Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-08-04
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
"BUYERS AND SELLERS" LAST
SUNDAYS SUBJECT.
ut l. Naught, 1t Is Naught Sayeth
the Buyer, but When He Is Gone
20: IA.
Copyright 1929 by Louis KIOpschl

WOTIu lmdSlneS. II you mink Inat the
only time kings and queens come forth
from the royal gates is in procession
and gOrgeOusly attended. YOU are mis-
taken. Incognitio. by day or by night.
and clothed in citizens apparel, or the
dress of working woman. they come
cut 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 Il buyer and
seller. The merchant put price on
coat, and the customer began 10 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 a better article
than that, and for lower price. down at
Clothem, Fitem & Brothers. Besides
that, don't want it al any price. Good
morning Hold" said the merchant:
edo not go off that way l want to
sell you that coat. l have some pay
ments to make and | want the money.
Come, now, how much will you give
for that cOat?" We'll" said the Gus
toner, Il will split the difference.
You asked twenty dollars, and l said
ten. Now. l will give you fifteen
We'll" said the merchant, lit is 4
great sacrifice, but take it at that
price" Then the customer with a
rol under his arm started to go out
Ind enter his own place OF business,
and Solomon in disguise followed him.
He heard the customer as he unrOlled
the coat say: Boys, l have made a
great bargain. How much do you guess
gave for that cOat?" We'll" 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. |
beat him down and pointed out the
imperfectiOns, until / really made him
believe it was not worth hardly any
thing 1t takes me to make a bar
gain. Hal Hal o. MAJ, you got the
goods for less than they are worth by
positive falsehOOd: and 10 wonder
when Solomon went back 20 his palace
and had put off his disguise. that he
sat down at his writing desk and
| made for all ages Il cray0n sketch 81
| you. 1T is naught. it is naught. saith
| the buyer. but when he is gone his
way. then he b0asteth.'
There are no higher sty,es 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 ii bond
| with piles Of collaterals. Their repu-
| tation for integrity il as well estaJ-
| lished as that of Petrarch residing i'll
| the family of Cardinal ColOnna. 1t is
related that when there was great dis
| turbance III the family, the cardinal
called all his people together, and put
them under oath to tell the truth, ex-
cept Petrarch: when he came up tC
swear, the cardinal put away his book
| and said: Gas for you Petrarch, youl
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 bargainmake are al
| the more to be honcred. because they
have withstood, year after year, temp
tations which have flung so many fiat
and flung them so hard, they can never
| recover themselves. While all posi-
| tons in life have powerful besetments
| to evil, there are specific forms of al
lurement which are peculiar TO each
| occupation and profession. and it vii
| be useful to speak of the peculiar
temptations of business men.
| First as in the scene of the text
| business men are often tempted <
sacrafice plain truth the seller by ex
aggerating the value of the goods, ant
| the buyer by depreciating them. We
| cannot but admire an expert salesman
See how he first induces the customel
into mood favorable to the proper
consideration OF the value of the goods
He shows himself to be an honest an(
| frank salesman. How carefully tn;
lights are arranged until they fall JUS
right upon the fabric, Beginning witt
goods of medium quality, he gradually
| advances towards those Of more thor
| Oueh make and of more attractive pat
| tern. How he watches the moods arc
whims of his customer! With WIZ
perfect calmness he takes the order
and bows the purchaser from his pres
ence, who goes away having made III
his mind that he has bought the good
at price which will allow him a Twin;
margin when he again sells them. Th'
goods were worth what the salesman
said they were, and were sold at a pric,
which will not make it necessary TO
the house to fail every ten years in or
der to fix up things.
But with what burning indignation
we think Of the Ubiquitous stratagem
by which goods are sometimes disposed
of. A glance at the morning paper
shows the arrival at one of our hotels
of a young merchant from one Of tn
inland cities. He is a comparative
stranger in the great city, and, o
course, he must be shown around, an'
it will be the duty of some of our en-
| tprDriSin0 houSpc IN escort him He i