Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-06-03
Running in Debt.

A young man running in debt is pain
full sight. The disposition to do this is thu
forerunner and exponent of all evil. Apes
tolic authority says: ''The love of money ii
the root of all evil" But when young mar
loves money SO we'll as to get it while'know
ing he cannot repay, or be willing to take il
before he has honestly earned it, there is
in most cases, lying behind this, some pas:
sion so strong as to thus overbear his mora
principles in clamoring for his indulgence
Pleasure, especially unlawful pleasure, is "a
perilous and exhaustive thing. Lawful,
necessary, and healthful pleasure, like the
the pure mountain air, and the gushing wa
tiers of the mountain spring, has been made
accessible by our Creator, at comparatively
little trouble and expense. Any indulgency
may be known as unlawful when it can be
reached only by running in debt. The
highway of sin is an expensive road to trav-
ell. The fare, the charges, are all high
And they have to be paid twice over, not
only in currency, but also in something
more precious than gold, quarried from the
paths and springs of our being. No person
ever travelled on that highway, SO attractive
in prospect. without becoming bankrupt
and pawning his own peace and. lifelong
happiness before he gets to the end of his
journey.
Whenever young man, of moderate sal
airy, is seen always cramped for money, and
ready to borrow of his friends, he is surely
gu the downward grade of responsibility -
Willingness to run in debt is in itself great
vice 1t is caused by the wish to crafty
unlawful craving lying behind, as yet per
haps Enclosed to the eyes Of the world. Ex-
perienced men really judge what this want
at money indicates; and however fair your
character may seem in other respects, they
will be satisfied from this alone that there is
some hidden faint and unsoundness. How
ever small your income. always live within
your means. There is less unhappiness in
doing without unnecessary things than there
is in the cons ciousness of being in debt
Heroditus says that among the ancient Per-
slams "To tell lie is considered by them
the greatest disgrace; next to that to be in
debt; and this, for many reasons, but espe-
cially because they think that one who rims
10 debt must, of necessity, tell lies" Does
your experience, your conscience, tell you
this is true?
Always keep an unspent and unpawned
dime in the bottom pocket. It's touch will
always be invigorating; and with talismanic
power, send through your soul an energy
making you carry countenance flushed
with honorable frankness. This simple
dime is invaluable as the symbol of manly
independence. The consciousness of debt
in young man begcts incipient meanness
of character. and when continued develops
this into confirmed habit, tainting the
whole nature. A man yet in his prime,
who has accumulated fortune of millions
by honest industry, said, Il began with
determination to keep within my wagons
When getting only twenty-five cents day
| always saved something" This principle
has carried him, and will carry you, to igh
elevation Of character, to great influence,
and to independent fortune