Litchfield enquirer., 1869-02-11
BEEoHER ON LYING.


 In late number of the Ledger we find the following striking 4 A illustration of the fallibility of even honest human testimony: sd.t .s.e-.l
 some eighteen or nineteen years aoo. soon after coming to Brooklyn, I heard the following story told of the now venerable Dr. Samuel Cox, the father of many bril- liant sayings, as we'll as of Bishop Cor, of western New York. The story ran thus:
 On Sunday morning in August, Dr. Cox. rising to the sermon without warnina or prefix, began, It is d--d hot LookinT around in calm and pious way hS wiped his forehead, and again said. sit is |d-d hot. Waiting till he thought the words had burnt in he proceeded. :, sThese words, my brethren, heard from the ips of profane young man as ! entered t6e doors of the church., Thereupon, the sto. ry goes, he proceeded to give an edifyinr discourse on the sin and folly of profane swearing. tIJtag9 .N0alrfJJ ID FI5iAal.
 When l first heard it, I recognized the story. It was an old acquaintance, It had been doing service in Enaland. It was told of Rev. Rowland Hill. onIv in iis case the topic was not the weather. hut khe theatre. on which the young mans profan- tE 1ras axnanded1 But stock stories like back, nor had ever been able to snake u off l have denied it, twice in print, many | times by letter, and a hundred times in conversation, all in vain. The saddle sticks and every month we find new fool riding in 1t. W Denying one of these story is like fight. ing Canada thistles. If you cut them up ten more will sprout from each root, and if you let them alone million will, spring from the seed. The only way to extermi- nate the Canada thistle is to plant it for . crop and propose to make money out of it. Then worms will gnaw it, bugs will bite t, beetles will bore it, aphides will suck it, birds will peck it, heat will scoIch it., rains will drown it, mildew and blight will ride it. All nature helps weeds and runs down crops We are afraid to deny it. It would start off walking like Weston. A new batch of letters would come moaning and inquiring at our door. Fresh yjgor would be given to it's withered limbs, and like the wandering Jew, 1t would go tramping ,rp and down creation till the last day. No for safety's sake, we do not propose to deny it any more! It would be the ruin of inno- cent souls as this narrative which I now shall give will prove. r....... "a or
 And the narration of the incident brings me back to the question whether one can remember what never happened. It will be seen that he can. ........t,.,,
 Sitting at friends table one evening. was telling an incident that befel me- in this wise: @ li.3 sal nI
 "A young man from Buffalo called to see me to-day. He said he had heard Q young lady, in large company relating the story of my beginning the sermon with the with the phrase: It is d---d hot, r.,H He ct once contradicted it. She affirmed it posi- lively. He replied: T have lately read . published denial of the story from Mfr. Beecher himself.'g She answered: sWhyG1 was present myself at his church and heard it with my own ears, Of course, he could not say what he thought but replied, T am going to New York, and I will myself call and ask Mir. Beecher." as, y;l.lo.R The case seemed so fragrant that said to him: .When you go back I wish you } would take occasion before witnesses. tc say to this lady, from me, that she Hes, and that she knosOs that she lies, and she knows ! that know that she ies.' '" -... .,f saftagt, This was very improper language, but was angry, and, besides, had been reading l, the Tribune. l ejal ata5 Lhb -no aL t When had got thus far sweet young - girl who sat opposite me, brought up under I my eye almost from the cradle, and as in- : capable of knowingly telling falsehood q 7 rosebud would be of committing bprgle 7 ", this innocent an charming child of ,ht. k teen looked over at me, and said: -. 'sBut you did say SO, didn't you Mf 8 Beecher? heard youl' .taaizg Hits seGi5 For moment there was silence. Ther came crash of laughter from the who'll 3 company. Confused and blush1ng scarlet . she said:l T sts9t5gi LgEgN as9ilEn TIC 7 Why I always thought that I heardiyo' 8 say it!' :, For the first time believed that | psrsol : might distinctly remsmbef whist neve took place. I take back the message to th Buffalo lady and humbly spologizs for sur 9 posing that one could not recall Q thin which never happened. ou 1no si aofss3'