, 1877-08-20
An Ancient but Timely Discourse
---"Pay Your Debts"
A Vigorous Pulpit IIxhortation In
Favor Of "l'O0r lticllnrtl.''
Last Sermon Of the Rev. L. T. Cham
herlain..'All Things Through
Christ.
Mai. Cole Prcnchcs on Gospel
Temperance.
PAY YOUR DEBTS.

AN OLDeFA31llONkD SERMON.
There were turned IN 10 papcr-mtll man the
other day number Of old sermons preached
during tho close OF the last century and the bo-
ginning Ut the present one BY tic Rev. Mr.. I'm
dclwnod, congregational, minister who OIL
clalcd at Dennis, Yarmouth, aud other places in
Eastern Massachusetts. Sumo Of them were
tent lo TnE Tninuxs by their new owner, ho
thinking TINT during this saration,seasop, when
the leading ministers are by tho sea or In tic
mountains, people might like to read some of
the plain talk Of other days. Here Ia kpcei-
men:
Rondna, rH., 3.
In my former discourse from these words I
laid before you tho duty Of paying debts, To-
eethcs with tue evils which attend tho neglect
Of II, both os they regard the debtor and tho
creditor: tho evils to Tho debtor Of being I'm.
posed OH either Us 10 the value or quantity Of
what lie received on trust, and thus exposing
himself to inevitable ruin; to the creditor, the
delay Of payment IN due time draws endless
trade, nfr! credit, and, In consequence Ok these.
It may be, Inevitable and complicated ruin.
It,s nw prpeee to make ,.en some spp'sai
Il T." nil Of ords1s xst and IT, egfs. sfss sffses
who allow Themselves In the neglect OF this
duty. And frat, let me ngain osk the thought.
less spend.lrtt what can bo tho consequence ot
running IN debt wst, all who will trust him but
utter rlIn to himself and othcrss II tho per
Sous with whom you deal nrc honest md indf-
gent. how eau YOU answer II to yonr humanity
to bring misery and destrustion On The most
destroy tllosu by your cspenscs which cycn
cruelty and tyrany irould t,o tender of And,
What is most provoking and fnsui1crabte IA, that
often pass On tue world under tho character Of
gooc-llatuEed nler, and you will often hear It
sa!d that such mn t,uo Is m enemy to none but
htnaclf, but t!'c rcal trntt, Is, that . vicious
sffect on cncmy to tho soeicty ia which ho
lives. And moro particularly vicious
good-nature Is one Of the cruclest characters In
lifc. II is kind only when it ought not to be.
indu'Rcnt to everything but honesty and limo.
ccnce, and those It ia sure to sncrtiicc good
natnrcd villain will surfeit n sot and gorGe
cntton. Nay, will giut hfs horses antl his dogs
day etarvc to death tn prison. 4 goodua-
'tufcd monster will be gay tn the tpotls Of
wsdows and orphans. Goota"nRturc separated
from virtue ID one of tho Woret characters In
tense to good-naturc. pay your debts; and, In
10 doing, you will not only do good to. otfrrn
by your honesty, hut tnlnitc good to yourselves.
,Payine debts Is, next to the grace Of God, tho
temptations to. fin md folly, md perhaps tho
only ncans Of iusuring debtors iron. guilt
and misery. Pay your dohts, and you
iwlll no. l,ave much to lose by yillal9oas
1whercwittal to feed MI intempcrato appetite.
IN fine, pay your debts aud you wil Of necessity
ebstain from raaliy lcalily crafts that war
against the spirit and bring you Into eaptivityto
both OF soul and body. On tho other hand, II
the men you d :al with and arc indebted to arc
rich and crafty, remember they supply your az
travagance with no other view than to make
tynf
draw tnorn from it. Remember. They could uot
ailorl to trust you, did they not propose TO
profit by your folly, Remember, also. that time,
petually sharpen and indamo th!s. As As Tic tic
Eayety and gt4diness Of youth goes OIL, the wants
Of age will becosnc more sharp and moro incon-
solahe to the Inst day Of life. and, ergo, tho
son Of S!rach, we'll adyEses: s'ue not made q
beeraE by hanouctlng upon borrowing, for thou
shalt Ito In wait for tliy own life" Aud, again,
he observes tftat " lie that butlueth his house
with other mems money Is like ono that gather
eth hinsclf f.stoncs for tho tomp Of hls burial.
out oI ILLS r1lIn alsO.n
In tle ne1s placr. apply myself to the man
Of quality. who Is guilty Of this vice. II you
will consider what YOU owe to your creditors and
how to pay them, consider at least with coolncss
and CAlmncsa what yoll owe to yourselves, to
your family. your country, and your God. Vas
1t for this that 70 were distinguished aboyc
eminent In yicet Will ~ pretend to :bo better
than others, II ye rsnounce humanity It ts not
expected OF you that you perform heroic. acts
Of geacrosttyL l. tst yo, rqwa1d % virtue and
seen! to 10 long vanished aud only the hons. OF
fabulous nntt9ultv. But mettIlnks It might still
30 expected of yoa that you do common Justice.
Pay, your debts anl keep your, promises. And.
10 truth, 70 would not b void either OF dignity
or dependence, X yc did even this. Mankind
arc already toO much prcjudcc1 #! your favor,
Il rA FnIfk
aud reverence even II you did tbcnl 10 good.
provided You did them no mischief. But Il W
expect TO 10 esteemed not ouly without
generosity. but ercn without Justice, SC arc ta-
deed unreasonable aud nay be sure to be dis
appointed.
fn tho next place, apnly myself to the moro
wealthy and coyctous Thesc arc, of a,l ol!lers.
the n,0st iuexcusablc in not paving tlchts. They
Industry arc utterly unpanionablo In vppresslug
the Industry Of Others. Tue lcnst which might
b. expected from increase Of wealth Is to do
tasticG with our abundance. Ihis was the ex.
chap. y. When fo had nltracutously Increased
the widows vi, hc commanded hcr first to pay
hes dcbts out Of her abundance. "Go," says
H., r.. so,i ths ,s 3l1 an pr ty DEBT an ya
reason VI s1a Is evident. Tho money VIC owe is
nut ours. 1t Ii the property Of other men In
our kceplng, and We bayc no murc right to It
tna9 "e hasc to tho money In their pockets.
70 Cod Tor his blessing on our industry
u aIlns anl acts ot goolDeas, surely she
leaet w eau do Is to DO justlce 10 nen. And
what solemn reelection must It bc tu turn thp
blessings of Providence into curso to ourselves
aha ait with whom We dealt One would thiuk
tilat The Apostles p1ccepts were reserved to
.a'ese tnct, au!l that they thought themselves
@ nnnd IL toaales'sc to owe to every mum every
thing but 1--we and goodwill. AnI, after ali, 10
xhat puEposs Is I'll thls oppression md lnigu!ty
VI 1faFicus To heap up ill-gottcn riches for
curse OH themselves und their poalcrity, aud
lcate netnory and y carcaes equally otliuus
aau o1icilsive Lchlnd them. AZ job expresses
II; They arc exalted for = little while, but arc
gone and brought low. They are taken out of
ihe way as al others, und tut III ~ tbs tops II
!he ear. Of cornn They a1e permitted by Dlvlue
Providence to fiji up 1t once the measure OF
snsir @ "ealth and thaIr inlquity, and. n soon As
taey ato r'pe Iur ruin, they are cut
9a Ill the lul!neas Of thelr pride aud
ioriune:, and the wealth they have boarded
liks the full ear VI corn whIrlI, Instead OF
oeiug gathered intu tho barn, Is scattered over
VIZ tase Vt the eastl, and becnmes u prey to
every Kind u yeT,un.
next apply myself to traders or employers Of