The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-03-08
A Sermon i'm Brief.

President Hopkins, OF Williams College
Mass. is, BY universal consent, rated among
the leading mirds Of America. On Sunday
January "a, 1854, he preached before bis
students on the sin Of lying. As this is a
prominent commercial sin, we think we may
do good service by publishing the leading
heads of this sermon.
TExr-Nirth Commandment.
I" Last Sabbath spoko of truth and truth.
funess; their importance; Of confidence, the
cement Of society. To-day l shall speak Of
the violations OF this command. Our asser.
tions pertain to the pa t, present or future
In the case Of the future we predict, but in
the Others We tell what we know. Not all
the narratives Of things not having occurred
are false. Fables and parallels are not lies,
nor are symbols and irony. A man may tell
what is physically udtrpe, but not morally =
He may be mistaken. A lie is the utterance
OF known untrulb, with the intention to de.
ceive. Lying is the most common sin of our
race, that Is OF those that pertain to men. lst
1t is an easy siu. A ~ one can lie at any
time. 2d--It is not 80 easily detected as
some Others, although the liar thinks it more
difficult of detection than it sometimes really
is. Many lies are known only TO God and the
liar. 1t is natural for men to believe that
they cannot be detccto 10 lying. il isv,ry
different from stealing or murder. 3l-Hu
man laws do not punish lies. Many persons
conscences are governed by human law. 4th
Tho crime of lying is not primitive sin
but an instrumeL tai one or meas relating to
Others. Persons do not lie for the sake OF ly
ing. All ends can be obtained by lying. Men
%6S 69 afgiiEse fgiSe, ,wfsItbP stekt rut"udybs
and selling" Honor and party success are
sought by means Of lying. A fli,terer ia
liar. Lying is used u uch more in couceaing
than in committing crime, but not every per-
son who does wrong will lie about it. II is
an interesting period in the life Of child
when he has done wrong TO decide whether
he shall lie TO conceal il. This is turning
point. In many case the truth is told and
there is joy among the angels in Heaven
But in more cases il is not 80. A man who
commits crime, if he ia Consistent, will lie to
get out Of it. 1t is question whether he
shall 60 on, or stop and return. Generally
men 60 on. A man who steals or defrauds.
why shouldn't be lief The devil ia a liar
from policy, and lying is the basis Of his sys-
tenn. Hs is the father Of lies, and lying is a
distinctive bsdge Of bis followers. So p hes-
then nations. There is absolutely no truth
in them. God cannot lie. Christ would not
lie. The martyrs did not lie even in the cir.
cumstances in which they were placed. 1t
was only TO deny that they kept the Lords
day-wero Christians. But they did not de-
ny it. Had they, the foundations Of chris.
tianity would have been shaken. We may
avoid lying ty rejecting upon Gods abhor.
tence Of it.; Of its meanness, and of It's effects;
but most Of all by avoiding everything which
may require lie to effect It. or Tempt one for
an excuse. That is tho OILY safe ground
If a man does not commit other sips, he will
not lie, nor il he holds to the truth will he
do wrong actions.
"a regarl for truth should be made great
point in the education Of all. L; should eu-
Ter in;o the teaching and training. 1t is Of
great moment to such community as ours.
There is MUCH lynv iu college by students to
each other, and to the faculty. Persons who
get excuses by lying pay dear for them. Not
only is there lying, but attempts to create a
public sentiment iu favor Of lying. Men say
they have to lie. So it is everywhere 10 ref
erence to any sin that is common and conven.
lent. There is no compulsion but that of in
terest. This world has many men Of truth /,
bat there is world wholly Of lara, . For
without are dogs, and sorcerers, aud whore
mongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and
whosoever loveth and maketb le;" they
will all be there, not one wanting, but no H.
ar shall be in that pure world whero God
reigus.