The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-04-16

elers' Association OF
Richmond, Va.
The following sermon was preached
recently<by DIR. VIM. III. Landrum,
pastor fof the Second Baptist Church,
TO the members of the Travellers
PrpdZctiye Association I'm Richmond,
Va. fCis an admirable sermon, sug-
Sgestiye and thoughtful, and Astounding
In sound advice and valuable instruc-
tiOn for the drummers as well as
others.
"Behold now there is in this city a
man of God n y \ y ~peradventure
he Gan show US our way that we should
go.p Il. Samuel, TX, 81
Saul was in perplexity about u bust
ness matter; he was In doubt whittier
to direct his steps, when d comrade
suggested that they consult u preacher.
He did just that thing. Saul's spirit
is illustrated In the disposition OF the
Travellers Protective Association.
You come into Gods house voluntarily,
as reyerent men, to hear what his
servant may hive to say to you upon
the way you should go through earth
to Heaven. Right welcome are you
In the name Of the Lord. Right happy
am [ that your kind Partially, which
l highly appreciate, affords me an
opportunity TO speak to you words Of
sympathy, encouragement, commenda-
ton, counsel, hope, and cheer.
The public, as you are aware, makes
merry over your calling. The press
gives you names that are good natured
ly censOrious-haif smile, half sheer
Street-corner wits style you knights
OF the Grip" /" Angels of Commerce."
"Commerical Missionaries" "COsmo-
politics." Commercial Tourist" and
L know not what. They are disposed
to impute to you certain traits OF
character and certain marks OF deport-
ment which are not very compliment
tary. Over against these criticisms,
which are often ludicrous car~icatures,
L am prepared to advance u few facts
which entitle you to the respect and
good will of all serious minds.
Yours is a necessary calling. 1t
fills u place in modern commercial con-
ditions because there il a place for 1t.
No travellers, no trade. The house
! that stands back on its dignity and
'hYaits for customers to, come, instead of
&oAng out by its representatives to
seek bass'ains, will have mo- SahI more
unsaleabie goods on the shelf, and will
gradually lose it's control of the
market. Yours Is q numerous calling,
and is becoming more so every day.
There are about 200,0 600 commercial
travellers in this country. One million
persons would not include all those
who are sometimes employed in this
services. Yours is o useful vocation.
Your associates throughout the lane
and yourselves spend millions Of dollars
every day IN railroads and in the
hotels. 1t Is also an honorable calling.
The professions. the manufacturers,
the producers can claim no superiority
In this respect. In u commercial
country ike ours We may say rs did
the prophet of old concerning Tyre :
Its merchants are princes and it's
trafickers are the honorable of the
earth" 1t is a calling which shows
the spirit of brotherhood and benevo-
lence. Your associations, | learn,
distribute every year thousands of dol
lars among the families of deceased
members. More than all, what | am
to maintain tonight is the belief that
/, your vocation is not inconsistent with
W manly, consistent, and aggressive
piety. Your presence in Gods house
indicates thai you share the same
sentiments. You do not believe that
there is any war between business and
religion, between ledgers and Bibles,
between merchants and ministers
between counters and churches. You
do believe, on the other hand, that
religion of the right sort sharpens
mems wits, balances their judgments,
sweetens their tempers, strengthens
their wills and throws more velocity
into the revolving wheels of hard
work.
If | have correctly characterized
your calling, | ask to be allowed to
speak a few words Of caution. All
callings, the ministry included, are
beset with peculiar temptations, and
yours Is no exception to the rule.
Physlcal dangers encompass you the
lie you are compelled to lead strains
the bodies of men. Travel is not with
out its discOmforts, inconvenience
and accidents, and to these you are
constantly exposed. Trains start and
stop at ali hours OF the day and night :;
your eating and sleeping hours are
lrrc2ular; you breast ali sol Us of
weather ana encounter The shock of
sudden anu severe changes of
ture, passing in IL night from sunshine
and flowers 1nto IL land OF snow ana
Ice. Only souh9 and stalwart constltu-
lions can bear up\under the rough
wear and tear wnicNyou must expe.
rienee, and hen gcneraRy only IN early
mahhoou' A.
Moral dangers threaten you on
every hand. The temptations which
give them rise are ali the more seduc-
tive you spend so much Of
your time away from home. How
about that pack of cards in your grip
sack ? Is it well to take them along
with you? But you say there Is no
harm, in a pack OF cards" Why need
you carry them When you want
them you will find persons fully
equipped on all the trains and at all
the depOts. Besides there are Chris
tlan people, weak minded you may
call them, utterly narrow and pre-
JUDGED, If you Will, who do not like
cards. They do not like to associate
with persons who play cards, and they
do not like to trade with men who
play cards. Cards have black spots
ON them which are suggestive Of bad
associations, and red spots which
symbolic the blood cards often make
TO flow.
Is IL necessary TO carry u whiskev
flask along with you? You may saw
that it is very important when YOU are
absent from home and on the train
that you nave medicine which YOU
a TAX in case of sudden sickness.
Ia there no better medicine Or one.
at all events, which will do lust as
we'll? Is 1t not the case that your
profession, like all others, is disgraced
by too many men who wreck health,
honor, home, happiness and heaven
Itself by indulgence in what YOU take
only as a medicine? One thing is
certain, you cannot get trade by
treating" or IL you cannot get custom
except ny tipping glasses with some
body remember that the custom YOU
secure in that way will not stick. An
old commercial traveller gives IA bis