Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-05-26
Erom az Cincinuati Garett..
OWE NO MAN ANY THING.

From a sermon on this text, by the
Rev. John r. Brooke, Rector OF Christ
Church Cincinnati, we select the follow
ing passages:
The debts forbidden by the text, are all
those which in themselves violate the law
of love, or directly tend to such violation.
Many debts OF this general description
we may classify after the following man
ner, viz: Debts Of wilfH dishonesty
debts Of aparicious speculation Of
sanity--and debts of irprudeace. Let
US amplify each of these divisions. And
in doing so, we shall OF course be compel.
led TO leave much space to be filed by
our own reflections.
/. Debts of scilfM dishonesty. By
such we mean pecuniary obligations en-
tered into with no settled intention TO dis
charge them, or without the probable
means of satisfying them. To contract
debt with no serious intention of paying
it, is plain infraction Of the command
ment "Thou shalt not steal ?"-and the
man who does so deserves to be placed
on footing of moral honesty with the
common felon. Nor is it much less dis
honest to incur debt without the proba-
BILE means Of meeting it.
Q. Debts Of araricious speculation.
By speculation, we mean any bargain or
contract in which the chances, humanity
speaking, are against success, or even
where the probabilities are nearly baan-
ced. To procure the endorsement of a
neighbor to engage in such venture, or
even risk our own means 10 it when we
are in debt, SO as to leopard the interest
of creditors-is wrong. 1t is a violation
of the law OF love. 1t is not doing unto 9TH
ers as he would they should dounto him.
For to hazard the property of another in
a speculation without his full knowledge
and consent, is as contrary to sound prln-
ciple as it would be to take his funds to
gaming table, and there risk them for our
own avaricious gain. For all such spec.
ulation is but species of gaming: it pro.
duces and fosters the same restless, unea-
sy, insatate spirlt-a spirit which can in
no wise be harmonized with the temperate
benevolent spirit Of the Gospel. 1t is
admitted that in oil active commerce,
there must be more or less of risk and
consequent loss of time. But there is a
fair line of demarkation, between virtuous
commerce and and vicious speculation,
or between judicious investments and
hazardous experiments.
3. Debts of udniiy. By which, we
mean debts contracted or maintained for
the sake Of vain show-or TO crafty what
is called in the Scriptures the ''lust OF the
eye and the pride of life" How far op.
ulent Christians may indulge themselves
in such things as splendid mansions, ele-
CANT furniture and costly apparel, we do
not undertake to determine. But what
ever may be said Of the use of such lux
uries by those who have ample means,
the use OF them by persons of limited re-
sources, is clearly indiscrcet. And when
it either compromises or seriously endan-
gers the interest of creditors, it is an ag-
gravated trespass upon the principles OF
the text.
A. Debts of imprudence. By impru.
dence we do not mean that error in Judg.
ment TO which the best men are liable,
and which cannot be measured by any
moral rule but error arising from the
want of proper care or due consideration.
All such demonstrations in pecuniary
affairs has the nature of sin. But here,
under this head, we shall find many
"faults which so lean to virtues side
that it will be difficult to summon up cour-
ago to reprove them. For there are ma
nv Imprudent debts, proceeding from
generosity of disposition, or any impulslve
benevolence, which we find it hard to
condemn, even where it runs into excess.
Obligations Of this sort, frequently occur
in commercial communities, where en-
dorsements or suretyships are common.
But whenever, by such endorsements a
man seriously affects the interests OF third
parties, or even the welfare of his own fam.
! lily, he offends against the rule OF the text.
We grant that endorsements, suretyshlps
and. loans, fairly rank among Christian
charities, and that they ought not in all
cases TO be Stunned. by those who are en-
gagged in worldly affairs. Nay, such oblI'
cations are rot only among the neighborly
reciprocities of life, but they are the vehi-
Giles of commerce-active trade could not
we'll be carried on without them. But
when irnprudence is made charloteer,
there is more danger ofdrIvlng over the
best interests Of socIety than OF protect
ing or promoting them.
A FEW HINTS TO KEEP AWAY HARD