XXVII. TRADES. THE old Semitic proverb, "Whoever does not teach his son a trade, is as if he brought him up to be a robber," is a sentiment widely prevalent among Orientals. There is a saying in Damascus, told by a native, "to be master of a trade is like a band of gold about the arm." Skilled manual labor, therefore, is counted worthy and honorable. A learned professor even may sometimes be found in his workshop devoting part of his time to watch-making or as a jeweler. 309. Honorable and Humble.-There are some exceptions to this. The trade of the shoemaker, or tanner, is not highly esteemed. If you ask such a person what his occupation is, he will apologetically reply, "May God exalt your state, I am a shoemaker"; or, "Saving your presence, I am a cobbler.' In keeping with this sentiment, all tradesmen try to have boys or inferiors to do the coarser work. A cook must always have a scullion; just as with us, a bricklayer or mason must have a hod-carrier, so in the Orient. 310. Master Craftsmen.-Large industries in some cities, such as silversmiths, have a master craftsman, who may attain great influence. Mr. Haddad, a native Syrian, speaks of such a person elected as a ruler, or arbitrator, over those in that trade. He may be recognized by the government, and so be entitled to test the gold or silver articles manufactured, and to stamp them as pure or up to the proper standard of purity. He will represent his fellow craftsmen in courts, and be responsible for their protection and for their behavior, and may arbitrate their disputes. Such a master craftsman was Demetrius among the silversmiths of Ephesus.2 The silversmiths make rings, bracelets, necklaces, ear-rings, nose-rings, set precious stones, make crowns or coronets, girdles of varied design, gold and silver bands for the ankles, with little silver bells attached, and all shapes and forms of beautiful jewels and jewelry which the Oriental artisan so skilfully devises, including cups, lamps, curtains, candlesticks, altar pieces, and ornaments of every sort to adorn the person or to decorate the house. 311. Sit at Work.—All Oriental workmen sit while at work. An Oriental workman never stands if he can help it. The silversmith has a small anvil, vise, and a funnel-shaped furnace, a skin bag for bellows worked by two handles, and a boy to work them. The furnace is heated usually with charcoal. The smiths are skilled in the use of the blow-pipe. They are often very skilful in engraving, ornamenting, and chasing on silver and gold. 312. Pay in Advance.-Skilled and trained workmen in manual trades usually require pay in advance in the East. They have little or no capital, hence workmen like carpenters, masons, and stone dressers, after a very old custom, expect money to be provided. When the temple of Jerusalem was repaired in the reign of Joash, and again in the reign of Josiah, the narrative indicates plainly that the laborers and skilled workmen were paid in advance, not only for their work, but money was put in their hands to purchase the material for all those repairs. This old custom still lingers in the East, though it is gradually being displaced by the Western practice of contractors. Or, perhaps, it is more accurate to say that the older Babylonian plan of master builders, taking the responsibility of the work, is being revived among the more progressive peoples of the East. 1 313. Trades Guilds.-Trades unions are not common in the Orient, but trades guilds are. It is common for workmen of like occupation to herd together, to be grouped in quarters near to one another in Oriental cities. Thus, Aquila and Priscilla and Paul were of the same craft, "tentmakers," hence they 1 See 2 Kings 12: 11; 2 Chron. 24: 12. drifted naturally into the same quarter of Corinth, and became colaborers, not only in tent-making, but in gospel work.1 Guilds exist among the silversmiths of the Orient to this day. Similar guilds are formed by the fruiterers, drug-venders, and even muleteers and merchants, who gather in one corner, or stop at the same khan in a city, thus being together for mutual protection, information, and advantage, or are within call for this purpose. An 314. Tent-making.-Tent-making is still an independent and popular occupation in the East, and often has a special market for these articles. It was once a far more popular trade than now. It is said that many celebrated and learned men, and even kings, preferred it to a life of ease or of amusement. Oriental king, after disposing of questions of state for the day, it is said, retired with his wife to a humble room in the palace, and together they would weave baskets of palm leaves, and send them secretly to market for sale. No one who sold or bought them knew who made them. 315. "Bargains."-The "bargain counter" and "bargain shop," that lowers the dignity and degrades the ethical and social ideals of the best trade in civilized lands to-day, had their earlier counterpart in the Eastern bazaar. Any person is regarded as "green," if not idiotic, who would pay what is asked for any article in an Eastern shop. The salesman there always asks a price he never expects to get, and the buyer never expects to pay. The original price is lowered once, twice, thrice, so that for what a hundred was asked, thirty is often accepted with perfect satisfaction. Such is the perverted and deep-seated character of this bargain business in the Orient that no purchaser is ever sure that he has not paid too much for what he buys. No matter what he buys, the price must be reduced to make a sale, even if it is the merest trifle; in the price, though trifling, there must be a reduction. It is thoroughly debasing there to the morals and to the honesty of buyer and seller. Native workers in colored cloths, like purple and fine linen, 1 Acts 18: 1-3 worn by persons of wealth and distinction, are being displaced in modern times, since these fabrics are now being largely imported and made by machinery. Payments are now made chiefly in coin, but barter and exchange are also widely prevalent in the Orient. Formerly in the East coins of gold and silver were weighed. This was like an inspection or test and to see whether the coins were full weight, as required by law. If short of weight, the coin would be refused, or discounted, and taken at its real value. 316. Basket Makers.—Basket manufacturers are plentiful in the East. The baskets are of three kinds: (1) the küffah, woven of palm leaves, and in the shape of a fez. It has two handles, one on each side, and one loop or handle is longer than the other. The longer loop is passed through the shorter one, so the basket is drawn together, partly closing it. This is used for provisions, and holds an amount about equal to our bushel. (2) The sell, made of bamboo or twigs, resembling rattan, and shaped like a teacup. These are used for fish, fruit, grapes, or figs. It is much larger than the first-mentioned basket. (3) The large basket, or zembeel, made of palm, hemp, or flax, is used for grain. It is the largest basket of these three, and was probably the one used to let Paul down by the wall when he escaped from Damascus.1 The smallest, or hand basket, is the one that was used in gathering up the fragments at the feeding of the five thousand. The medium basket, number two, is the one that appears to have been used in gathering the fragments at the feeding of the four thousand.3 1 Acts 9:25. Matt. 14: 20. Matt. 15:37. |