The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-04-02

latter day of the worlds prosperity, l
tflnk that the Christian will be mus
cular. We have a right to expect of
tt ose Stalwart men Of toll the highest
possible integrity. Many of them an
sWer all our expectations, and stand
ut the front Of religious and philan-
Il rOpc enterprises. But this class,
lie the others that | have named, has
i'll it those who lack in the element of
veracity. They cannot all be trusted.
In times when the demand for labor is
great, it is impossible to meet the de.
mands of the public, or do work with
that promptneSs and perfection that
would at other times be possible. But
there are mechanics whose word can
not be trusted at any time. No man
has right to promise more work than
he can do. There are mechanics who
say that they will come on Monday,
but they do not come until Wednesday.
on put work in their hands that they
tell you Shall be completed in ten days,
but it is thirty. There have been
houses built Of which 1T might be said
that every nail driven, every brick
mortarcd, could tell of falsnhood con-
nected therewith. There are men at
tempting to do ten or fifteen pieces Of
work who have not the time or
strength 10 do more than five or six
pieces; but by promises never fulfilled
keep all the undertakings within their
own grasp. This is what they call
nursing" the job.
How much wrong to his soul and in
suit to God mechanic would save, if
he promised only 80 much as he OK
prctcd to be able to do, Society has
no right to ask YOU impossibilities.
on cannot always calculate correctly,
ana you may fail because you cannot
get the help that you anticipate. But
now | am speaking of the Willful max
ing of promises that you know YOU
cannot keep. Did you say that that
sho" would be mended, that coat re-
paired, those bricks laid that harness
Srwed, that door grained, that spout
fixed, or that window glazed, by Satur-
day, knowing that you would neither
one else to do it? Then before God
and man you are Il liar. You may saw
That 1t makes no particular difference,
and that if you had told the truth you
would have lost the job, and that peo-
pi" expect to be disappointed. But
that excuse will not answer. There is
voice Of thunder rolling among the
drills, and planes, and shoe lasts, and
shears, which saws: "All liars shall
have their part in the lake that burneth
with fire and brimstonr."
l next notice ecclesiastical lies; that is,
laSehoodS told for the purpose OF advanc-
of depicting them. There is no use in
asking many Calvinst what an Arminian
believes, for he will be apt to tell you that
the Amman believes that man can con-
vert himself, or to ask the Arminan what
the CalvlniSt believes, for he will tell you
that the Calvinist believes that G0d made
some men Just to damn them. There is
no need Of asking q prdo-Baptst what a
BaptiSt believes, for he will bc apt to say
that the Baptist believes immersion to be
positively necessary to salvation. 1t is al
most impossible for one denomination of
Christians, without prejudice or misreprc-
SCntatl0n, to state the sentiment of an op-
posing sect. If man hates PrcShytcrianS,
ana You ask him what PrcsbytcrianS be-
Iievc, he tell you that they believe that there
are infants in hell q span long.
lt Is strange also how individual churches
VIII sometimes make mSStatcmcntS about
other individual churches. 1t is especially
SO IS regard to falschoods told with refer
enCc to prosperous enterprises. AS long as
a church is feeble, and the singing is dis
cordant, and the minister, through the
poverty Of the church, must 60 with a
thrcadbarc coat, and here and there q wor-
shipper sits in the end of pew, having all
the seat to himself, religious sympathizers
of other churches will say, "What q pitv"'
But, let n great day of prosperity come, and
even ministers of the Gospel, who ought to
be rcjoic Il at the largencSS and extent of
the work, dcnOuncc, and miSrcpreScnt, and
fa,sify, starting the suspicion in regard to
themselves, that the reason they do not like
the corn is because it is not ground in their
own mill How long before we shall learn
to be fair In our religious criticisms! The
kccncSt jcalouSieS on earth arc church
jcalouScS. The field of Christian work is
so large that there is no need that our hoe
handles hit.
Next, l speak of social lies. This evil
makes much of society insncerc. You
know not what to believe. When people
ask you to come, YOU do not know whether
or not they want You to come. When they
send their regards, you do not know wheth-
er it is an expression Of their heart, or an
external civility. We have learned to take
almost everything at discount. Word is
sent, mot at home" when they are only
"Thc furnace has just gone out" when in
truth they have had no fire in il all winter.
They apologize for the unusual barrcnness
OF their table, when they never live any
better. They decry their most luxurious
entertainments, to win a shower Of APP
proyal. They, apologize for their appear
ancc, as though it were unusual, when al
ways at home they look just so. They
would make you believe that some nice
sketch on the wall was the work of mas
ter painter. "lt was an heirloom and once
hung on the walls of a castle; and duke
gave it to their grandfather" When the
TACT Is, that painting was made by a man
down east" and baked so as to make it
look old, and sold with others for $40
dozen. People who will lie about nothing
else will lie about a picture. On q small
income we must make the world believe
that we are atllucnt, and our life becomes a
cheat, a counterfeit, and a sham.
Few persons arc really natural. When I
say this, | do not mean to Slur cultured
manners. 1t is right that we should have
more admiration for the Sculpturcd marble
than for the unknown block of quarry.
From many circles in life nsincerity has
driven out Yivacity and enthusiasm. A
frozen dignity instead floats about the room,
nmd iceberg grinds against iceberg. Eou
must rot laugh outright it is vulgar. You
must smile. You must not dash rapidly
across the room; you must glide. There is
round Of bows, and grinS, and batteries,
and obs! and abs! and Simpcring, and
nambypambyism--a world of which is not
worth one good, round honest peal of laugh
ter. From such Il hollow round the tortured
guest rctircS at the close of thr evening and