Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1897-07-28
SERMON To CLERKS.
Gougers, Swindlers, Cheaters, Adult
terators and smbezzlers,
All WIN Go Down In tho Avalapcb, of
Destruction-Thcn Honest Clerks VIM
Have Their Day In the Beautiful
Realm boy ond the SKY

III. lalnages text Sunday was:
Act xvi, IA: "And n certain woman
named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the
city of Thyatira, which worshiped
God, heard us; whose heart the Lord
opened Prov. xxi, 20: "Seest thou
a man diligent in his business? he
shall stand before kings
The first passage introduces to YOU
Lydia, Christian mcrchantcss. Her
business is to deal in purple cloths or
silks She is not "A giggling nonentity.
out n practical woman, not ashamed
TO work for her living All the other
women of Philippi and Thyatira have
been forgotten, but God has made inn
mortal in our text Lydia, the Christian
saleswoman. The other text shows
you n man with head, and hand. and
heart, and foot all busy toiling on up
until he gains n princely success.
Seest thou man diligent in his busi-
ness? He shall stand before kings"
Great encouragement in these two
passages for men and women who will
be busy, but no soiacc for those who
are waiting for good luck to show
them. at the foot of the rain bow. a
casket of buried gold. II Is folly for
anybody in this world TO wait for
something to turn up. 1t Will turn
down. The law OF thift is as inexora-
BILE as the law of the tides Fortune.
the magician, may wave her wand in
that direction until castles and palaces
come, but she will after while. in
vert the same wand, and all the spIeu-
doris will vanish into thin air
There are certain styles of behavior
which lead TO usefulness. honor. and
permanent success, and there are GER
tain styles Of behavior which lead to
dust, dishonor, and moral default |
would like TO fire the ambition OF
young people. l have no sympathy
with those who would prepare youn,r
folks for life by whiting down their
expectations. The man or woman will
be worth nothing TO church or state
who begins life cowci down. The
business of Christianity is not to
quench, but to direct human am.
bition. There it is that l utter
words OF encouragement to those
who are occupied as clerks in
the stores, and shops, and bankiur |
houses of the country. They are not |
an exceptional class. They belong to a |
great company of tens of thousands |
who are in this country, amid circum-
break them for time and eternity.
Many of these people have already |
achieved a Christian manliness and a |
Christian womlnliuess which will
be their passport to any /
position. l have seen their trials / |
have watched their perplcxities. There |
are evils abroad which need to be
hunted down, and dragged out into /
the MONDAY light.
In the first place, | council clerks to /
remember that for the most part their /
clerkship is only a school from which |
they are to be graduated 1t takes |
about eight years to get into one of the
learned professions. 1t takes aboutci eight
years TO get TO be Il merchant. some
of you will be clerks all your lives.
but the vast majority of you are only
In transient position. After a while.
some December day. the head man OF
the firm will call you into the bacl, Of
fee, and they will say to you. Now.
you have done well 10y US: we are po-
ing to do well by you. We invite
you to have an interest in
our concern. You will bow
TO that edict very gracefully
Getting into a street car 20 60 home.
an old comrade will met you and say.
What makes you look so happy to-
night?' oh, you will say, .'nothing.
nothing. But in a few days your
name viii blossom on the sign. either
In the store or bank where you are
now, or in some other store or bank.
you will take a higher position than
that which you now occupy. So feel
l am now addressing people who will
vet have their IA nd ,,, E. /
worlds commerce, and you will turn IL
this way or that; now clerks but 20 be
bankers importers, insurance company
directors, shippers, contractors. super
intendents OF railroads your voice
mighty "on change standing fore
most In the great financial and relig-
ious enterprises of the day. For.
though we who are IN the profession.
may, on the platform plead for the
phllanthrOpIes. after all. the mcr-
chants must come forward with their .
millions 90 sustain the movement
Be therefore. patient and diligeut In (
this transient position You are now .
where you can learn thing, YOU can
never learn in any other place. What .
you consider your disadvantages are
your grand opportunity You see am
ahilcnt father some day come down a
prominent street with bis SON
who has just graduated from the
university and establishing u.m Ig
business. putting 5000 OF car.- .
tai iu o.. store Well YOU arr,
envi9us You says yu. H only
had chance l.se that young man
IL ] only had father tY rut sl0UJ
in bushes, f1r ma chen would
q"