The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-03-28
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: 1.-The Age of Swindle"


world are the bee and the spider. The one
puts up sugar mandatory and the other
builds a slaughter house for flies. On a
bright summer morning, when the sun comes
out and shines upon the spiders web, be-
decked with dew, the goSSamer structure
seems bright enough for suspension bridge
for supernatonal beings to cross on. But
alas for the poor fly, which, i'll the latter
part OF that very day, ventures on it. and is
caught and dungeoned and destroyed. The
fly was informed that it was a free bridge
and would cost nothing but at the other end
of the bridge the toll paid was its own life.
The next day there comes strong wind, and
away goes the web, and the marauding
spider and the victimiZed fly. So delicate
are the silken threads of the spiders web
that many thousands Of them are put to.
gether before they become visible to the
human eye, and it takes 100000 of them to
make thread as large as the human hair.
Most cruel as well as most ingenious is the
spider. A prisoner in the BaStile, France,
had one so trained that at the sound OF
violin it every day came for its meal Of flies
Job. the author of my text, and the leading
scientist Of mis- day, had no doubt watched
the voracious process Of this one insect with
another, and saw spider and fly swept down
with the same broom, or scattered by the
same wind. Alas, that the world has so many
designing spiders AMI victimized flies.
There has not been q time when the utter
and black responsibility OF many men hav-
ing the financial interests of others in charge
has been more evident than IN these last few
years.
The unrooing Of banks and disappearance
of administrators with the funds of large
estates, and the disorder amid pustoftice
accounts and deficits amid United States
officials, have made a pestilence of crime
that solemnizes every thoughtful man and
woman, and leads every philanthropist and
,Christian to ask: What shall be done to stay
the plague: There is a monsoon abroad,
typhoon. a sirocco / sometimes ask myself
if it would not be better for men making
wills to bequeath the property directly to
the executors and officers Of the court, and
appoint the widows and orphans commit
tee to see that the former got all that did not
belong to them. The simple fact is that
, there are a large number of men sailing
yachts and driving fast horses, and mem
bers of expensive club houses and controlling
country seats who are not worth dollar
If they return to others their just rights.
Under some sudden reverse they fail,
and with afflicted air seem to retire from
the world, and seem almost ready for
rnonastic life, when in two or three years
they blossom out again. having compromised
with their creditors, that is, paid them moth
ing but regrets and the only difference be-
tween the second chapter of prosperity and
the first is that their pictures are Murillos in
in twenty seconds less than their pradeces-
sors, and instead Of one country seat they
have three. have watched and have no.
ticed that nine out Of ten of those who fail
in what is called high life, have more means
after than before the failure, and in many OF
the cases failure is only strategem to es-
cape the payment OF honest debts and put the
world off the track while they practice
large swindle There is something woefully
wrong in the fact that these things are pos
. sible.
First of all, I charge the blame on careless,
indifferent bank directors and boards having
in charge great financial institutions. 1t
ought not to be possible for president or
cashier or prominent officer of banking in
stitution to swindle it year after year with
out detection. I will undertake to say that
If these frauds are carried on for two or
three years without detection, either the
directors are partners in the infamy and
pocketed part Of the theft, or they are guilty
. of a culpable neglect Of duty, for which God
will hold them as responsible as he holds the
acknowledged defrauders. What right have
prominent business men to allow their names
to be published as directors in a financial
institution, so that unSophisticated people
are thereby induced to deposit their money
j
published directors, are doing nothing for
the safety of the institution. 1t is case OF de-
ception most reprehensibls. Many people with
. a surplus Of money, not needed for immediate
use, although it may be a little further on
indispensable, are without friends competent
to advise them, and they are guided solely by
the character of the men whose mes are
associated with the institution. When the
crash came, and with the overthrow OF the
tha Emlf6d
fortunes OF widows and orphans, and the
hopelessly aged, the directors stood with
idiotic stare, and to the inquiry OF the
frenzied depositors and stockholders who had
lost their all. and to the arraignment OF an
indignant public had nothing to say except:
1--WE thought it was all right. We did not
know there was anything wrong 60
ing ON It was their duty to know.
They stood in a position which de-
luded the people with the idea that
thew were carefully observant. Calling
themselves directors, they did not direct.
They had opportunity of auditing accounts
and inspecting the books. No time to DO SO
Then they had no business to accept the posi-
ton It seems to be the pride Of some moneyed
men to be directors in great many lnstltu-
tions, and all they know is whether or not
they get their dividends regularly. and their
names are used as decoy ducks to bring Others
near enough to be made game of. What, firsi
Of all, is needed is that five thousand bank di
rectors and insurance company directors re-
sign or attend to their business as directors
The business world will be full of fraud just
as long as fraud is 80 easy. When you arrest
the president and secretary Of bank for an
embezzlement carried on for many years
have plenty Of sherifrs out the same day to
arrest all the directors. They are guilty
either of neglect or completely.
We must especially deplore the misfortune
of banks in various parts Of this country ir
that they damage the banking institution
which is the great convenience of the cen
turies. and indispensable to commerce anG
the advance Of nations. With one hand il
blesses the lender, and with the other il
bleSses the borrower. The bank was born ol
the worlds necessities, and is venerable witt
the marks of thousands of years.
We also deplore abuse of trust funds, be
cause they fly in the face Of that divine good
ness which seems determined to bless thi:
land. We are having the eighth year of un
gamblers get hold Of the wheat, and the corr
gamblers get hold Of the corn. The full tide
of Gods merry toward this land is put bach
by those great dykes Of dishonest resistance
When God provides enough food and clothing
to feed and apparel this whole nation likt
Princes, the scramble Of dishonest men to gel
moe than their share, and get it at al
nazAfus, KEEPS every tuinS SnaSlnS Win un
certainty and everybody asking: "What
next" Every week makes new reve!a
tions How many more bank Presi
dents and bank cashiers have been spscu.
lating with other peoples money, and
how many more bank directors are in
imbecie silence letting the psrfidy 60 on, the
great and patient God only knows! My
opinion is that we have got near the bottom,
The wind has been pricked from the grea,
bubble Of American speculation. The men
least 5,O05 years of, found it in 1883, 1851 and
1896; and this nation has been taught thai
men must keen their hands nnt of other nan