The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-31
The Evil Influence of Lying.
ANOTHER COMPOSITION By A COLLEGE
BOY.

of the great evils oil our people
There is nothing one can indulge II
that will cause Others TO lose conf
dence In him as soon as lying. One
NAV get drunk but that does not
have the same influence as lying
To my mind nothing is so degrading
as wilful lying. One wilfnl lie told
In a community seems TO affect every
one; and the whole neighborhood
feels the effect OF 1t. The lies and
deception the serpent used in de-
ceivins the first couple has effected
the whole human race. To day we
are placed under the same penalty
that was placed upon Adam and
Eve.
Again the evil iDf0ence of lies is
felt In politics, for when man wants
an office, he will GO around and tell
the people he knows exactly what
they need and be is the man for the
office; for he will see that they get
justice. The people support him
with their votes and be is elected,
and when he takes the Office he for
gets all his fair promises and thereby
fools the people. They say they are
deceived in this man, he has proved
himself to be an absolute liar. Ol
all people to be dreaded and shunned,
is the lie teller. ODe person of this
kind can cause more strife and hard
feeling in q community than any
other class OF people. Some of them
will tell one lie and when you ap-
proach them, they will lie out Of it,
so it is a difficult matter to catch
them.
In the history Of time we have
seen how innocent persons have
been made to suffer for wliiul lies
told by others. The case Of Joseph
is fair specimen. We have read in
the Bible how Potiphar's wife told a
lie on Joseph and how be was cast
into prison. Then how Jacob decelv-
ed his father and obtaiued the bless
ing intended for his brother; but
trace the history little farther an1
yon Will see that he reaped as a re-
ward for the lie he told his father
ten lies from his sons. Lying is one
tie devils most powerful instru'
ments for deceivIng humanity. For
instance, the first time man gets
drunk the devil will come to him AM d
say, "You went q little too far that
time, it was not your intention to do
so, now try it again and show your
companion that you can take q
lrlnk and not get drunk. Show
them thu t you can keep from making
a brute Of yourself" So the man
tries it time and again and finally be
becomes perfect slave to it, and
eventually fills drunkard's grave,
If we look carefully into the matter
we see that lying and deceit are
back of many of the evils that are
practiced.
Last hut not least of these agents
is a lie telling woman. One lie
telling and tale bearing woman can
canse more trouble in community
than half-dozen of the gIibbest
tongued men you can select.
A true, virtuous woman in my
estiTation is the most perfect oi
Gods creation.
But if she sets out to be base and
low, she is the worst of Gods crea'
ton.
She cen lie so successfully that il
viii take you years to catch her. In
that time she can prepare nelghbor
hood for torment its self. She can
cause strifes and hard feelings that
it will take years to get over. You
may 60 in a community that has one
Of these female characters and hear
some of the people talk and you will
affirm that is the worst place this
side of purgatory. You will not
hear one word about any one that is
good, hut every thing that is said
will be against some of the neigbbors,
and il You can get to the foundation,
you will find that one woman has
teen the cause of all the disturbance.
Many of US have had some experl.
ence along this line. So while we
are here TO develop our minds TO
make useful men of ourselves, let Us
strive to develop truth and honor
also, for q man can never become
useful and occnpy good position in
life without this one virtue, truth.
While there are many things that 60
to make up true character, the char.
acter will not be complete if 1t does
not Dossess this yirtue