The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-28

At the request or several persons
prominent in church affairs The Age.
Herald today reproduces the sermon
of DR.. Talmage which appeared in last
Sundays edition.
HICAGo. December IA plea for
more generous and kindly
- treatment of employees and
friends is made by the Rev. F. De Witt
Talmage in this sermon on the text
Proverbs XXX, A. ut is naught, it is
naught saith the buyer, but when he is
gone mis- way then he boasteth."
Do you see that Jerusalem gentleman
vending his way in and out among the
crowded booths and stores? Do you see
him stop and pretend to be examining
some article as though he were making
up his mind whether or not to buy? He
is, In truth, stopping TO hear conversa-
ton which is taking place between an
old Hebrew merchant and young man
who has just arrived, perhaps from the
far east with camels laden with large
assortment of expensive shawls We'll,
says the young man to the old merchant,
"how much will you give? I have put
every cent into this enterprise. L must
sell those shawls right away My credi-
tors are beginning to crowd n hard My
men want their pay right ae.a". Those
shawls are the best could get in the
east. They cost me $4,000 cash. 1 have
come a long distance with them, and you
certainly ought to give me enough to
meet my expenses" The old man shrugs
his shoulders. He says MY young
friend, do not care what those shawls
have cost you. They are utterly valueless
to me- 1 do not want them at any price.
The moths have got into some of them.
For my purposes they are ruined. Be-
sides that those shawls are all out of
style. They would be a perfect drug
upon the market. l wish you would
leave the shop. have a lot of business
to attend to, and l have no time to
waste"
The young inexperienced seller bites
his lip until blood almost comes. Then
he thinks of his wife and little babies.
He feels he Is staring ruin in the Ease.
He knows he must make sale right
away, else he will become a bankrupt.
He again says Cant you give me any
thing for those shawls?" The old mer-
chant at first says nothing. Then he an
swers: "WeIl, young man, you seem to
be in hard luck. l will give you $4,000
if you want me to take the damaged
goods off your hands" The tears begin
to start from the young mans eyes. He
is too brave to show them. He goes to
the corner of the street and stands there
for awhile to think. While he is there
the old merchants eyes follow him Then
the young man comes back at last and
IT Mill fol xyOt Offar
That means 1 must lose all the money
ever made in my life. That means L
will not only throw away six months
hard work. but that now am utterly
ruined Here is a receipt for the money.
Give me the money and let me go to
my tent and tell my wife we are both
ruined" Hardly has the young man left
when King Solomon, for he is the us
tener sees the old Hebrew merchant
begin to rub together his hands in glee.
A broad, sardonic smile overspreads his
merciless face. He calls to his partner
and says: Isaac, come here and see
these goods. Did you ever. see such beau
ties? Why, those shawls are worth at
least $40 900 clean profit. l never struck
a better bargain. That young man sim
ply gave them away to me. Just look
at them. Isaac. bought them for &c.
600. at least $4,000 less than they cost
I must go and tell Rebecca how much
we have made this morning. Forty thou
sand dollars clear profit Aha, who ever
would ever have thought the young man
could be such fool?" Is this not
rational Interpretation of my text, 1T Is
naught it is naught, saith the buyer,
but when he is gone his way then be
boasteth?'
The Meaning of Solomon.
While this conversation takes place be-
tween the deceitful old merchant and his
partner. methinks can see troubled
look come over the face of the disguised
King who is standing nearby. Methinks
can hear him solloquize: How con-
t emptible and depicaple is this wholesale
system of swindling depreciations! How
deceitful and damning 1t was for that
old merchant to despoil that young mer- |
chant. 1 must embody among my proverbs
for the benefit of all my people warm !
ing against this almost universal and sim
full habit" That night while the great |
king is sitting alone in his palace study, |
he takes up his pen and adds another |
sparkling benz to his casket of scintillat- |
ing Jewels of wisdom. 1 would interpret
the lesson of this text not only in the |
merchant parlance, but also in reference |
to the wicked depreciations of every walk
in life no matter where the sinful prac- |
tice may be found.
Discouraging depreciations are found IN |
the home as well as in the street by the |
domestic freside as well as in the Jeru-
salem stores, in the nursery as we'll as in
the public market place. In China it is
never considered gentlemanly or polite |
for a man to speak well of his relatives.
In America 1t is also the custom of some |
parents, brothers and sisters never 10 |
speak eulogistically to any of their dear |
ones, no matter how much they may be |
proud of them and their successes. They |
fear lest they should give them a con-
ceited idea of themselves and spoil them