Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-03-11
FOR THE DRUMMERS.
Dr. Tslmage breaches to the Army
Of Commercial Travellers.
Cautions Them TO start Right en-
Their Journeys-cOndemn work
en- the ssbbath-The Duty
OF Employers.


and their opportunities; text, Nahum
"a. The chsriots shall rage in the
streets: they shall justle one against
another in the broad ways; they shall
seem Ike torches; they shall run like
the ligbtnings."
II has been found out that many Of
the arts an6 discoveries which we sup
posed were peculiar 20 our own age are
merely the restoration Of the arts and
discoveries OF thousands OF years ago.
I suppose that the past centuries have
forgotten more than the present cen
tury knows II seems 20 me that they
must have known thousands OF years
ago. In the days Of Nineveh. Of the uses
Of steam and its application 20 swift
travel. IN my text I bear the rush OF
the rail train. the clang Of the wheels
end the jamming OF the car couplings.
The chsriotS shall rage In the streets;
they shall justle one against another in
the broad ways; they shall seem like
torches; they shall run like the Light
ninRs."
Have you ever taken your position in
the night far away from a depot along
the track waiting 20 see the rail train
come al full speed2 Al hrst you heard
IN the distance n r-umbling like the com
ing OF a storm; then you saw the fash
Of the hesdlighs Of the locomotive as it
turned the curve; then you saw the
wilder glare Of the fiery eve Of the
train as il came piunging toward yOus
then you heard the shrek Of the whis-
tie that fren zied all the erhOes; then
you saw the hurricane dOsh Of cinders;
then you felt the jar OF the passing
earthquake and you saw the shot thun-
derbolt OF the express train. Well. ~
seems that We can hear the passing OF
a midnight express train in my text.
The chRriots shall rage in the streets;
they shall jusEe one agaiDs- another
in the broad ways. they shall seem lake
torches; they shall run like the light
nings."
halt the train long enought 20 get on
board. and go through the cars. and
find tssree-fourths Of the passengers are
commercial traveller They are folk
peculiar 10 themselves. easily recog-
ni1ed, at home on all the trains. not
startled by the sudden dropping OF the
brakes. familiar with all the railroad
signals. can tell you what is the next
station. how long the train will stop.
what place the passengers take lunch
con al. can give you information on al
most any subject. are cosmopolitan, At
homo everywhere from Halifax 20 san
Frsncisco. They are on the eight
O'Clock morning train. on the noon
train. on the midnight train. You take
berth in a sleeping car. and either
above you or beneath you is one Of these
gentlemen. There are 1OO. 900 professe6
commercial travellers in the United
States, but SOC. 900 would not include al
those who are sometimes engaged in
this service. They spend millions OF
dollars every day in the hotels and in
the rail trains. They have their ofticia
newspaper organ. They have theii
mutual benefit association. about 4.0OC
names on the rolls. and have already
distributed more than 100000 amOns
the families OF deceased members
They are ubiquitous. unique and tire
mendous for good or evil. All the ten
dencies Of merchandise are towarC
their multiplication. The house tha
stands back on its dignity and wait
for customers 10 come instead Of goinl
20 seek bargain makers will have NOR
aud more unssla Die goods on the shell
and will gradually lose its control o
the markets. while the great, enterpris
inr and successful houses will hav
their agents on all the trains, an
"thsir chariots will rage in the streets
they shall justle one against anothe
in the broad ways; they shall seem hk
torches; they shall run like the light
nings."
I think commercial travellers ca
stand q sermon OF warm-hearted syn
pathy. II you have any words of goo
cheer for them. you had better utte
them. II you have any good, homes
prayers IN their behalf. they will b
greatly obliged TO you. / never knee
man yet who did notl like 10 Le praye
for. / never knew a man yet that di
not like TO be helped. II seems 10 n,
this sermon IL timely. Al this seaso
OF the year there are tens Of thousand
of men going out 20 gather the sPrin
trade. The months of February an
March In all our commercial esta'
iishmsnts are very busy months In
fev days our national perplexities wi
be settled, and then look out for n
brightest ten years Of national prospe
ity which this country has ever wi
nesed. All our astute commercial me
feel that we are sta nding at the openir
gate Of wonderful prosperity. Let Il
manufacturers put the bands {
their whseis. and the merchants open
rsw set Of account books IN place