The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1901-09-06

SduulcSllCk He salu nO, ne nau given
it TO him. This is another example
of the white lie" that is not a lie,
according to many critics.
Physicians agree with DR.. Andrews
in his illustration of what should be
told TO sick man for the truth.
They say the truly false person will
tell man the exact facts, often com
menting on the fact that he is sink
ing rapidly and that they fear he is in
dangerous condition. The honest
man will say he is pleased to see the
patient looking better even though
he knows he is worse.
Politeness is defined in some quar-.
ters as largely made up of lies.
'There is kind of lying" said one
of the instructors at the University
of Chicago, that is like paint. 1t is
used to conceal unpleasant things.
No one thinks Of insisting that an
imperfect board should 20 unpainted
because paint lies in saying that that
board is as good as another. A man
paints himself over with politeness
and covers up the imperfections and
ugliness of his nature. The world is
better for it. He tells many an un.
truth indoing it. Let him he honest
with himself and he will not answer
to the charge of sinful lying when the
judgement day comes. Dr. Andrews
statement is a self-evident fact. Tell
ing an untruth is often far from
the sin against which we are warned
in the commandments,
The Rev. Fred D. Sheets, a Method.
lSt minister agrees with DR.. An drews
opinion. A lie to him, he says is de-
fined by its motive and not by it's
form.
"a statements of facts that are not
true" said the Rev. Mr.. Sheets, "if
they have no harmful results may be
far from the sin of lying. There are
circumstances where it is not only
wise to refrain from speaking the
truth, but also necessary to deceive.
The character of the nun in Lies
Miserables' seems to me to be that Of
an honest woman, and the fact that
one untruth was told does not in my
eyes make her guilty of the sin of ly
ing.
81 do not know exactly where to
draw definition of lying, but in
speaking of it in this way | mean a
sinful untruth. 1t seems to me to
answer the question directly that a
lie is not a lie when it has no sinful
result of intent in it,"
The Rev. A. j. Thicle does not ad.
NIT there is a question. A lie is lie
he says and there is little use Of draw
distinction.
"Of course" said the Rev. Mr..
Thicle. "there are different kinds of
lies, some of them far worse than
others. But why say an untruth is
sometimes not lie? Will it not do
to admit that lie is lie and then to
say that N some instances one who
lies is not guilty of great sin? 1t
hardly seems well for us to learn the
lesson that lying is not lying. Better
teach strict adherence to the truth,
and then there will be sincere repen-
tance if the time ever comes when an
untruth seems Necessary"
Mrs. Nancy B. Irving, who has been
looking in vain for an honest man,
thinks DR.. Andrews should have en-.
tered the competition for the $1,000
prize. A man who is honest enough
to admit that he lies and who says it
is necessary, she says comes nearest
the criterion she had in mind when
she made the offer. Her way of look.
ing at the question is his:
"The man who les and says that
he lies is an honest man." said Mrs.
Irving. "Why talk about the telling
of untruths as an important question
in honest living. The conception of
honesty must change before we can
come down to a serious discussion of
the ethics OF lying 1t is not neces.
sary to have a tongue to tell lie.
Lying depends upon no particular
organ of the body. Honest living is
impossible. Honesty of purpose in
living is the best we can strive for.
A man of honest purpose will tread a
devious path If he holds fast to the
strictest integrity in all the affairs of
life. He will probably soon leave the
field of business"
| Superintendent OF Schools X. u.
Cooley, who succeeded DR.. Andrews
| in that position Sald nc alreauy ia"
enough to worry about.
"Whether a lie can be anything but
u lie is not question that comes
within my province" said Mr.. Cooley.
Ethics and education may be allied,
but lam not endeavOring to solve
questions similar to this in either d.
rection."
Luther Latin Mills takes DR., An
drews to task for his statement of
principle which threatens to destroy
the essential faith Of man in man."
"The advocating by the learned
lecturer Of the Justification Of false.
| a