The Dawson journal., 1883-08-23

consumed the goods, and still owe
for them. This, we suppose, is
the standpoint from which the
writer viewed the subject of debt
Well, be ut sos Let US look at the
subject, or this application of the
term ''debt" in the light of Scrip
ture, and this we ought to do, as
we are laboring to secure moral
good, and to settle the question, as
to what constitutes moral honesty.
We will ottrouble you with Scrip
ture quotations, but will so con-
form our arguments to teachings
of the Bible as that the Scriptural.
ness of them will easily appear
Certainly no Bible teaching is
palmer than that God should be
regarded by all men. as "a prefer
red creditor ka
We have nothing that we did
not receive from God, and we are
all stewards of His manifold
grace" The best strength of our
manhood, the dawn, noon and
evening of our life should be con-
secrated to Him and His service.
to make our life success among
men and an honor to God.
God has laid an embargo upon
every dollar, on stocks and bonds,
and acres, and upon everything
that we call our own, that He may
have the visible means with which
to push the conquests of the Cross
through human agency, to the
very ends Of the earth.
Besides, every man, as lie takes
his position before the alter of our
church, solemnly promises in the
presence Of all the people, to sup
port the church and her institu-
tions to the best of his ability, nor
does this obligation of member
ship presuppose that he owes no
one anything, nor is it implied that
If he should ever owe any man
anything that he is then to ignore
his solemn VOW and obligation.
The same writer of said article
justly claimed that moral honesty
must underlie every truly accepta-
BILE Christian character. Yes, YER
lily; but would he consider the man
morally honest who should con-
yene all his creditors together, and
say to them: "Now [ know that [
owe you all, and that your claims
against me are all just, and ] shall
proceed now to distribute the
funds in hand amongst you all, ex-
cepting Mr.. Smith, who although
in the eyes of the law, and in the
estimation of all just men, may be
considered as preferred credi-
tor" he shall not share with the
rest, and that for no other reason
than that he has not sued me, nor
shown himself to be very anxious
about the natter
Who would maintain that there
would be honesty in this mode of
procedure?
The voice of all the people, and
the voice of all honest creditors,
would be, divide the money, and
give to each creditor in proportion
to the amount of his credit" and
this, too, is civil law, based upon
the eternal principles Of justice
and equity, as revealed to US in
Gods sacred word.
But the author of the unfortu-
nate paragraph protests with the
same breath, that there is no part
of the Divine plans for converting
the world" Amen! but will a
man rob God?" There God stands,
a preferred creditor" among
many. Shall the rest receive their
dues, pro rata, and shall God be rob-
bed? Nay, such theft is no part
of the DIVE plans for converting
the world. The truth is, that men
who can see so plainly that they
owe other men, and are so ready
to admit the justice of their claims,
and then are so energetic in their
efforts to iqlidate these claims,
and thus free themselves from the
thralldom Of debts, at least run
the risk of being charged with
this unkindness toward God, in not
responding to His claims against
them, alone upon the ground that
God has never made any "fuss"
about the matter, has not sued
them, is not "crowding" them. The
truth is that man who is fully
alive to his responsibility as a
citizen Of Gods great common
wealth, must feel that God has the
first and highest claims upon him,
and, really, God does "crowd" such
a man every day and every hour,
and bring him under obligations
I'd Him with every passing day
What then? Every man must be
honest with every other, and with
God, should pay all of his just
debts, or make an honest effort to
do so, so as to owe no man any
thing but to love him, but he must
not forget that he is in debt to
God, and ever will be, and that
God requires 1.-THE of all that he
has, in order that the
man may be to contri-
butte some humble part to
the perpetuation of the blessings.
of Christian civilization to his
children, and to the generations
4bot Sbail ooo,o oFta,. +ba,,,