New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-14

In the current number Of 1.-THE Popular Sci
ence Monthly" appears an article on Verac'y'"
taken from Herbert spencers Principles OF
Ethics,n in which the great thinker adduces
facts 10 show that complete truthfulness Is
ope Of the iarcst Of virtues That this Is the
case not only among uncvilized races. which
avovedly cultivate lying "a most useful and
necessary virtue, but in highly civilized races
A. we'll will not be denied by any one OF IN
telligence. And strangely enough, Mr. Spen-
GERS article itself furnishes striking example
of the way in which even an honest and accurate
man may unconsciousy bear false witness
After stating that there was but little repro6a-
ton OF lying among the ancient Hebrews nc
remarks: "Nor do wo find the standard much
changed in the days of Christ and after IN
stance the case Of Paul. who. apparently rather
piouing himself on his craft and guile else
where defends his acts by contcndng that the
truth of God hath more abounded through my
Ne unto His glory"
Now this is an amazing blilnder Tor man
like Herbert Spencer to make for 1t Is an utter
distortion OF the true meaning OF the passage
In the lid Chapter Of the Epistle TO the
Romans. from which il is taken, Paul threw his
argument into the form Of dramatic dialogue
between himself and a Jewish obiector in order
IN make il more vivid. And these words,
wrcnched from their context by Mr. Spencer,
arc simply one of the captiouS objections OF
this supposed Jewish opponent. " But, he
asks. "if the truth of God through my lie
abounded unto His glory, why am l also stu
iudccd az n sinner" And Paul proceeds To
answer this question by showing that all mon
arc sinners. and that they arc not justified by
their "works,r either good or evil. but by
faith. Thus it will be seen that the charge
which the philosopher tries to fasten on the
APOSTLE Is utterly baseless. Mr.. Spencer, In
deed. does not appear TO have taken any pains
IN understand the words of tho man whose
character he 40 glbly asSails, and as Will be
seen by comparing his charge with the passage
ON which il is founded, he does not even quote
him correctly. Surely if any one were disposed
In doubt that complete truthfulncss is ono
If the rarest of virtues" such doubt would
be dissipatcd by this remarkable lapse of the
apostle Of science
Aside from this blunder. however. there is
abundant cause for thought in what Mr.. spencer
saws about the rarity Of truth. Notwithstand-
ing the widespread diffusion of knowledge, and
the strengthening of that respect for facts
which the methods of science prem to, the world
is full of over statements and under statements
1t Is true that lying in its grosscr forms is no
longer considered respectable But such lying
is, after ALL a most clumsy and useless vice,
which men Of intelligence and refinement might
be trusted to abjure aside from any moral con-
siderations The form of unveracity which is
so common to-day, in spite of our Gradgrind
cry for facts, is much more subtle and danger
GUS 1t diffuses itself in our politics, religion,
social life. and even colors the verdict of his
t,y. II is, in wo,d, the injection of personal
preudices and desires into what should be sim
ply relations Of fact, Exaggeration as MIR.
SPENCER well says, Is almost universal. The
perpetual use of the word "veryn where the
! occasion does not call for it shows how widely
dfu,ed and confirmed is the habit Of mis-
representation. We boast loudly Of the prog
rcss of science we point proudly to its exact
methods, and irIefragable conclusions and utter
many s0norOus platitudes about the reign OF
immu,able law. But all the time in our daily
life we go on in the old way of our fathers
taking fiction for fact and swayed in our esti-
mate of men and things by childish prejudice
and unworthy passion. How much we have yet
TO learn before we can understand and obey
the words of Christ, Let your speech be yea
! yea nay nay" or that sublime gospel Of