The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-12-12
SUNDAY SERMONS
Truthfulness by Rev.
VIM, NJ. Kincaid.
The Church and the Kingdom, Rev
G. L. Pearson = My Neighbor
Rev. w. A Gardner.

The following are abstracts of SER
mons preached last Sunday at the
Central Union, Methodist and Chris
tian Churches of this city:
Rev VIM. NJ. Kincaid gave his sixth
sermon at Central Union Church on
THE Making of Manhood the subject
being ''Truthfulness. He said, in
part: Not long ago the question was
put me, What ideal of manhood does
the Gospel of Christ set before us?'
If | were to answer the question along
the line of any single virtue, it would
be that of perfect truthfulness. Let
your communication, says Christ, in
the passage which | have chosen for
my text, "be yea, yea; nay, nay; for
whatsoever is more than this cometh
of evil" Let us accept this, then, as
the ideal of manhood which Christ sets
before us-unclouded truthfulness. :.
Now, it is not mere question OF
right and wrong that | wish to discuss
this evening, but of results as they re-
late to character What sort of men
does lying make? What is the effect
upon mans manhood? On the other
hand. what is the effect of holding
ones self loyal to the truth at all
times and under all circumstances
What influence has it in producing a
manly character? These elements are
haracter-making. No man who is
building character in this world can
afford to build with any other material
than that of truthfulness, cost what it
may. Untruthfulness vitiates a manly
First, it tends to dim and finally to
destroy the very sense and instinct of
truth. A man deceives at first know
ing it; but by the constant use of de-
ception he ceases even to know that
he is doing it. Gradually the moral
sense is blinded. 1t is because of this
that great lies are less harmful than
little ones. We think that a great lie
is a great sin and great shame to a
man; so it is, but these little deceits
are more dangerous, because there are
so many of them, and because each one
Of them is diamond-pointed. These
little, petty untruths which are so
small that you do not notice them and
so numerous that you cannot estimate
them, these are the things that take
the very enamel off of character that
cut away its surface. This is what
takes the foundation out from under
manhood.
Then, again, untruthfulness lowers
the standard of honor; it is destruct-
i've of those finer instincts that make
character large and noble. And, then,
it weakens the faith of men in men.
Ono n n CO.
ciety is that men have confidence in
each other. When, therefore, in
men cannot be taken at
their word, when their deeds are de-
ceptive, not only is there harm done
% the persons deceived and to the au-
.hors of the deception, but the hold of
nan on man, the confidence between
nan and man, is lessened. Untruthful-
less is disintegrating tendency, and
when faith in men is generally lost, So
iety is fatally wounded.
Lack of truthfulness is disastrous |
lso to the life of nation. A success
I'll government of the people, for the |
'eople, by the people, is not possible |
where the people universally have be- |
ONE Indifferent to the truth. Why is |
t that France cannot be a republic |
1ent of simple, manly truth in the
'rench character is wanting. You will
OF find it in the Spanish character,
ither; nor in the Italian. In Italy, in
pain, in France, republican govern
1ents will wait long. They cannot ex-
st until the people can be educated
1tO truth.
In all the Germanic races, on the 9TH
+ hand, truthfulness has been regard
d as one of the indispensable elements
true manhood. The ideal man, ac
ording to their standard, is one who
Tould die rather than speak an un-
ruth Why has the English govern
lent maintained itself without a writ
en- constitution, and apparently with
he element of perpetual change in it?
because the English character. with
IL its faults, has a certain reliableness. /
he Anglo-Saxon loves the truth.
Where there is deep, abiding sense
f honesty and truth. there you find
he qualities on which you can build
No other battle is harder for a young
nan who means to build truly noble
haracter than that which he is called
pom to wage against falsehood. To
ass through business in the way in
,hich it is conducted, and to keep your
white, and your character
tainless, that requires the utmost en-
eavor. We talk about great moral at
ailments. One of the greatest is |
truthfulness- guilelessness
f soul.
There is no ideal like a reliable
haracter. There is nothing so noble
S a man who is true, who means truth,
nd who casts upon everyone the at
losphere of truth. It is of God, and
therefore, Godlike. And in the great
attic of life, where SO many go down
for want Of good morals, a
Dung man can take no better shield
nan truth, the love of it, and the pur-
ose to stand by it. 1t may take q. lit
e longer to build on truth, but he
no builds on it builds deep, and once
uilt, the structure stands.
For your own happiness sake, for
lie love of those who surround you,
II the respect which, first or last, ev-
y man longs for in the community