Middletown transcript., 1874-07-25
THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.
An Old-Fashioned Gospel Good for the
Ears Of Modern once Holders.

Sunday morning the Rev. William D.
Mackey preached in White Clay Creek
Church on the eighth commandment. He
preached the same sermon in the same
church early last spring, and the people
were so much pleased with it that they
requested him to repeat it. His text was
Exodus Xxx, Is; Thou shalt uot steal"
1t is very important, said the speaker,
for the welfare of a community, that indi-
viduals be protected in the possession of
their property. Wherever property is in
secure, industry is discouraged. The
right of individual possession is recognized
by the law of God and is one of those
foundation principles in morality against
which no valid objection can be urged
The extensive frauds and defaloations
which have taken place throughout the
country during the past few years have
caused great distrust and alarm, and it
seems necessary that this subject should
be discussed, and every means employed
to elevate the tone of public morals. Let
crimes be called by their true names. Let
condemnation be uttered in distinct terms
and wherever opprobrium belongs, there
let it be affixed.
The speaker defined the thief as one
who takes property without the knowledge
and consent of the owner and the robber
as one who takes the property of another
by force. Passing by the plain violations
of this commandment, he proposed to dwell
upon shortcomings which are more COM
mon and which evidently are to be classed
under this precept.
l. This commandment is broken by
those who borrow and do not return. 1t
may be great convenience to procure
from your neighbor, for time, the use
of his money or other property. He may
be able to spare it without any loss to him
self, and it may afford him great pleasure
to accommodate you, but when, failing to
keep your promise, you retain his proper
ty, you are guilty of both lying aud steal
ing, and you are giving your influence to
render your neighbors more selfish, since
your conduct tends to convince them that
they cannot crafty their kind feelings to-
wards others, without being imposed up
on and injured.
The Bible uses plain language and tells
net again"
q Those who buy and never pay are
breakers of this commandment. Those
who have good reason to believe that they
will be able to meet their obligations and
who afterwards encounter misfortunes
which render this impossible, must be ex
cepted from sweeping condemnation, but
tlv inb1 tn bu nhn NH
have no intention of paying debt when
they incur it, or who do not make great
effort to pay it. Proper views on this
subject will cause great caution in regard
to going into debt, and will promote in
dustry in order that the means may be
had to meet necessary expenditures -
Buying is, in some cases, only another
name for stealing. Notes for value re-
ceived have been drawn intentionally in
an illegal manner and afterwards that lle-
gality has been plead in bar of judgment.
There are cases where men seem to aim to
build up reputation for the very purpose
of gaining an opportunity to defraud.-
Whilst aiming at this object they will be
very punctual as to their obligations, some
times paying the cash, at other times
meeting small debt promptly, until, be-
lieving that they have established their
credit and that the person with whom they
have been dealing would very reluctantly
deny them favor, they make as large a
bill as they can safely venture to ask, and
return no more. 1t is not surprising
that persons thus treated should consider
themselves defrauded, and should regard
the man who is guilty of such transac-
tions as no better than a thief. Many
varieties of fraud and even boasted ex-
amples of shrewdness, in moral point of
view, are no more justifable than to pick
q neighbor's pocket, or creep in at his back
window and carry off his property. No
resort to bankrupt laws can release a man
from his moral obligation. Bankrupt
laws are not wrong in principle; a Chris.
tian may keep clear conscience and avail
himself of their provisions. He who pays
his debts merely because he can be COM
PEELED to pay them is not an honest man.
We should not rashly pledge ourselves
for the payment of the debts of others,
and thus expose ourselves and those de-
pendent upon us to the danger of being
suddenly impoverished. When. however,
security has been given, there is moral
as we'll as legal responsibility.
8. The employer who unduly retains
the hire of the laborer is a breaker of this
commandment. Perhaps the man who
has been working hard for you all day
has a family to support, and can, with
great difficulty, provide for them a scanty
substance. IT, when the evening comes,
you disappoint him in his payment, you
know not with how heavy heart you
send him home to those who may be suf-
fering and pining for what they expect
him to bring on his return. The Mosaic
law enjoined, The wages of him that is
hired shall not abide with thee all nigh
until morning" The sun was not to &C
down upon it. A man with a compassion
ate heart and with true sense of justice
will pay both fully and promptly fol
work done.
4. Those who make living off tn,