The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-02-10
FIDELITY.


ly appreciated. The individual who is re.
liable and faithful at all times and under al.
circumstances whose word is equal to his
bond--whose statements can ALWAYS be do.
pended on, who in matters of duty or
friendship, never wavers or talters, is indeed,
the very soul Of honor. The faithful in all
the relations of life, are the honest. the
h'ghmin1ed, and the true. What, indeed,
Is more cs:imahle-what more valuable
than friend? One who is to be relied
upon as well in the hour of adversity as
IN that of prosperity-one who regards
truth and integrity as beyond all price, and
who considers treachery and falsohood as
among the meahest and basest Of vices.-
Not long since, a leading merchant of this
city, had occasion to so to Europe, with
the expectation of being absent something
like year. Connected with his counting.
room were three young men, Intelligent
and active. 1t was necessary, however,
for him to select one, for the purpose of
| transacting certain confidential business,
and experimenting three or four trusts Of
asomewhat serious character. He hesita,cd
for several days, and finally selected the
youngest.
This elected surprise from some Of his
friends, and he WAS asked for the rcason.-
His reply was that the chosen cetk had
been in his employment for something like
five years, and that although in many re
spccts he was not superior, if equal to the
others, yet he had never faItcred on any
occasion, WIS always depended upon, and
was remarkable for fidelity and reliability.
This course with him was a principle, and
the merchant said that he felt satisfied that
his interest would be as carefully watched
over by the young man in his absence as
in his presence. The virtue of fidelity is Il
noble one i'll every sense in which we NAV
consider it. Ia matters Of business or in
The affairs OF the heart, it is alike lnvalua-
bic. Let us suppose two parties engaged
in trade, and in the employment of like
powers to contract debts, to make pur
chases, to enter into and discharge ohl.a-
tons. How mutually arc these individuals
dependent upon each other. Each may he
sail to hold the de>tinics of the others in
his hands-lhcir lives and fortunes arc uni
ted i" some sense, and if they be not true
and faithful, the union is full Of peril In
this view therefore how important is fidelity.
1t Is the great essential, and without i. all
must DC anxiety, apprehension and distr,s,.
constant walcllfulncss is inevitable, an
""conIuerabIe misyiving, aud tho partners
thus bound together for good Or for evil, in
stead of reposng in each other the fullest
confidence, nu,, feel nervous, fcvcrsh, i'm
patient and dissatisfied. Blu, there is AN.
other union in which fidelity is still more
important We allude to that which is
consecrated at the altar, and in which, two
beings pledge themselves together for veal
or for woe, in prosperity or in adversity,
and until death shall sever the tic. Mu-
tual confidence should be the very soul of
such IN agreement. Concealment should
DO avoided as something criminal. And
yet, how rarely is this the case How few
recognize or act out + obligation in all its
purity and force!
How step, by step, distrust is permitted
TO steal on, prevarication is made to take
the place Of frankness, deceit that of sin.
cer'ty, and thus the harmony, tie conf.
dence, the kindness, tho friendship and the
affection, which should characterize such
compact, are gradually impaired, if not
wholly destroyed. One of the most emi
"e"t OF American statesmen and phiIoso-
piers, many years ago described the hap
pest condition Of the human existence to
consist in perfect reciprocity of interest,
feelings and affections between man and
wife. All he admitted were liable 10 errors
and 'niirmi:ies; all were characterized by
passion and prejudice, but a spirit Of mu.
tnal forbearance and determination meyer
10 oAe"o "ahton'y or intentionally y--wed-
ded life lie regarded as the only real bliss
on this side Of the grave.
But in order to realize this, there must
'e at least two great essentials -Confilence
and Fidelity. These two are in some sense
twin sisters, and one cannot live without
The other The faithful man or the faith.
ful woman, in every sphere of society, high
Or low rich or poor, prince or peasant, NAV
be regarded as moral jewels among the
multitude, ire calculated 10 exercise q salu.
t"ry influence whether they move or min
gle. The ch"ngcling Of an hour can never
be relied upon. lie is creature of in
terest or impulse. To day he may be all
e"rnestness, warmth, and apparent sinceri.
ty' and tomorrow he may be formal, cold
and hypocritcal. Who does not under.