Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1874-10-08
4 3usniq.I LYINa.,l
The Social Lie and zee nssa sfro,rs. Con-
stf scurresicca. 80

iyluS lb lOuuu &lInOAg aG the CLOSE OF the
fdecalogue, llinoline toIplace it, in the
education OF child dHen. at the head of
the list, for lying seems to be with most
children the first sinte tehtionaF offence.
II isI sometimes inherited, but oftener
taught by imitaspn. Children hear
their nursery maid tell downfigh false
hoods to shield thF hFlnselyes from blame
for various trifing faults or omissions
OF duty and they are, indeed, fortu-
nate IN, their parents il they do not also
find them, guilty sof rfyarication and
sas assRs e asssIEs hsRSBsa dIsE Isls
children, NOT thfnEipgi foro a gmoment
faIsehooa Which baaE pn;t slgss2h to 2ha;r ln
latest hour, and s@d ticating Che children
/ toidolbt the one In whom, of all per
soRs they should pu1tt IMPLICIT conf fYa
Riding initha cars a few weeks since 1
child:
s Jamie, be atilll II YOU don't stop
Screaming I'll thfow:you iout3 Of the; car
window, certain sure T. Hush. now. or
You'll see what III do,si'' 9 iS2'''s ." -
The child, 10 boy yaabort two wears old.
looked his ast5nishment at the threat.
but his cries were not much lessened.
Then the mother took him up in her
arms as though she would throw him
out, when he screamed in frantic terror
and clung to her neck with such ap-
palling fear that she was forced to hush
him with kisses, caresses and candy.
After o while he fell asleep, worn out
with his tumlltu tuous passion. Poor lit
.tia Chi1dl fsfify tfttft tlrf;r<is,1 az
!, "A little girl Of four or five, who, had
watched the whole scene silently but
with the deepest interest, and Who
when her mother moticned to! throw her
little brother from the window. had
caught her; arm In terror, now said
.-t"Mamina I'D you have thrown
aNo, indesd ohild,' replied t'dEii thiie
mother; 80 7 only wished to frightsn
him." .;sseiGatu 3gsis9ii
|, s. Brighten him. forsooth! She sue
ceeded init far better than she expected, !,
and at the same time taught her little
girl d lesson in falsehood, and also in
contempt for her mother, for the ex-
preston Of thai child q mouth besokenn
ed the feelings of her hearet How
longed TO dts ont to her, in Othello's
words: -,,zs - siise ssts .; I
"You told Lie an oiious, damned lie ;;v44
ii9 Upon my soul o lie; q wicked lie!r
OF course she would have thought me
an escaped lunatic, SO I forbore, but I
could not help my lips wreathing in
scorn ut the woman's perfidy, and did
wish to tell her that If she disciplined
her children in that style she was surely
sowing "the Whirlwind to reap destruc-
ton"
Lying in besetting vice OF weak
characters, and therefore the love of
truth and the. hatred of falsehood need
to be most assiduously cultivated in
children at the youngest period of con-
seriousness of evil. Truth-telling and
truth-loving are the fundamental basis
Of whatever is excellent and desirable
in character, and if man or woman
lacks this essential element, all their
other virtues suffer and are of little
value. If person is truthful we can
forgive many little faults, because this
salt of character may possibly redeem
other failings; besides, q person who
loves truth will never rest satisfied un--
til he has improved his moral strength
and raised it nearer to the standard of
rectitude. Tact, management and pol
10y are all essential elements in social
and domestic life, but they are not in
consistent with perfect truthfulness.
Daily we come into contact with pc :
sons who require to be properly man.
aged to bring out the agreeable traits of
their character and repress those which
are annoying and disagreeable, but it
does not necessitate falsehood to accom-.
plish this. Many persons have q fao-
ulty of telling you disagreeable truths
in pleasant manner; or administering
antidotes to vice of which the recipients
are barely conscious; of limiting at
facts which will not bear frank
disclosure. And all candid persons
must admit they are not always justi.
fed in telling the whole truth. Indeed,
were we to do SO, we should doubtless
be called insane. For there are very
many things that should not be spoken,
yet are never guiltlessy if we utter
falsehoods, and it is onr duty. to strive
BY example and precept not to lead ten
der feet astray from the paths of truth.
The child who imbibes with his first
nutriment reverence and love for il
will become man of honor. Holy
writ assures us that itIwere better for
us to have milestone about our necks
and be drowged in the sea than to Of
fend one of these listIe ones. Aud when
mother utters deliberate falsehood
to her children it seems to me that she
has committed an objectionable sin and
will surely suffer for il. The lack oi
truth brings dishonesty, and dishonesty
is the crying sin of our nation. Oh,
mothers, be warned in season and take
counselwi your own wisdom, and make
q compact with yourselves that from
this time forth you will never deceive .
child. The battle of Christianity is to
be fought in the family. rather than il