Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-07-26

trust each other at all they are the basis OF
all commercial credit, for ability alone is not
sufficient to entitle any one to credit. If you
were governed by interested motives alone,
policy would dictate your observance Of these
precepts. But l urge it upon your notice, not
as mere money making principle, but on high
moral grounds, that you be careful what pro-
misses you make, and then faithfully do as you
have agreed to do.
Now children | have curious inquiry to
make about the tree Of truth, that you have
perhaps not thought Of You have often seen
trees that have been grated. There is a
branch on the tree of truth that does not be-
long to it by nature, but has been placed there
by the hand of man. Let US examine whether
or not it is grated upon it. Truth in all its
branches should be maintained in our lives and
actions for its own sake, because it is right
| But strange to say what some men do from
the fear of God, Others do from the fear of
the reproach of their fellow men, without re-
| gard to principle This is called a sense of
honor, and honor is the branch / have referred
| to. Men who are actuated by this feeling
scorn to tell falsehood, or to do a mean ac-
! ton they are high-miuded and aim to accom-
plish noble deeds, which will make them re-
spected by their fellow-men. They desire
above all things the esteem Of men, and they
| live in fear of disgrace and shame. They
avoid everything that is base and vile, or that
will stain their characters or lessen their rep
utaton. With them character is every
thing, and the world is the judge whose sen
tence they fear. | will say nothing against
| all Sit is very well if men can be induced
to do that which is right from any motive
But is this branch really growing upon the
! tree of truth Is it not more correct to call
! it parasite, a hanger on, Ike one of those
! wild vines YOU have often seen in the woods
growing up beside a tree, adhering to it, some
times covering it all over, looking very grace
full and beautiful and to the superficial observer
appearing to be part Of the tree, whereas it
does not belong to it because it does not grow
from the same root ? But as | said before,
have nothing to do with the root that is not
my business, but belongs to Mr. Douglass, Mr..
Nichols, Mr.. Childs, Mr. Foster and the other
clergymen, and to you Sunday School teach
ers. This is not Sunday but the 4th of July.
l am not a preacher and must not preach you
a sermon, but only tell you a story. But
find Ito use a popular eXpressiOnl | am con-
tinuaiy running the thing into the ground
by referring to the root Of tho matter. ] will
be careful to avoid this hereafter, and not en-
croach on other peoples privileges.
And now, children, | have described to you
all the branches Of the tree of truth that |
shall mention, except one, and that is the tip
top of the tree, aud its name is Honesty. The
other branches spread cut horizontally, but
this is perfectly straight and points directly
towards heaven; for honesty or integrity
means uprghtness Besides this, while it is
not the largest it is one OF the stifest and
toughest parts of the whole tree. The strong
wind may suddenly bend the tree top over, but
it shows its power Of resistance by deianty
flying back against the wind Just as far the
other way, and after vibrating, it always OBJ
taIns the victory, and when the wind goes
down it calmly resumes its stubborn, up point
ing position. So truly honest man (that
nobIeSt work of God, may be tossed about
by the misfortuneS, caamitics and troubles Of
life, but always at last be is found morally as
upright and stiff and str&ight as the tree top
when the storm is over. Honesty has refer
ence particularly to property and means truth
not in regard to speaking, but in your deal
ings with others in business matters And so
surely as one thing leads to another, so surely
are truth and honesty connected. Every liar
is not a thief, but in almost every case thief
is found to be liar Fasehood is but the
beginning and leads to dishonesty. Honesty
is like gold, which is found in the world mix
ed with all sorts of dirt, but still it is gold
the fire cannot constue it ; on the contrary,
it comes out from each trial more pure and
bright than ever And believe me, children,
no man deserves the name of man who has
no integrity. Such is the well considered yer.
dict Of right minded men everywhere.
Aud now, children, ha7ing attained the top
of the tree, you may think my story is told.
But do you not see that our tree is only ma
ked skeleton Where are the lcares which
should cover the whole tree, which give it
neither its frame nor strength, but which
clothe the whole with beautiful drapery The
leaves Of the tree Of truth | shall call S5ncert-
tn. Going into the woods in winter persons
sometimes mistake one kind of tree for another
You have no guide but the SIZE shape and
bark but when the leaves are out you have
an unerring indication. The face of a man or
woman is what you most look at, and so in
looking at tree many of the branches may
be entirely hidden, although they give it its
size and form, but the leaves form the face of
the tree-they strike the eye-tbey give it its
color and outlne--On them more than all de-
pends its beauty, and to them we are indebted
for the repose we enjoy under its pleasant
shade Sincerity is the beauty of the tree of
truth, and is the opposite of hypocrisy, which
is conceament of ones real feelings, charac-
ter or motives To be sincere is to appear
outwardly what you are at heart, without dis
guise or false appearances. When You see
two men meeting each other and appearing to
be very good friends and expressing great re-
gard for each other, and as soon as they sepa-
rate saying all manner of spiteful things of
] nnnh nfhnr rn, knnnr thnrn ic No SinnerifY in