Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-03-17

moral duty and moral responsibility to man.
These passages contain a brief statement of
principles which pervade the word of God !;
and, what is exactly to our purpose, they teach
us the lesson, that sin is not TO be sought for
by US in contrariety TO any abstract principles
Of right and wrong, nor in opposition to the
public good, but simply that il is ''the trans
preston of the law,"--that is of the law of
God" Whatever is contrary to lis win, is sin;
and whatever is in accordance with his will, is
right. Whether he wills it because it is right,
or whether it is right because he wills it, is a
qEestion of little consequence to those who adj
NIT that he is the Author of all things and the
moral governor of the universe. His will is
law, and whatever transgresses that will, is
sin. We are bound to a strict adherence to
the law of veracity, because it is required by
his viii. If we search his word to learn the
moral character of Jehovah, we find that he is
ga God of truth, just and right. He keepeth
truth forever. His counsels of old are faithful
ness and truth. God is not man that he
should lie, neither the son OF man that he should
repent. The strength of Israel will not lie.
God is faithful. He abideth faithful. 1t were
impossible for God to lie. With whom there
is no variableness, neither shadow of turning"
IF our moral character is TO resemble his if
we are to ''be holy because he is holy" then
faithfulness and truth are indispensable. VIII
that Tod who is "of purer eyes than to behold
evil, and cannot look on iniquity," look with
favor on the liar and the covenant breaker
What says his holy word ''Thou shalt not
bear false witness against thy neighbor. '-Ex
20, l6. This is a general prohibition, which,
like all the others in the decalogue, points ont
the highest crime in that class of sins, yet in
cludes all others of lower grade. "Lying
lips are an abomnation to the Lord. Keep
thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking
guile: All liars shall have their part in the
lake that burneth with fire and birthstone,
which is the second DEATH" These are some
of the scripture declarations against the viola
ton of the law of Yeracity; and when we re-
member that he who forbids falsehood ofevery
kind ''has power to cast both soul and body
into he'll" we ought surely to fear him. Here
then is the reason why am obliged to keep
my world God requires it of all his rational
creatures, and threatens violation with end
less punishment.
If promises be thus solemnly binding, it be-
Secondly--In what sense they are TO be in
terpreted. DIR. Paley's rule, which is adopted
also by DIR. Wayiand, is this: "Where the
terms of promise admit of more senses than
one, the promise is to be performed in that
sense in which the promsor apprehended at
the time that the promisee received it" II
would not do to interpret promise in the
sense in which the proniser intended TO fulfil it
because expectations would be excited which
were never meant TO be satisfied; were this
the rule, deceptions without limit would be
practised. Neither would it be just to make &
promise in all cases binding as either the prom.
User or promsee alone understood it, for this
opens a door for frauds and evasions without
end. If this were the rule, no hard bargain OF
either side could ever be made binding. Hence
to avoid disputes, and to establish a uniform
and equitable rule, promise is made binding
in that sense in which the promiser knows thc
promisee understands it: in other words, &C
cording to the intention of the promiser, a
made known to the promisee. 1t is to be full
filed according to the expectation which WI
knowingly and voluntarily excite; because
we excite expectation which we do not inten,
TO satisfy, and are aware of it at the time, it ]
our duty to correct it; If we do not, we ar
bound to fulfil our contract according to tina
expectation. For example little boy erie
to 90 with his father to town he promises
he viii stay at home he will bring him a neV
hat,-not really intending to do it, but onl
aiming 10 pacify the child. But the child III
derstands it to be bona fide contract, and az
cordingly stays at home. Now the father
bound to bring the hat notwithstanding he
not intend to do it at the time, because he knoa
the boy expects it, from the manner in whiC
the promise is made. AS this is an importal
point, and one on which numerous conseque
ces depend, let me illustrate it farther. A cor
mander sends word to garrison he is besei
ing, that if they will surendery not hair
their heads shall be hurt. They take him
his word, and surrender-when behold,
: shuts them up and starves them to death.
keeps his word to the letter, for their hair Is
interrupted, and is yet guilty of the basest falls
y hood; because he knows they understand h
D to mean that their lives and persons shall
II protected, and on that condition, surrend
. Again: A. promises to pay to B. one hundr
"a dollars on a certain day B. understands Il
le it is to be punctuaIly paid,and makes his CALI
? lations accordingly; but A. makes men
II reservation, that if it is convenient he viii r
Ut it then, and if not, that he viii make B. wait
TO own good time. Now in what way is t
IN promise binding! As A. intends, or as B. und
OF stands it, Undoubtedly the latter; because
a voluntarily and knowingly excites his exp
ne tation of receiving his money at the time spt
ne fed, and does not correct It. Perhaps if A. W
al to inform the other of his intention, he wo
~, not trade at all. Punctuality is a condition
th the contract, and A. is morally bound to m
- it, no matter what his intentions are at
Oh time of making it, presume the rule Of
ne terpreting promises which am trying to ii
= trate, win be admitted, without farther CT