The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-14
WHEN YOU MAY TELL A LIE.
FRENCH PROFESSOR or THEOL-
OGY WRITES ABOUT 1T.
Lies ~ Guard . Secret, Lies In Self.Defence
and Lies to the Enemies or Ones COun'
try Are Al PernnissiDle-ln Some
Gases Children May Lie to Parents.
Special Cable Despatch 10 THE SUN.

Gases Children May Lie to Parents.
Special Cable Despatch 10 THE SUN.
LONDON, June IA pamphlet recently
published in Paris has the title Lying,
Properly SO Called" 1t is signed by a
professor Of theology and published with
the permission of the Vicar General.
This professor of theology declares that
the ordinary definitions of lying require
that those Of the present day be retouchcd,
or rather completed After reading the
professors retouching, or completing,
method, one might we'll be tempted to ask
with Plate Testing apart, what is truth"
Pirate. upon the occasion Of his famous
question, did not wait for All answer. This
is now provided by the French professor
OF theology, with all The authority implied
by the imprimatur oc 'he Vicar General
"Timid, simple :, uls. lays the Nrnfessor.
"olten find moral stumble b ,ck in
the Fact that truth il not AWAY, possible
or desirable
For the support Of such persons the pro-
fessor lays down rules for the regulation of
lying, giving Illustrations of cases in which
truth may egitimatey be sacrificed Ac-
cording to his defintion a lie consists OF
an endeavor to deceive some one who has
right to know the truth Permissible
lies may be brought under two heads,
those told to guard secret and those told
in self-defence. These include lies told
to avoid revealing confidence. lies to the
enemies of ones country and even lies
who's" only purpose Is to save the telers
own skin, as for instance. witness in Il
law court may !egitiuatelv lie If he has
grave reason 10 fear resentment of the
criminal or if the evidence required OF
him would damage his own character.
A wife may deceive her husband on the
subject of her inddelity, regarding her
crime ms a secret which ought to be kept
Even the confessor has not in all crcum-
stances -the right to the truth" as, for
instance, if lie asks questions concerning
u sin which has already been absolved or
questions concerning the temporal affairs
OF his penitent
Illustrations are given Of circumstan ces
wherein children may lie to parents. Pupils
to teachers and servants to masters. A
servant if he or she fears from frankness
some notable dctriment to himself or her
self has sufficient reason for not speaking
the truth. The professor, in order to
forestal criticism, assures his readers that
many "Puritans" will object TO This point
of view, there being still. he says, many
hypocrtes in the world"
DESTROYS of basing his theories on re-
ligion. the professor seeks for q precedent
in the New Testament, disrc garding the
extremely definite and stringent teaching
on the subject of lying that runs through
the Gospels and Epistes. The professor.
who is presumably supported by the Vicar
General, deduces single instance:
-Our Lord" he says. certainly knew
everything about the last day. and when
H declared Of that day that the hour
kuowcth no man. no, not tho angels which
are in Hea zen, nett her the Son, II merely
exercised the right of every man to keep a
secret"