Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-08-03
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
BUYERS AND SELLERS" LAST
SUNDAYS SUBJECT.
1t Is Naught, 1t Is Naught sayeth
the Buyer, but When He Is Gone
His Way, Then He Boasteth"-Proy.
20: IA.
Copyright 1899 by Louis Klopsch.)

l
only time kings and queens come forth
from the royal gates is in procession
and sorgeously attended, you are mis-
taken. lncognitio, by day or by night
and clothed in citizens apparel. or the
dress OF a working woman, they come
out and see the world as it is. In no
other way could King Solomon, the
author OF my text, have known every
thing that was going on. From my
! text, | am sure he must, in disguise,
some day have walked into a store of
ready made clothing, in Jerusalem, and
stood near the counter, and heard Il
conversation between buyer and a
seller The merchant put a price on a
coat, and the customer began to dicker
and said: absurd. that coat is not
worth what you ask for it. Why, just
| look at the coarseness of the fabric !
See that spot on the collar! Besides
that, it does not fit. Twenty dollars
for that? Why, it is not worth more
than ten. They have better article
than that, and for lower price, down at
Clothem, Fitem & Brothers. Besides
that, | don't want it at any price. Good
morning." Hold" said the merchant;
do not go off that way l want to
sell you that coat. | have some pay
ments to make and | want the money.
| Come, now, how much will you give
for that coat?" Well" said the Gus
toner, Il will split the difference.
You asked twenty dollars, and | said
| ten. Now, | will give you fifteen.
WELL said the merchant lit is a
| great sacrifice, but take it at that
| price, Then the customer with a
roll under his arm started to go out
and enter his own place of business,
and Solomon in disguise followed him.
He heard the customer as he unrolled
the coat say: Boys, | have made a
great bargain. How much do you guess
| gave for that coat?" Well" said
one, wishing to compliment his enter
! prise, you gave thirty dollars for it, -
Another says, Il should think you got
it cheap if you gave twenty-five dol
lars" "No," said the buyer, in tri-
umph, 81 got it for fifteen dollars. I
beat him down and pointed out the
imperfections, until l really made him
believe it was not worth hardly any
thing. 1t takes me to make a bar
gain. Ha Ha" o, man, you got the
goods for less than they are worth by
positive falsehood; and no wonder,
when Solomon went back to his palace
and had put off his disguise, that he
sat down at his writing desk and
made for all ages a crayOn sketch Of
I you. 1T is naught, it is naught, saith
the buyer, but when he is gone his
. way, then he bOasteth."
There are no higher styles of men in
all the world than those now at the
head of the mercantile enterprises in
! the great cities of this continent. Their
casual promise is as good as a bond
with piles Of collaterals. Their repu-
tation for integrity is as well estab-
ished as that of Petrarch residing in
the family of Cardinal ColOnna. 1t is
related that when there was great dis
turbance in the family, the cardinal
called all his people together, and pu.
them under oath to tell the truth, en-
cept Petrarch; when he came up to
swear the cardinal put away his book
and said: LAS for you Petrarch, your
word is sufficient" Never since the
world stood have there been so many
merchants whose transactions can
stand the test of the ten command
ments. Such .bargain-makers are all
the more to be honored, because they
have wthStood, year after year, temp
tations which have flung so many fiat,
and flung them so hard, they can never
recover themselves. While all posi-
tions in life have powerful besetments
to evil there are specific forms of al
lurement which are peculiar to each
occupation and profession. and it will
be useful to speak of the peculiar
temptations of business men.
First, as in the scene of the text
business men are often tempted 20
sacrafice plain truth, the seller by ex-
aggerating the value of the goods, and
the buyer by depreciating them We
cannot but admire an expert salesman.
See how he first induces the customer
into a mood favorable to the proper
consideration of the value of the goods.
He shows himself to be an honest and
frank salesman. How carefully the
lights are arranged until they fall just
right upon the fabric. Beginning with
goods of medium quality, he gradually
Of
ough make and of more attractive pat
tern. How he watches the moods and
whims of his customer! With what
perfect calmness he takes the order,
and bows the purchaser from his pres
ence, who goes away having made up
his mind that he has bought the goods
at price which will allow him a living
margin when he again sells them. The
goods were worth what the salesman
said they were, and were sold at price
which will not make it necessary for
the house TO fail every ten years in or
der to fix up things.
But with what burning indignation
we think of the Ubiquitous stratagems
by which goods are sometimes disposed
of. A glance at the morning papers
slows the arrival at one of our hotels
of a young merchant from one of the
! inland cities. He is a comparative
stranger in the great city, and, of
course, he must DE shown around, and
| it will be the duty of some of our en-
terprising houses to escort him. He is
large purchaser and has plenty of
! time and money, and it will pay to be
very attentive. The evening is spent