Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-03-18

Ayoung man running in debt is pain.
ful sight The disposition to do this il
the fororunner and exponent of all evil.
Apostolic authority says. 1.-The love of
money is the root Of all evil But when
a young man loves money SO well rs to
get it while knowing he cannot repay, or
be willing to take it before he has hon.
estly earned it, there is in most cases, ly.
ing behind this, some passion so strong
rs to thus overbcar his moral principles
in clamoring for its indulgence. Pleasure,
especially unlawful pleasure, is a perilous
and exhaustive thing. Lawful. neces.
sary, and healthful pleasures. like the
pure mountain air. andth gushing water
of the mountain spring. have been made
accessible by our Creator. ut compar-
atively little trouble and expense. Any
indulgence may be known rs unlawful
when it can be reached only by running
in debt. The highway Of sin is an ex.
pensivc road to travel. The fare, the
charges are all high. And they have 10
be paid twice over not only in currency
but also in something more precious than
gold, quarried from the depths and spring
of our being. No person ever travelled
on that highway so attractive in prospect
without becoming bankrupt, and pawn
ing his own peace and life long before he
got to the end of his journey.
Whenever young man, however
moderate his salary, is seen always cramp.
ed for money. and ready to borrow OF his
friends, he is surely on the downward
grade OF virtue and respectability.--
Willingness TO run in debt is itself great
vice. 1t is caused by the wish to crafty
the unlawful craving lying behind. as yet
perhaps undisclosed To the eyes of the
world. Experienced men readily judge
what this want of money indicates; and,
however fair your character may seem in
other respects they will be satisfied, FROM
this alone, that there is some hidden
taint and unsoundncss. However small
your income, always live within your
means. There is tar less uphappiness in
doing without even necessary things.
than there's in the consciousness being
in debt Herodotus says, that among the
ancient Persians to tell lie is consider.
ed By them the greatest disgrace; next
to ,hat, to be in debt; and this, for many
reasons. but especially because they
thinl: that one who runs in debt must, OF
necessity, tell lies" Does not your ex-
periencc, your conscience, tell you this
is true?
Always keep an unspent and unpawncd
dime in the bottom of your pocket. Its
touch will always be invigorating; and.
with talismanic power. send through
your soul an energy making you carry a
counlcnancc flushed with honorable
frankncSs. This simple dime is invau.
able. rs the symbol of manly indepen.
dence. The consciousness of debt. in
young man begets incipcnt meanness of
character, and when continued dcvelopes
this into confirmed habit. tainting the
whole nature. A man yet in his prime,
who has accumulated u fortune Of two
millions by honest industry, said, II be.
gan with q determination to keep always
within my wages. When getting only
twenty-five cents day, | always saved
something" This principle has carried
him. and will carry you to q high eIeva'
ton Of character, to great influence, and
to independent fortune.-The Occident.