Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1853-05-10
LIVING beyond OUR MEANs.

For the sake of appearance, to keep up dis
| play and make a figure in the world, multi
tudes adopt the vicious habit of spending more
than they earn. Pride and fashion exercise a
merciless despotism over their purses. The rich
in their abundance do not feel the burden; but
when the same thing is attempted by those in
moderate and humble circumstance, then "comes
the tug ofwar." Iu order to ape the attitudes
of wealth, they exhaust all their resources, and
even strain their credit till it is perfectly thread
bare.
There is much in the habits and customs of
society furnishes strong temptation to this
course-yet it is 4 serious evil. 1t is not right
as between man and man; it is an extrava-
gance that carries i'll its train pecuniary injus-
ticc. He who lives beyond his means must
supply the deficiency from the pockets of his
neighbors, very often upon the strength of
deceptive credit. His very display gives him
an appearance of affiuence that misguides the
judgment Cfothers. He knowingly passes him
self off for more than he is worth, and what is
this but species of fraud
There is Of course an end to this habit some
where; the commercial reputation of the indi-
vidual must finally be swampcd by the number
of his unpaid Indebtedness; yet the whole pro-
cess is one of dishonesty, even before this ca
tastrophe reveals it. No Christian ought to be
guilty of it. He not only disgraces himself
thereby, but also jeopards the reputation of re-
hgiOn among men.
1t is moreover very uncomfortable habit
He who lives above his means, generally owes
more than he can pay; and the farther he goes
the worse he makes his condition -Hebecomes
a stereotyPed borrower; pays one debt by con
tracing another; has great many debts to
pay--littie, petty, annoying bills scattered in
all directions, which he docs not know how to
meet They are constantly haunting him with
their unpleasant clamors they sacrifice his re-
putation, and give the community the Just i'm
preston that he is a poor pay-master. All this
must be source Of great inconvenience and
pcrpleXity, far too great to find an adequate
compensation in little meaningless parade
1t would be far wiser, involve much less fric-
ton of the nerves, to shine less and enjoy
more.
The temptations of the habit are both hume
rous and dangerous. 1t tcmpts a man to sa-
critcc his sense of honor, to place light esti-
mate upon his word, to be easy in promising
and very slow in fulfilling. His moral princi-
pies become loose, and pass into the state of de-
cay. His wants bribc him; and he is likely,
under the plea of necessity, to do what, under
other circumstances, he would not think of do
ing. Sometimes he is led to contract debts,
and then move away leaving them unsettled
and unpaid. Perhaps he runs his credit in
one place till he runs it out; and then docs the
same thing in another, till he finally runs HIM
self out.
He is tempted to acts of meanness, net to say
dishonesty, such as lodging his creditors, and
making promises which he does not seriously
expect to fulfil. His virtue is always taxed
and strained by his pride on the one hand, and
the Inconvenience OF his extravaganza on the
other; and between the two the path of plain
| and simple honesty is made very difficult. Sins
seldom 90 alone; one form of wrong general
ly leads to another; and hence he whose proud
heart requires what his lax ofconscience permits
is OH the highway of temptation. What he
may be led to do in certain crises made by his
folly, he cannot tell. He may be so severely
chafed and pinchcd, as even to he guilty of the
crime of murder.
And then again, he who consumes all and
more than all, for the purpose of display, of
course has not penny for the offices fcharity :;
he can give nothing to aid the poor, to pro
mote the public good, or disseminate the know
ledge of the gospel. He is always himself too
| poor for this work; and quite likely soothe his
| conscience and corrupts his heart with the plea
! of his own poverty. He would be glad to do
| something, but he cannot-he is so poor. Very
| true; but let him inquire into the reason of his
! poverty He lives too fast he spends too
much on himself and family; he keeps up more
parade than he he can support and this is the
chidf reason why he is unable to contribute to
the interests of charity and benevolence.
! How much more conmendable in the sight
of earth and Heaven Is that man who is econo-
mical and frugal that he may be liberal: who
| restraints his own passions from excessive indul-
gence, that he may devote at least portion OF
his substance to the cause of God and the inter
ests of philanthropy. His is a rare and valua-
bic virtue and when it shall be more common
in the Church of Christ, it Will be less difficult
to find the means for sustaining and enlargine
! all her institutions of floye.-EVGngeEist