The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-09-19
Our Social Chat.
HDTTEo BY AUNT JENNIE RALEIGH, N. O.
AUNT RNNIE LETTER.

Deceit is the father of a terrible
crew, some member of which you will
find stationed at every turn on life's
road. Did these deceptive fellows
dwell only at the turns of the road
many Of US would arm ourselves and
be ready to defend ourselves from their
attacks but as they appear in every
guise and assume all forms, who of US
is wise enough to distinguish them
from our fellows of faithful intent7
Webster knew them as, fraud, i'm
position, duplicity, trickery, guile,
cheating, classifying, double dealing
and stratagem" There is no one
thing relating either to the actions or
eDjoyments of man in which he is not
liable to deception"
Knowing this, ought we not to strive
to be as wise az serpents and as harm
less as doves3 Deception is practiced
by all classes and in all conditions of
OF life. D5spicable is the mein of
deceit, though many human beings
embrace it and declare to themselves
that the 'world does not know the
manner of man I am. IT'S true, / lie,
steal, cheat (myself and others) but
they will never know. Let me keep q
straight face and smooth tongue, hold
a high head az the saying goes, march
onward and no one will be any the
wiser" Thus you seek to console your
self.
Let me ask you, my friend, is the
retrospect of your past and the con
temptation of your future life as pleas
ant as it might have been had you
lived as your conscience dictated7 You
say that matter Of a conscience tWinge,
is small compared with your gains, in
earthly goods. Lot US reason about
this gain. How many think you can
declare as did a good man on one oc
c~asion, And Paul, earnestly behold
ing the council, said, Men and breth
rem, I have lived in all good conscience
before God until this day" Again he
says, "As we have received mercy we
faint not, but having reno unced the
hidden things of dishonesty, not walk
ing in craftiness, nor handling the
word of Odd deceitfully but by mani
festation Of the truth commencing our
selves to every mans conscience in the
sight of God!' How blest the man
who can face both his fellow man and
his Maker with a clear conscience.
Yes, you cRn and do boldly face your
fellow man but how about your Maker,
God3 Think you not that your Craft
ness is dearly bought, ''for what shall
it profit a man if he shall gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul9'
Or what shall a man give in exchange
for his souls" Remember the trade is
between two single personalities, you
and God.
There ere so many seemingly trivial
ways to deceive that many persons do
not realize the gravity of it. For in
stance a boy thinks that he a drink
q few times and then stop. Can he or
does he2 A girl thinks she can flrt
this one time and stop. Does she's
"Well, not Often" you say which is
all too true for deceit is enticing.
But my sermon is getting long and I
must wait until some other time to tell
you of some instances Of deception
that have come under my observation.
A nice letter from a happy country
girl is refreshing. Polly enjoys the
work as we'll as play OF farm. / gladly
welcome you, Polly, and hope you will
write US such cheerful letters often.
Many THANKS Serenno for the inter
esting letter you send US this week.
You begin by telling rs that you do
the work Of a man and woman but
after reading your letter we are CON
strained to believe tnat you have q
band of willing CO workers.
Water Lily, writes u another in
teresting letter. I was not mistaken
in believing her a lovable girl, with an
unusual amount of good common
sense. Many thanks for kind words
spoken of your old Auntie.
Hoping to hear from these and
others again soon. AUNT JENNIE
CHARACTER.