Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1886-12-02
IMPRESSIVE WARMING.
The soul-Destroying and Deadly Poison
of Touching Trust Funds.

The soul-Destroying and Deadly Poison
of Touching Trust Funds.
tHev. Theodore L. Cuyier, in N. ]. Evangelical
Whole fleets of merchant vessels enter
the harbor of New York every week, and
attract no attention; but IL q single ship,
either through bad steering, or fog or
tempest should be wrecked on Sandy
Hook, it would be telegraphed all over the
country. So whenever single conspicu-
ous church member becomes defeulter,
the fact flies widely over the wires and
through the press. Genuine Christianity
is not harmed by the occasional fall OF in
dividuals, who while processing 1T yet vio-
late its plainess precepts.
Two OF three defalcations have occurred
recently which toach a most instructive
lesson. One of them--that Of the distin-
guished banker in Portland, Me-, was OF
the most painful character. To those OK 4
us who knew aud loved the man, IL was al L
most incredible. He was eminent M Q I
financier, as citizen, a. a generous PHI
lanthropist, and as a leader in Sabbath
school, missionary and evangelistic enter
prises The young men Of Portland loved
him; every body trusted him. On the Sab.
bath he Citen ofiiciated as an eloquent lay
preacher il some church. 80 complete
was the confidence Of his business associ' 4
ates in his integrity that the directors Of
his bank left to him tho control OF its
finances almost without examination. The
shocking discovery came at last that for
three or four years he had been cmbezzling
the funds Of tho bank and using them for
his own purposes In stock speculationsl
A few months ago he was oue OF the most
honored aud beloved mon In Portland;
to-day he is in the penitentiary. His
heart-brokon family are crushed under
blow which brings TO them tho tsndcfest
and deepest sympathy Of the ,-hoie com
, rsunity.
Did Mr. c. intend 20 steal tho money
OF that bank when he began to use II With
out authorityf No; probably not he In
tended toreturn 1t after be had profted BY
the use OF 1t. 30 havo scores Of other de'
faulters whose namos VIII readily occur
TO our readers. But the very first un.
authorized toLch OF a dollar OF trustfundss
under any circumstances, Is deadly poison.
IL Is like tho prick Of tho dissecting-peedls
10 the doctor who Ia conducting q post
norton" One drop entering the veins
sends dsath through the system. The whole
moral sense becomes poisoned From thai
moment onward tho tamperer with the
sacred trust becomes a completely enslaved
as the man is who tampers with tho brandy
bottle.
An officer in one Of our banks many
years ago purloined q sum OF nioney-not
very Iargc--to enable him 20 pay Tor his
small and modest house. Like tho fore
land banker, be was a man OF most cxem-
,plnry private life. lie toid me that he bad
mot a thought Of keeping the money. but
fully expected and intended 10 return
every fime. But every thing wont aEains
him from tho moment that he touched that
fatal money. Having been detained from
hi, t-l,er's dssk for just one day, the dis
coyery came and with 10 the wreck of hh
character. The touch Of trust fund, even
with no intention Of theft, Ind been deadly
poison
We can imagine the distress OF q mAu
who Is conscious Of tho deception he n
practicing and of the danger that yawpi
beneath him. Each day be hopas 70 maxi.
q fortunate turn Ia bis speculations and
be able 30 replace tho purlotned money.
But the rope sp ings farther and farther on
from him every day o. be stands with eut'
eirssrhed hands on bis dizzy ledge OF rocka
Providenca, WHICH never deserts true
and loyaI Christian, deserts him. He diss
a boussnd deaths In the dread c. s-tec
tlon, yet excuses himself constantly by ths
artfuI plea: when can will return TING
money!
This whole terrible business of tempef.
ing with trust funds has been subject ct
close and careful observation with me fot
many years lhsve mnde some study int'
individual cafes They are oil alike; they
ali prove that any man who with even inf
most sincere intention 20 replace IT ever
laws his finger on one dollar OF trust fnndss
commits moral suicide. With ths tender
est pity do l write tbose sad lines IN regard
10 my friend In Portland; but The lossos
ought 10 bs solemniy studied and hsedes
BY every Christian I'm the land. - wei 40
By every man Of businen..