because it is the most useful occu-
patton. The merchant binds the hu-
man race together by being the medium
OF exchange. What produces the
friendly relations between our nation
and the nations OF Europe2 II Is con
merce. The merchants ships crossing
the soas bind nation to nation and con-
tinent to continent. What would we
care for reciprocity, or the all American
Congress. were 1t not for the trade we
wish to establish between tho United
States and other American .powersP
What does the American business man
care for the Chinese exclusion act, ex-
cept on the ground that retaliation
would ruin our trade with Gilman
Commerce makes the world very small,
and we are very near neighbors with
our antipodes.
The sails OF our merchants carry the
missionaries and Bibles to foreign lands.
Tho merchant has opened many doors
to the church, aud given the gospel an
entrance to heathen lands.
Wherein is the worldly merchant like
the spiritual merchant
I. The merchants business 10 pre-.
eminently u business OF faith. The
merchants all Is often times at hazard.
His goods arc out on the high sea, sur
rounded by the storm, they are crossing
the desert with savage tribes on every
side, they arc in perilous buildings, in
danger OF fire or robbery. Perhaps his
interests are in the hands OF agents he
has never seen, yet no has intrusted his
great fortune to them. The man who
loads the vessel with his merchandise,
putting it into the hands OF a captain
with whom DO is unacquainted, to be
carried over the high seas to q foreign
port, there to be handled by unknown
men, certainly must exercise o great
amount OF faith. Tho affairs OF men
hinge on confidence. Business cannot
be carried on unless we trust u fellow
men. Certainly 1t is u business OF faith.
So the Christian lives by faith. His
whole Christian experience Is anchored
in faith. The Christian trusts IL Saviour
he has never seen. He gains all his
knowledge OF this Saviour through
faith in a book, oven tho authors Of
which arc unknown to him. He be-
lieves the blood OF this Christ, ono drop
OF which no never saw, Is able to cleanse
him Of all his sins!
Through faith in this Redeemer he
expects to enter q heaven tho knowl-
edge Of which he has gained alone by
faith. Faith Is the keynote Of our re-
ligion. Salvation is gained by faith.
Good works arc not cnuses for saliva.
ton, but they are the fruits Of faith.
II. Tho merchant Is q man Of energy
and zeal.
The merchant is constantly toiling.
Unlike tho farmer his fortune does not
grow while no sleeps. While tho far.
mer rests at night tho fruits grow and
ripon, tho grain shoots forth from tho
earth, first tho blade, then tho stalk
and the golden head OF heavy grain.
His wealth is Increased by tho action OF
nature. Not so with tho merchant,
everything lie on a stand.still whom hN
Is Idle. Ho must always on the alert.
Tho market 10 often capricious; high
when he wishes to buy and low whom
no wishes ~ sell. Fashions change aud
his goods arc out Of style, fruits perish
and he meets with great losses. II no
succeeds at all no must be aCtlvo-busy
all the tlmo-watching tho opportunity
to take advantage Of favorable wind ind
tide.
So II takOs energy and zeal to carry OH
tho work Of Christ, Tho reason for 90
many stranded wrecks on tho shore OF
Christian liio 10 because Of tho lack Of
zeal for the cause.
Christians aro content TO 90 to
church once q week. In some congro.