Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-03-06
KEEP YOUR PROMISES.

Truthfulness is justly esteemed by peo-
pie in all walks of life as one of the chief
Of the moral virtues Malicious lying is
one of the most despicable of vices, and
fortunately is a rare one among people
claiming responsibility, but it is humil-
iating fact that absolute truthfulness is
virtue so rare that not one in ten
thousand possess it. When one takes a
review of his own experience with his
felloy-me he is led to exclaim, "Lord,
Lord, how this world is given to ly-
ing!"
Among business men the failure to
keep an engagement has tendency to
impair the credit of the delinquent, and
to awaken distrust as to the honesty Of
his intention or his financial responsible
ity. To protect the business public
against such men commercial and mer-
camille agencies are established which
maintain an espionage over the affairs of
all who have time transactions with banks
or business men. If man fails to meet
note when it becomes due,
the fact is known to the
entire business world within
forty eight hours, and he cannot procure
accommodations or renewal of the
notes that are yet outstanding against HIM
except by furnishing the most undoubted
security. His credit once impaired by
neglect, misfortune or design can only be
reestablished by years of hard labor and
faithful performance of every contract,
and many men once well-to-do in the
world can trace their ruin to failure to
meet o note for trivial amount. Those
who are scrupulous in their attention to
these matters-who deliver goods
promptly when promised; who never
allow their notes to go to protest; who
meet their business engagements at the
hour promised-are the ones who win
success and become the merchant princes
of the land, accommodating competence
and fortune. Those who, having
abundant ability and time, neglect their
engagements, fall step by step till they be-
come hopelessly involved in the vortex Of
financial and commercial bankruptcy.
It is quite as important to society that
social engagements be kept as scrupu
lousy as business engagements.
Even when so trifing a
thing as q social call is concerned,
it is essential that perfect faith should be
kept. One half of the annoyances that
distract society are caused by the careless
ness Of people in keeping an engage
ment. A lady may promise to call upon
a friend at a specified time, and fail to do
so. The consequence is that that friend
loses confidence in her truthfulness and
will take no pains to be at home the next
time she promises to call. This causes
ill-feeling or GOODNESS, and frequently
friendships of years duration are broken
up. Nothing but extreme necessity should
be permitted to interfere with the keep
ing Of such promises, and no promise
should be made that person has reason
| to fear he or she cannot perform.
Religious people should be exception
ally careful to fulfill their obligations of
| every description. People look to them
as exemplars-as models of all the social
virtues. 1t is to be regretted that they so
seldom prove worthy Of this distinction;
that in many instances they are even less
scrupulous than their neighbors in keep
ing their promises 1t sometimes hap
pens that church member presNmes
upon his standing in the church to main
tain his business reputation. It is more
frequently the case that church
connection is used to establish credit with
the deliberate intention of violating the
obligations assumed if it proves incon-
yenient to keep them. Only few weeks
ago young man who had neglected to
pay debt at the time promised, was ia
ken to task for his dereliction cob"
he replied, "Mr. Blank needn't worry
His money is all safe. Pm member of
the Presbyterian church." It is safe to
say that that young man viii never be
able to obtain further credit from Mr..
Blank, if he was able to plead member
ship IN all the churches in the universe.
The safest course for all to pursue is to
make ne promises they cannot keep, and
to keep all promises that are made, no
matter at what cost OF inconvenience
By such course they can not only secure
the confidence Of their fellow men, but
keep it. People are not unreasonable in
their demands upon their neighbors
They take into consideration the circum-
stances under which men are placed, and
do not expect pledges that cannot be full
filed. But they have right to expect
that when a person makes promise to
do this, that or some other thing
he will keep that promise.
1t is moral obligation
that should be strictly enforced. The
law Furnishes those who violate their
business pledges. Society should and |
sometimes does punish those who set at |
naught-their vows to their neighbor. It |
is quick to denounce heresy or technical |
departures from a given dogma, but ut
terly neglectful Of departures from prac-
teal Christianity-the treatment of 9TH
ers according to the spirit of the golden |
rule. A man may lie, and lie, and be |