The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-08-24
RICHMOND COUPLE WED.
f'r0Dcusity for Lring.

1t is not as easy always to tell the
truH as may sometimes appear. The
average man does not tell an untruth de-
liberately or NAL cously, but he is quite
prone to tell untruths out Of his good
nature, his fear of giving otfense or his
vanity. 1t takes a n1nn of moral courage
to say 81 do not know Nine men out
of ten Gall of them being accounted hon
est as the world goes will pretend to know
rather than confess their ignorance. Some
of them will do it with effrontery; others
will shirk the confession and by Their
silence pretend to have knowledge they
do not possess. during a political cum
pagn like that upon which we are about
to enter a vast amount Of this kind of
untruthfulnesS is developed In the dis
cuss!on of the issues of the day questions
arise respecting constitutional provisions,
the laws of the country, the history OF
parties. md but few of the d.sputants Will
nave the honesty to say II do not know
when cornered in a debate. They Will eth
er evade the question or invent reply
10 carry them over the awkward place
They do not lie maliciously, but they are
insncere.
So also. in social life men and women act
a mart and deceive or try to deceiVe-solne-
times out Of good nature-because tley 40
not wish to give offense. 1t IS quite Gull
mon to meet otherwise honest men anu
women who pretend to have 1a1nuy con-
nect:ons or means or technica! SfAl4l tiis'I
they do not really possess. lheS aie
inc To give themselves y degree OF I'M
nortance 10 which they are not entitled
a,5 while they may not either tell or act
an untruth they suggest d iaise iii's'i CO. 90
and are absolutely insincefe.
,nora common form of inslncerity, DC
cause II is prescribed oy the rules Oh Or
binary politeness, is that whlch leaus ue
70 treat with respect and apparent ih.eies'
one who is really despised Ihere Is liislli-
ceritv in this, no doubt. but II IS 10 soiiic
extent excusable. because the oppostse
sh who. being introduced 10 one "tiohi ne
does not like saws so in words or manner.
Srch insjrceritv as may be involved IN
nolite behavior is in such a case eXcu-
sable but it should not be extended beyond
necessary conventonalities. Inc soc1'i
falsehoods that are to be Reproduced aIe
the ecrl.sivc ucterances that have no basis
Of true feeling.
poitanass does not require that one
shall say pleasant things to man for
whom one has no regard, ana the lnslncer-
ity is absolute when one uses such express
sions for purposes of deception ana d
few minutes afterward recants them 10
mutual friend. To be sincere anu tiut4-
full it is not necessary that one should dis
close to the world his inmost thoughts
But he should not conceal them by false
hoods He may remain silent if he chooses
in cases which do not require an express
sion OF opinion; he may conceal his
thoughts or feelings under a conventional
observance OF the rules of society with
out being justly accused of insincerity,
provided he is careful not to give positive
expression to false sentiments with an
intention to deceive It is Well. however,
to keep a close watch upon ones self
TO see that there is no unconscious drift
ing away from the habit Of telling the
truth. The test is ones own conscience or
feeling of self-respact. What the world
may say is a matter OF small Importance
with what conscience says Have we dealt
fairly and sincerely by our fellow men,
saying agreeable things only when we
believed them and disagreeable things only
when duty required US to do SO? If SO we
have been sincere even though we may
not have told the world everything we
have thought or gone out of our way to
tell the truth when justified in remaining
silent,-Baltimore Sun.