The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1870-12-08
From the N. Y. Methodist |
Pay Your Debts.
A SHORT SERMON BY REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR.

Pay for an article what it is worth. No
doubt you wish to get good bargain; but
keep this desire within the bounds of rea-
son, and do not let self-interest run into
selfshness Have conscience and use
it when you are purchasing, and pay the
price which you know to be just and
equal, Perhaps you say with a smile:
81 am no worse than most other people"
That may be, and you may be wrong for
all that, for the saints are not yet in the
majority. Render, therefore, to all their
dues" and especially to those whose lives
are continual struggle against want
Pay an honest tradesman fair price if
you wish to keep him honest so that he
will avoid false weights and false meas
ures. And save little, my fine lady, on
your laces and .ewelry, so as to pay to the
last farthing the woman who tolls for you
so many weary hours with the needle or
at the wash-tub. Better pay fair wages
to industrious poor people than to be Civ
ing them aims, Fail to do this, and you
tempt many a son and daughter of toll to
shun the pressure of poverty by life of
dishonesty and shame
And then to pay promptly OF course,
there are transactions involving large
amounts, where credit is proper both to
give and take But the long-credit sys-
tenn is the bane of business and points to
bankruptcy, even if it does not lead di-
rectly to it. And the reason is clear: he
who buys on long credit and not for cash
is easily led to buy more than he can pay
for when the time of payment comes due.
Therefore let reason and conscience
whisper in your inmost soul: Pay prompt
ly. Take money from the bank or call i'll
some of your investments, if need be, and
pay the grocer and the tailor and the coal
dealer, and pay all those little bills-as
you easily can-which have been running
so long and running at such rapid rate.
There are those who are anxious and
nervous through financial pressure caused
partly by your neglect Do not be so
thoug ghtless as to say: Call again; call
tomorrow You may have said that
often enough to vex the patience of Job
who, by the way, never had his patience
tried by the harassing experience OF a
modern tradesman whose business is done
entirely on the credit system. Be thought
ful. Remember the injunction, cove no
man anything" and say very blandly to
the next anxious debtor who presents
himself; Receipt the bill, and | will pay
it on the spot" 1t will do you good to
see the effect of such an eloquent SEN
tence upon him-the more eloquent be-
cause it falls from lips not used to utter
this kind of business oratory.
UNV al - voi, COW in a eompwhnt cnriOus
tone, good advice this, only not possible
for me to follow it. Not 90 easy with
taxes due which must be met, and winter
with all its expenses just ahead. True,
there are some who are in debt, heavily
in debt and it is their misfortune not
their fault. There was scarcity of work,
and then came sickness and death, with
all the heavy expenses which, of necessi-
ty, they bring to the household Those
who are thus afflicted deserve sympathy
and not censure. Heaven be mercitul to
them in the hour of sorrow and want, and
inspire the hearts of creditors with pa
tience and forbearance. But your debts,
it may be, are owing to your faults, Pru-
dence would have avoided them, and
moderate degree of economy would soon
make you rich enough to pay them. And,
therefore--do not be offended at plain
spoken truth-practice economy yourself,
and have your family practice it, if posi-
BILE, until you can satisfy as Woodworking
men as you are, whose claims are right
and just.
Did you ever read the story of "Sinbad
the Sailor?' There is moral you may
gather from it, which is this; never let
the demon of debt mount your shoulders,
or you will find him a hard person to
shake off when you want to-the harder
to shake of, the further you carry him.
Shun debt as you would contagious dis
ease-which, in fact, it is in many COM
munity. How can you avoid it2 When
you purchase an article, pay for it, and if
you have no money, do not purchase it;