Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-07-12
The NATIONAL PREACHER for .Apri

Will JUST anu SeueIOuS respect
The NATIONAL PREACHER for. April,
contains sermon by Rev. Nathan S. S.
Beman, on "Punctuality in tie payment
Of debts,"' which oughtto be read by every
Christian. After presenting variety of
motives for the faithful performance Of pc
cuniary engagements, and showing the
guilt of voluntary delinquency, he makes
the following remarks, which we COM
mend to the serious consideration of every
Christianity. Y. Eran
The honor Of religion IS concerned tn the
payment Of debts.
A promise, in business matters, whether
it is made in express terms or implied in
the very nature of the case, is sacred, and
imposes a moral obligation. To trit1e
with such promise, or to neglect atten-
ton to it, merel Y because it relates to Sc
cular affairs, is to set aside all moral rule,
and to make religion of no practical use
in the world. And yet it would seem,
that the want of punctualjty and the vio-
lation Of engagements, are too often view
ed as a mere matter of business-a kind
of protessiomoIthing. This spirit, at least
if we may Judge from the fruits, extern
siveIy pervades the community, and is
poisoning the fountain of moral feeling,
and producing torpor in the public con-
science 1t is to be feared, that many
good men are in some measure under its
influence. They may not be aware of the
fact; but, from some cause, they do not
cherish nice sense of obligation, in their
engagements which relate to small debts
They do not intend to be dishonest, but
they are negligent; and this defect in
Christian character, inflicts nameless ills
of which they are not fully aware. Those
which fall upon the creditor, have been
already recited. But the honor of Christ
should be esteemed dearer than the inter
ests or feeling of our fellow men. The
gospel is designed of God to make the
world better; to bring the heart unfair a
new influence; to establish upon the very
throne an efficient principle of moral ac-
ton; and thus to subject the conduct to
the rules of hol y living. Where this ef
feet is not produced, the gospel has not
done its peculiar and appointed work.
Christian principle will lead to Christian
acts. The tree will produce its own
fruit. We have beautiful comment on
the sentiment, in the context. Render,
therefore, to all their dues" "Owe no
man any thing.' Love worketh no i'll
to his neighbor; therefore, love is the full
filling of the law" To be thorough
Christian is to have an honest heart, and
to act it out; and when profession is not
followed up by practice, the gospel is dis
honored. and Christ is wounded in the
house of his friends" The eagle eye of
the world is upon Christians. They are
more closely watched IN their ordinary
affairs than in their religious duties
They are estimated by their conduct
Much is expected Of them, and they should
honor their religion. Punctuality is
Christian virtue; and if professors Of re-
igon are deficient in this; if they break
their promises and neg lect to pay their
debts, they bring dark reproach upon that
worthy name by which they are called.
They give occasion to others to say, that
religion is mere delusion, or that these
men are faithless to their own solemn
VOWS Let the Christians maxim be,
"Owe no man any thing but to love one
another"