Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-08-06
From the Lutheran and Visitor.
"Owe No Man Anything

wish through tho columns OF the
%uthe'an aud Flsitor TO address q few
plain words to a class Of dclinqucnts
whose rcmisSncss is now c:lslinr .
dark shadow athwart the hearts and
homes Of some Of my most esteemed
and faithful CO. !!,borrrs in the mnislr,
of reconciliation. AS a dis;utercstec
party, having no ground OF complaint
on my own behalf, 1 wish to say lust
eno"yh, and hope the editorial scissors
will not spare, should I pass that
limit.
The injunction quoted above, from
Pauls letter to tho Romans, cniorcc>
the duty of strict honesty in our deal
ings with our fellow men. The
Christian is to bo scrupulously exact.
not wiliully to so beyond tho stipu-
lated time in the permitted use of the
means or credit Of another. It were
b,ttcr, far better, could such pn arranyo .
mcnt be made, that no man shonId
owe another at all, and that all busi-
ness transactions should be simple
exchange of equivalent values. But il
credit must be used, let it he done in
good faith: and so as not in the least
to injure' or defraud our creditors.
No man can be a'truo disciple of jesus
Christ, who designedly fails to pay
his just debts, or who ncgotiates loans
with no prospect of paying them
nor can ho be q Christian who avails
himself of some quibble or technic: lity
oil law TO avoid meeting his pccuniary
obligations, whether to Gn inpovcr-
ished editor or a still moro impovcr-
lshed preacher. Can he be an honest
man, q conscientious, honorable or
good man. in any sense Of these words,
who makes promises to pay" which
he docs not intend to redeem, or
Which he neglects to honor on natu-
Tlty? Low would such man stand
at the counters Of our merchants or
our banks? Would he not very soon
pc branded as one that no man should
Fust! What estimate, thon, shall be
put upon the character of Il man who
suoscrlbes for paper, or pledges him
SELF Tor a certain. amount towards his
pastors support, and yet refuses or
peglects, upon any pretext, to meet
the, obligations thus, assumed2 Can
he be pronounced a man Of God ?
Nay, veriyl For this would be- to
call "evil good, and good evil" He
needs to "rcpent and be converted" >"
IT no would "escape tho damnation of
hell" One of the essential elements
OF true 5repentence is the restitution,
to the extent of our ability, Of all TIM,
we have dishonesty Obtained or re-
taincd from the possession of others.
When our Lord bid Zaccheus come
down from the sycamore tree, that
fepenting Publican, standing in that
immaculate prescncs, said: aBshold,
Lord, the half Of my goods I give to
the poor; and if r. have taken any
thing from any man by false accusa-
ton, ! restore him fourfold:" Has. apy
man license toFrendof leas ! fruits meet
for repentance than didsthat penitentS5
taz gatherer in Frsstor,ng what be had,
had unjustly withheld from Others ?
Certainly notl THAT apron,pt pro-.
fession of Zaccheus proved his conyer.
sion" No less proof ef That great
moral change ILL., necessary now.
rMen who willingly apd wropgfpHy.
retain what belongs to others, or de-
fraud oshera, anays be membsrsxo a.
Church, end may profess to be- aGhFisr
dehas, bptahey. Arp moi Ghsi9 RIhs
tree is known by It's fruits;a and
now also "the aye is laid ct the root
pf
In the light Afg tksss aasamises, howl