The daily gazette., 1878-01-07
FIRST Ep4EIQN
The GOLDEN CALF


I,edssmef vtfh HIsgers'7 sB
When DIR. OTIS, pastor Of the West
Prssbyterian Church 1ruse last evening /
70 preach bis sermon ON eThe religious l
duly 81 honesty ~ private and public |
trusts and transactions," he announced |
hls text a. The 17ths verse Of, TN, l2th
chapter Of the epistle Of Panl, The Apostle
10 the Rornanss viz:a
sssRecompenss 20 no man evil, for evil.
rsovids thinep honest IN the sight ofsil
Y, In M opening remarks the Doctor
proceeded 70 staie What be considered
tbs 0vlne fseandard Of h0nessy, which
Paul snjoined ASA religious duty. It Il
the duty ofthe Christian man not only
70 BE- bones, but 70 make his honesty ap-
parent - all men. He should, by careful
forethousht and clear foresight, provide |
agaipst even the appearance Of dishonesey; \
20 that no unforeseen emergency. that may
suddenly sriSe may cause him 70 appear
dishonest t0the eyes of his fellow rlen.
BY this Standard Of honesty, IL 10 nn>
christiafi 70 make debts without know
ing atthe time how they are to be paid.
Paul did not,eyidently, think It dishonest
70 make q debt but that II was dishonest
70 contract . debt without hrst making
| provision for paying IL. This should be
the course OF all Christian men. They
should not only be honest but should
carefhlly avoid AL semblance Of Dis
honesty aud be, 'slike Caesars wifi, above
suspicion." They should b6 honest not
for appearance take, but rom. pure
love'of honesty; mo IN principle, not for
Paul epjoined honesty in all CONNER
cial transactions. and In his Epistls 10
Titus (3d CHI, 14th verse) says, s.And let
ours also learn 70 maintain good works
for necessary uses, that they be not un-
fruitfu1f This literal translation Of this
verse from the original tongue. according
10 DR.. John .Orowell, OF 0dessa, the best
Greek and Hebrew scholar In this State
i n as followE IA n,FTlg 7FtT
esty in our trades, 10 Al the nsosssasy
1 avocations, Id order that they may be
prosperQrss Paul says that strict. hon.
esty u the only sound basis for CONNER
oial prosperity. Honest dealings pay
The best d iSends Ia the long run, while
dishonest deahnE win pay best In the
short run but viii lose In the end. Pau
Isays that the principles Of honesty should
prevail In the nation that the people may
lead peaceful and prosperous lives.
Thus Paul, the great Apostle, strongly
urges the practices Of honestly in all de
8 partmeuts Of life. And now the mex
question arises, What does Honesty
, meanY II orieinally was applied e
! but now IL applies 70 the faithful perform
ance Of every trust or contract In publ,
8, or private life. It means 90 inches to tn,
. YARD, 10 ounces TO the pound, peeks {,
y. the bushel, 100 cents of good money :,
the dollar. IL means gold when IL say
n. gold. or It's equivalent In 100 cents wortl
al OF silver to offer any thing else Is dis
> honest IL means to give an equivalen
70, for an equivalent to give full length, fal
weight, full measure and full value, an,
10 give at the proper time. And to tr
s, TO make W cents worth OF silver equal &
one dollar Is dishonest. arF
a. There has been OF late steady declin
In the opinions Of men Ia regard to stric
honesty In public and private trust.
re This age will 20 down 70 the past as a
,e era OF fdefalcations, OF back pay aud salar
grabs, OF Credit Mobelier schemes, read
justnent Of State debts, which Is onl
) another name for repndiation, and othe
schemes equally dishonest. Dishonest
has not confined itself to individual
and civil corporations but extends eve
r 70 the church. And now shall the M
uon crown all this array of shame an
oishonesty ~ redeeming its golde
q promises in silver, and only 81 cent
= worth Of silver TO the dollar at that
God forbid, and save the nation fror
!, such dishonesty, such disgrace.
q Much Of the dishonesty OF the. presen
i, age V due to Ignorance, not from litter
' acy or lack Of knowledge, but from
Q mind 20 clouded by q greed Of wealt
!, tnat mornl perceptions cannot ente
i therein Men know Il to be dishopes
:, for Congress to put forth and legaliz
81 silver dollar worth % cents; such .
I; action viii enable them TO discount thci
Is debts eight Per cent. But II Congres
y viii take the responsi bility they are will
u ing to take the profit. Congress can REF
" ulats valoes, but IL can NO more Great
Ie them than II can create worlds. The
are created BY laws higher than those q
70 with evil results will fellow. --.s--. 'rds-s
4 In concluding, DIR, Otis thought tn.
the church, In this emergency, shoul
% stand forth as the great teacher of mora
n and honesty. The question of publ
honesty was discussed by the Minister'S
le Union, in Philadslphia, list week. an
Thursday next appointed as . day I,
x private trusts. He thought that much {
- - the dishonesty Of the present day vi
r. due to the lax doctrines in regard to 4
tsre punishment with which the church,
nr are becoming impregnated. Deluded
Oh the hope that there Is no future punis
1u ment people rush into ques stioneble bui
ne ness transactions, and the results Of the
delusion are apparent. Tho time h
n come when the pulpit should be mo
~slpractical bn its preachingfand militia
against dishonesty and debauchery
70 well ~ against other crimes. The silv
CHI rule and the golden rule cannot stai
th side by side, and honesty don't mean
I'll gold dollar equaled by . silver doll
4: worth only % cents. This Is . dishones
I'd against which the church must cry gu
1or Tor Witnont honesty there can Dc no no
ir- ness. Christianity calls for clean han
m and'a pure heart, but the heart cam
ur be pure while the hands are reeking wi
uncleanly dishonesty.