Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1850-01-17

dulg; when in their iavorite realm !
Such being very prevalent habit Of society,
what can We expect but tina, out Of il should pro-
ceed much false speaking and actual violation OF
the truth In loose and careless and unreal
speaking there mu., be great deal OF positively
wrong speaking while its Indulgence naturally
leads on to, and opens the way for, the grossest
forms Of f,lschood. L., us notice, briefly, some
Of those ways in which the truth is departed from,
the speaker having but little apprehension Of the
true nature Of his fault.
TIE begin, then, ,---how many are the irorfis"
which are made, without distinct and settled de-
termination to fulfil them. Do you say, there is
that determination existing when the word is
passed, but that afterwards il becomes weakened
AMI finally imperative 7 Granting this, it does
not yet REMOVE the charge of too light estna-
ton Of the truth tor if we can ever become 80 in
different to our pledged word to forget its obli-
CATION, il argues that that word, to our minds,
was never clothed with that sacrcdness which is
the natural garb Of truth. But in general it will
appear, that such fixed and distinct determina-
ton was quite wanting, and only vague impress
sion formed, that if it was convenient and suited
our purposes, or fell in with wishes, the prom
isc should be kept and pc,formed. Perhaps a
single illustration may bring more forcibly to your
minds the failing Of which speak. man is in
debt. His creditor desires payment. Either be-
cause he is unwilling unable TO discharge his
obligation, he puts him off, promising at particu-
lar time TO meet his demands The time arrives,
the creditor appears, but the debtor is more
able to come to a settlement now than nc was at
first. The truth is, his promise given he had con-
cerncd himself no about it, till, on the appoint
ed day, he is awakened to a recollection of the
fact, bya voice saying to him, "pay me that
thou owcst." Had he becna man Of veracity,
lover Of the truth, one who felt the sacred nature
Of promise, he would not only have kept in mind
the word that he had pledged, but he would have
made every conceivable effor, to meet it in which
indeed he might have failed, yet not without good
conscience. How can we regard the debtor who
promises to pay, but yet puts forth no effort to en-
able him To fulfil his promise, simply delinquent
! cannot but regard him an untr,ahfd man also,
one who has forfeited his word, and violated his
pledge, and therefore not exempt from the heavy
charge Of filschood. This, say, will stand as an
illustration of this sort of departure from the truth
and from it you may judge Of the criminancss Of
all those who promise only to forget and disregard
their solemn word. For that word is solemn,
though spoken in familiar tones, so that II be
done in such way to create the impression,
that you really intend what you say. am aware
1, l., -,
treachcrouS memory; but taking even that into
consideration, there is far more of this kind of
false speaking than ought to exist in n Christian
community. Moreover, il our memory is trcach-
crous, are we not bound to cndeavor, at least to
remedy this defect, by greater attention and
thoughtulncss, and by the adoption Of such habits
as will either, in the course of time, remove it,
else amply compensate for it---as, for instance,
promptncss and punctuality, which will not suffer
us to procrastinatc what ought to be attended to
now
Fashood is often combined with other yiccs,
such as sidnicr. d. not refer now 10 deliberate
aud malicious SANDER, such would be cogni-
zablc in law, but that perverted description OF
character which is not uniroquently heard in 90
cial and familiar intercourse Since the minds OF
most persons not trained TO profound thought,
the general topics of conversation arc not so much
abstract subjects things and men, and most fire.
qncnly the latter. But in this, unless the great
est caution is used, how much danger is there Of
misrepresentation, otsaying that concerning neigh
Dor which is not strictly true. All are so eager for
something new and exciting, and interesting to the
natural mind, that the temptation is strong to re-
neat not only what we know, but also what we
have heard, and perhaps, too, much that we only
imagine. We are tempted to utter as fact what
would not dare swear to in court Of justice,
and where cannot positively assert to insinuate
and hint What at first we have only surmscd,
and published as such, we will very probably come
ere long to declare as almost ccrtain-our utterel
fincics coming back to our minds as very possible
or undoubted truths. Now VIC may speak OF evil In
our ncghbor without bcingeuilty of slander, for
that evil may exist and yet we should be careful
in what spirit we speak Of it. But put this
question to yourselves, whether in thus informally
dlsscctng character, when you come together,
there is not much said which, if sifted to the bot
tom, would be found to contain more that is doubt
rul and only surmscd, than what is certain and
absolutely known Now such pcrversion is, |
am aware, often made hccdes.ly, and without any
attempt to injnrc. But does this dvest it Of all
appearance Of evil Is it not still departure
from the truth, and---shall not call it--a false
hood Whatsocveris is not true must be false, and
therefore if We utter as true what we not sure
is truth, we must lie under the condemnation
speaking (to some cxtcn) falsely. Now the very
commonness Of this fault should arouse us to the
danger ofits commission. BY how much the more
general it is---so FAR from looking upon this an
excuse for, or cxtcnuaton of it---by much the
more should We fear it, and be on our guard against
incurring it, Let us remember that truth is sacrcd
at all times and in all places and that cannot be
guihlcss, so long as We oicnd- to the slight
est degree against its majesty For an idle pleas
urc, or a momcntary excitement, let us not run the
risk of involving ourselves in ono Of those sins,
which, because they arc " little" (as men say,)
are thereby the more lisbe to escape that repent
ancc, ON our part without which VIC have no true
life in us.
Again, We find filschood associated with fsi.
try. Indeed, it is impossible to fattcr without
saving what is false, or, at least conccaling what
is true. SANDER is uttered behind the back Of its
odcct, hattery to his face therefore in the for
NOR there is n magnityinr Of what IL evil and n