Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-09-03


white wool Of pet lamb.
Destroycrs of Clara cter.
SO well known Is this fact Of uncon-
scious alteration, and so painful has
been his experience of Its effects, that
one of our best known United States
senators has made It a rule to refuse
all applications for a verbal interview.
He has been 80 often misrepresented
Internationally that when an inter
viewer comes to him he always says:
Write your questions clearly and dis
tinctly upon paper. Then I will write
my answers and you must print them
as give them 10 you. do this so that
there may be no misunderstanding be-
tween us" There are many social
falsehoods floating about every com
munty, not because neighbors have
deliberately lied against neighbors, but
because when gossip starts her work
the statements made in reference to q
mans character by oft repetition often
unintentionally become malformed and
satanic and character destroying mon
strosities.
Social falsehoods are prevalent ev-
erywhere. How are we to guard
against them? First and foremost, by
not making ourselves a medium for
their propagation. An aspersion on a
mans character, once started, is passed
from lip to lip until the whole commu-
nifty hears It. But the calumny, often
undeserved, might be stopped by the
observ ltion Of simple rule. Never
believe any evil rumor," my father
said, you may hear against your
neighbor. Never believe 1t unless you
have positively heard the evil confess
sion from the mans own lips. and even
then you must hope there Is some mis-
take about It," Never allow yourself
TO listen to any maligner of an innocent
mans life and thereby make yourself
party in the crime. Never allow
your imperfect memory to transmit
what idle gosslpers and scandal mon
gers may revel IN. a fatal lie, like a
wolf in sleeps clothing, sometimes at
tempts to robe itself in the garments Of
sincerity But by the execution of the
two falsifers of my text we know that
God will condemn US when we repeat
an evil report against our neighbors
unless we positively and without any
peradvcnture know that what we say
is true.
Parental Dishonesty.
Falsehoods in the parental world A.:
We would have broadcned this head
ing and called it "falsehoods in the
domestic world" but for one reason.
When husband deceives his wife and
a wife her husband they do it deliber-
ately and premeditatedly They do 1t
with their eyes wide open, and they
fully realize the enormity Of their sins
and toward what destructive rocks
they are heading. But, though n father
never tells falsehood to his MARTA
companion without forethought, that
parent may thoughtlessly fall into the
habit of deceiving his children. They
are so young. lie thinks they do not
remember and do not understand The
same law applies to the wife as we'll as
to the husband. The mother some day
wearied by the perpetual racket, says
to her child, Now. Harry, if you will
20 to bed this afternoon and take G
nice long nap I will take you out for 6
ride this evening The child goes tc
bed without a murmur. When evening
comes the mother wishes to do some
| What is the result? She deliberately
breaks her promise. She falsifles be
cause she does not think 1t necessary tc
be honest with her child.
The father comes to the side of the
invalid's crib and says, Now, my son
If you are patient and good and vii
take your medicines as you ought
when you get we'll l will give you {
bicycle or a watch or a printing press
or a scroll saw" The sick boy thinks
and dreams about that coming present
But when the child gets well the bill
begin to come in. The doctors bill
and the druggists bill and the trained
nurses bill stagger the father. IL
ncElccts his promise. or he says: q"
cannot afford that bicycle now. Yol
must wait, my son; you must wal
awhile" That night the mother say
10 her husband: Husband. do 20,
think it is right not to give the boy hi
present? Remember, you promised
him." "Oh," says the father, he |
only 4 child and will soon forget it.
Will he forget your promise? Never
N, never! A child's mind and hear
are like the rolls of a photographic ir
strument. Every time you speak int
a child's ears the roll of memory re
ceives an indentaton. After awhil
your human voice may he still, bu
these memory rolls will speak fort
the records of your broken promise
tell you candidly l would sooner II
TO any being on earth than to one c
my own children. If | lie TO them
; not only destroy myself, like Anania
absolutely destroy my little ones also
Falsehoods in the church. Tia
means many of Us are weekly an
daily breaking the public pledges W
have made TO God. Take. for instance
that promise which you made whe
you Joined the church. Have you KEEP
it? Every sunday night ut the close O
the meetings the members of hundred
and thousands of Christian Endeavo
services are repentinG the tArlSua
= Endeavor pledge, &c. promise nm ina
1 will strive to do whatever ne woul
( like to have me do; that l will make
the rule of my life to pray and rea
e the Bible every day and 10 support m
( own church in every way especially d