Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-08-16
8elisious geadins.
Conducted BY Rev. J. K. Hall.
LYING.
A Habit Based on Fear, cupidity and
Malice,

A Habit Based on Fear, cupidity and
Malice.
The word at the head Of this article
Is an unpleasant word. However, the
thing itself is unpleasant, and it would
be impossible to find pleasant words
that would accurately describe it.
In this short article it will be pos
sible to do little more than describe
some Of the many forms Of deception.
The most obvious form is down
right lying. Men will lie for money.
Others like Peter, who denied his Mas
ter, will lie from fear. Still others
will lie for show. Ananias and Sap
phira belonged to this class. They
wished to be thought very benevolent.
Political campaigns are most fruit
full sources Of this sin. The friends
Of candidate paint him altogether In
bright colors, whereas his opponents
picture him altogether in dark colors.
Both pictures cannot be true. There
is falsehood somewhere. But these
exaggerations are not so bad as the
falsehoods that are circulated for the
purpose Of injuring an opposing can
didate. This practice cannot be too
severely denounced. A man who will
purposely circulate false reports about
his opponent, or whose friends do 1t
with his sanction, Is not worthy OF
the votes Of his fellow citizens. and
he should be left in private life.
Another form Of this sin Is making
false returns Of property. That this
Is done is notorious. In one Of the
counties in the upper part Of the state
an investigation was made. few years
ago. 1t was found that the real es-
tate that had been bought in the past
ten years had been returned on an
average at just about one fourth what
was paid for it. Many people never
think Of returning money at all. A
substantial citizen in one Of the best
counties Of the state told the writer
that it was currently reported in his
county that only two persons In the
whole county returned money. can
not think that this report was alto
gether true, yet the practice Of not re-
turning money Is far too common.
That, too, after an oath has been sign
ed that all property, money included,
had been properly returned. This sin
like Gains cries unto the Lord for
vengeance.
Another form Of the sin consists In
assigning a probable reason for the
true reason. One neighbor excuses,
himself from visiting on the ground
that he did not have time. Now, In
all probability, this was not the true
reason. The true reason was that he
did not wish to make the visit. This
was a plain falsehood. He declared
that one thing kept him from visit
ing whereas wholly a different thing
was the cause.
Our artificial society is fruitful
source of insincerity. Two deadly en-
emies meet at the home Of mutual
friend and they must profess to be
very much delighted to see each 9TH
er. A caller is announced, and one
sees wry face. But in the parlor
only extravagant expressions OF de-
light are heard. It Is very important
to be polite, but 1t is Of more import
ance to be true.
Many people would not think Of be-
ing untrue in matters Of Importance,
vet in smaller matters they do not
hesitate to deceive. They call these
falsehoods "fibs" and white lies" Cir
cumstance makes one lie worse than
another, but all are wrong; all are
contrary to the law Of God; all do
harm.
The liar Is not only displeasing to
God, but Is an enemy to all society.
Every lie tends to destroy confidence,
and want Of confidence makes society
impossible. Says DR.. r. L. Dabney: II
you cannot trust the postman who
engages to carry your letters, the con-
ductor who guides the vehicle IN
which you ride, the pilot who guides
your ship, the cook who engages to
dress your food, the agent who trans
acts your business, you can neither,
write, ride, sail, eat, nor transact any
business" All business would be
stopped because of mutual distruH
between employer and employee. Ed
ucation would be impossible, because
the pupil could not trust his instruc-
tor. Love would be impossible, be-
cause one cannot love where he can
not trust. The home with all its bless
ings would vanish, because without
love and trust the members of the
family would be driven apart. Every
man would become a solitary 1shmael-
lite, his hand against every other mans
hand, and every other mans hand
against his. Every falsehood tends TO
bring about just this state Of things.
Men can never be too careful to tell
always the exact truth.
]. K. HALL.
1.a. c,,,,.>rr-A tho centenary