The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-08-12
Mtsrellaneous.
PATENT SERMON.
BY DOW, JR.
Pay the Printer.

Al the particular request OF the edltOr OF the
Railway Herald, will preach, on this occasion,
from the following text
If ye are honest, honorable men,
Go we and-pay the printer.
Ny HEARERS There are many seeming tri-
files in this world, which you are too apt to over
look on account Of their apparent unimportance
the neglect OF which has plunged thousands
into the deepest mire Of misery, and sunk their
characters into inextricable degradation. Among
those ostensible trhes, that of neglecting 10 pay
ones honest debts is the most common, and at
tended with the worst consequences. 1t takes
off all the silken furze from the fine threads of
teellng-creates sort of misanthropic GOODNESS
about the heart-skms off all the cream that
may chance TO rise upon the milk of generosity
and makes men look as savagey upon his
brother man dog upon one of his species
while engaged in the gratifying employment Of
eating his masters dinner. One debt begets
another. have always observed that he who
owes man a dollar is sure TO owe him a grudge:
and he is always more ready to pay compound
interest on the latter than on the former. Oh
my friends, to be over head and ears in love, is
bad predicament as person ought ever TO be
in but to be SO deeply in debt, that you can't
sleep of nights without being haunted by the
ghost of some Insulated creditor, it is enough TO
give man the hydrophobia, make him bite a
wheel barrow-cau it TO run mad, and create
general CONSERVATION among the lamp posts.
Ny dear friends-the debt that sits heaviest
on the conscience Of a mortal-provided he has
one--is the debt due the printer. 1t presses
harder on ones bosom than the nightmare-galls
the soul--frets and chaes every ennobling SEN
timent-squeezes all the juice Of fraternal sym
pathy from the heart, and leaves it drier than
the surface of a roasted potatoe. A man who
wrongs the printer out Of single cent can ne
yer expect TO enjoy comfort in this world and
may well have doubts of finding it in any other.
He will be sure to go down to the grave ere
Time shall have bedecked his brow with the
silvery blossoms OF age, and the green leaves of
hope will fall before the first bud of enjoyment
has expanded 1t is true mushrooms of peace
may spring up during the short nights Of forget
fitness, buthey will all wither beneath the scorch-
ing rays Of remorse. How cany you, my friends
ever have the wickedness and cruelty to cheat the
printer, when you consider how much he has
done and is every day doing for you2 He has
poured into the treasures of your minds some
of the most valuable gifts that any thing short
of God can bestow-aye, riches with which
you would not part for the whole world and a
mortgage on a small corner of heaven. With
the keys of magic, as il were, he has opened the
iron -cased doors of the human understanding
dispelled the darkness of ignorance, and lit up
the lamps of knowledge and wisdom That
mighty engine--the Press-is surrounded by a
halo of glory, and its ehulyence extends all over
the broad empire OF the mind, Illuminating the
darkest avenue Of the heart; and yet the print
er-the man who tolls at the lever of this soul
enlightenlng nstrument--ls often robbed of his
hard earned bread by those whom he has deli
vered from mental bondage and placed in pa
radse TO lay off and get fat upon the fruits of his
labors
Oh, you ungrateful sinners if you have a
heart mosteneu with tbs desss ef ,,ercv instead
of gzzards filed with gravel, take heed what
say unto you. If there be one among you in
this congregation, whose accounts are not settled
with the printer, go and adjust 1t lmmediately,
and be able to hold your head up in society, like
graife-be respected by the wise and the good
free from the torures of guilty conscience
the modification of repeated duns-and escape
from falling into the clutches Of those licensed
thieves, the lawyers. If you are honest and
honorable men, you will 90 forthwith and pay
the printer You will not wait for the morrow
because there Is no Tomorrow; II Is but a WIS
ionary receptacle for unredeemed promises an
added egg in the nest of the future; the debt,
or's hope, the creditors curse. If you are dis
honest, low minded sons of Satan, don't sup
pose you will ever pay the printer as long as
you have no reputation to lose-no character to
sustain-and no morals to cultivate. But, let
me tell you my friends, that if you don't do it
your paths to the tomb will be strewn with
thorns--you will have 10 gather your daily food
from brambles-your children will die OF the
dysentary and you yourself will never enjoy
the blessings Of health. | once called on sick
person whom the doctors had given up as gone
case. | asked him if he had made his peace
with his maker2 He said he thought he had
squared up. | inquired if he had forgiven all
his enemies He replied, yes. | then asked
him if he had made his peace with his print
err He hesitated for a moment, and then
said he believed he owed him something
like about two dollars and fifty cents, which he
desired to have paid before he bid goodbye tc
the world His desire was immediately graf
fled and from that moment he became conea
escent. He is now living in the enjoyment o
health and prosperity-at peace with his owl