Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-10-26
Written for THE HERALD.
MERCHANTS, THEIR CLERKS AND
CUSTOMERS UNDER FIRE.

best policy" SO we learned whel
young, and so we have proved to oul
comfort, honesty with ourselves, on
neighbOrs, our country and our God
| is the extent of our learning. Art
we correct, or is the opposite true p
| Let us see a little. The eighth com
mandment reads, Thou shall not steal
and the ninth, Thou shall not bed,
false acitssess against thy saeiglsb0r. The
substance Of this is, Thou shall not lie
According to these laws we must be
honest to obey Gods command. We
desire every one to be honest with US,
never taking anything from US, and
in all business transactions allowing
us our rights and privileges. If we
know that we are true and upright,
we desire that every body speaking
of US shall tell the truth and nothing
but the truth concerning us. There
are. classes of people, who are strong
ly tempted to steal and cheat and lie.
refer to merchants aud their clerks,
some of them say that they have to
fb, to tell aChite lies, in order to sell
goods to some people, some custom.
ers must have few cents knocked OF
the selling price or they wont buy, so
they have to be told that the price is
a little more than it actually is, that
the merchant may drop and sell, or In
other words. such customers must be
deceived before they will get our
goods. They wont buy unless they
think they have gotten the advantage
of US, so we deceive them in order to
get even with them and hold them
from going to be similarly deceived
elsewhere, for the merchants know
them.
Is such really the state of affairs in
mercantile life? First, are the Gus
toners numerous who seek to take
advantage of the seller, when they
buy? Is there a general stretch tC
save money or to get it, by dupine
some other one?
If there are any who so move in
and out among US, and are so known,
it bespeaks low level in morals In
such. There is reason we think to
fear that there are many such, and
hence temptations to merchants to
f6. They are the tempters, are they,
to merchants to be dishonest? Merch.
ants like other people may be tempt
ed, but are they to yield to the temp
tation? To commit a "leettle" sin to
keep customer? To misrepre-
sent their goods, its quality or price
for profit sake? And they cannot do
business to live else? Do we have to
do business with such people in farm
ers, merchants and clerks?
Do all our merchants do business
after such rules? and do they require
their clerks to be false? We cannot
believe they all do. But if there are
some that are yielding to temptations
to be dishonest, and require their
clerks in any way to violate the laws
of God, what can be said in their be-
half? are they not ola piece with their
tempting customers, deceivers tOgeth-
err? And can they get clerks to agree
to be false to customers for the sake of
a living? 1 have asked questions in
the above, and my reasons for doing
SO, are, that some merchants and
many clerks have on different times,
and in different places, claimed to me
that they must lie little to do bust
ness. I do not understand that the
law is to stretch little, to let any one
be excused for stealing or being I'M
true in a small way, for gain or posi-
ton of ease, or power or anything
else. 'Thou shall not steal" and
4" Thou shall not lie." There is no Ii
cense in these words to let any one do
any stealing or lying. But l will
lose the sale if / do not, yes probably
because the customer believes you
to be dishonest. Is he correct? Ger
tainly he is correct, if you are doing
business on such principles, you may
lose the customer. Stop now. Look
at the law, look it square in the face.
1t is the law of God, for in the voice
of God you will lose your soul if you
do lie, and you will sell your soul.
will you, to the devil, and to Danish
ment from God,-for nothing that
maketh lie can enter his dwelling
place.-at piece meals for few cents
at time. And you clerks, will agree
will you, to clerk for such merchant
on such principles to keep your petty
position, appear respectable and have
little start in life, you have begun
laying a foundation for future move
ments, in falsehood and cheating.
You ask, what am I to do? Ask this
question whether is it right to obey
God rather than man? Judge ye,"
men have died for principle you
purpose to sink and bury principle,
in order to live do yOu,-God has a
place in his service and in his heaven
for those who will keep his command
ments; acrong doors, He has no place
for, they must go to their own places
for which they are getting ready.
Remember young men that the axe
and hard earned bread, the hammer
and the brawny arm and a clear con-
science are better companions, than
the pen, soft hands and the violated
law, so the kitchen, the diary and the
house work and dollar or two at the
end of the week, will do better than
much more money unrighteously
earned behind the counter, by mis-
representation of goods, &C., and 50
Mr.. and Mrs. Farmer, your practice
of seeking to get the advantage of the
merchant, does not pay. You
are soon known, other people
buy as cheap as you and with far less
words, and the consciousness that
they did not try to get the advantage
of anybody, but tried to get an equiv.
alent in money for their purchased
goods. How shall better condition
Of things be brought about than that
suggested above, and known to exist
to such large extent. Let each re.
member his accountability to God
yea, and to his neighbor. The day Of
reckoning is coming. Restitution. q
necessary part of true repentance, is
called for in your settlement with
God and men. What you have taken
from another, that you had no right
to have, you must return, " Fruits
meal for. repentance" God calls for
aud your conscience will not be al
rest on any other conditions, every
false step, every wrong act makes il
the harder to return, and also the
easier to lose the soul.
Then let each declare for honesty
bread or no bread, easy or hard life,
home or no home, friend or no friend
Eternity is too long to be spent in re.
gretful despair over false and dis
honest life. Men who do right, who
will keep the law of God, do mo-
starve, are not neglected by God and
men. 1t is a reflection on our Master
God to act as though it was necessary
to do wrong to live. Neither Gods