Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-12-05

oil MS nedrt anu HIS HetgftOOT Us HtWSeD.
Men are inclined to extremes. When
they see an evil or corrupt set of men, and
engage in the work Of reformation, they too
often discard everything believed and prac-
ticed by that class of men, without exam
ination as to the right or wrong in the case.
Many, who doubtless are real christians,
having seen the errors of the self-righteous,
have endeavored to avoid the evil in which
they are involved, and in doing so have
thought too little of strict integrity,-be-
cause the self-righteous man makes his
religion to consist chiefly in strict honesty
or fair-dealing in his intercourse with men.
The selG-righteous do not from the heart
obey God. They seek the applause Of men,
rather than the honor of God-deal honestly
with men, and rob God Of that service
which they are required to render to him.-
But we are not, because the religion of the
self-righteous consists in honesty. 10 discard
this important duty, and neglect it in our
practice. If we do so we bring reproach
upon the religion which we profess. AT
the same time that we would sedulously
avoid the making our whole religion TO
consist in fair dealing with men, we should
be careful to practice this important part of
the religion which we profess, without
which we can hardly hope we are chris
tans.
1t will be my object in this discourse
l. To point out some Of the dishonest
practices of men; and
II. To show their evils.
!. Let US consider some of the dishon-
est practices OF men.
l. Writing a letter on your own business
and sending it to friend. without paying
the postage.
Whoever sends letter to another in this
way, compels that person TO gire him the
postage, and robs him of the amount. But
letters in this way. They are not only
required to pay the postage, but perhaps in
obliging the writer of the letter, and an
swering his request, are required TO transact
some business, or grant some other favor,
and write and send and answer. The Pub
Usher Of the VT. Telegraph recently receiv-
ed letter from Charleston, N. H, postage
unpaid, requesting him TO send two numbers
of his paper. In this case, the author Of
the letter requested favor worth 8 cents,
!. and compelled The Publisher 10 pay 10 cents
more for the sake Of granting it. That is,
, he begged cents, and robbed 10 cents,
leaving the Publisher minus Is cents.*-
There are ministers in this State who
have received anonymous letters, postage
unpaid. These letters contained the most
: abusive language. and were probably indited
by spirit from the bottomless pit. One d
i those ministers paid postage on such letters
e 10 the amount OF ST. 90. Now the write
:. not only abused that minister in his letter
e but robbed him of 81 90; for Amos Kendall
o must have his pay for carrying letters, what
: ever they are worth. If one man wishes t
d abuse another by letter, he ought 10 defra,
o the expense of carrying the letter.
l. 2. Carrying 10 mill a certain quantity @
e grain, and representing the quantity as les
ir than it is.
of 1t is almost universal custom put u
the toll orer the quantity you tell the mi
Ter you have. This is so common that fe'
OF regard it as dishonest. They have bee
IN trained to it from childhood. But whoevt
considers the subject will see that it is NJ
d! right. The Law has fixed the amount Il
We miller shall have for grinding. If you Ell
us gage him to do your work for less than Il
Ie law allows, you may be honest, II II
SO fairly understood. But it is not right
re business transactions to deceive. do &
no assert that it is your duty TO measure 20
q grain when you carry il to the mill; but
as you make any pretence to telling how mn
le- you have, tell the truth. Not 50years sine
nd a miller and his wife were conversing abe
ne The universal practice Of lying, as practic
no by their customers, about the measure
ak their grain. Said the wife, "There is \
'g, -, do believe he is an honest ~.
zee Everybody calls him honest" Well ?.
IN the husband, we will try him. In {
ny days the honest man came TO mill, q
SO voluntarily told the miller he had brou,
en- two bushels OF grain. Il was poured j
- the hopper and found to be 2 l.2 bushels
"n, The miller called his wife 10 witness
Of deception. "There," said he, ais y
der honest mans grist, and that's the way v
nfol n, a. -.