Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-06-16
OUR eAccALAUREATE.

This is the commencement season
Glasses of young men and women
boys and girls, are stepping forth from
colleges. seminaries and high schools
to the active duties OF life. 1t is a sea.
son of ideals. These young people arr
framing for themselves rules of con
duct, under which their education
shall have full opportunity to work
out their success in life. Learned pre-
ceptors and good preachers, in the
addresses and baccalaureates, are adj
vising and admonlshing the graduates
in the light of their own experience as
to the principles that should control
when the restraints are withdrawn and
each follows his chosen path. Stress
is properly laid on correct habits, in
dustry, honesty and the other prime
virtues that make up character.
Catching, to some degree, the inspi-
ration OF the moment, we wish TO
dwell briefly on one particular requi-
site OF success that it seems to us is too
often overlooked, both in the incuica-
ton and the observance. As it is
proper to base a sermon on a scriptur-
al text, we win select this passage
from one of Paurs epistles, cove no
man anything"
we live in a material age; one
might almost call it a mercenary age
without overstepping bounds. The
dollar is the measure of value, not
alone of commodities, but to some eX-
tent Of personality. This may not ac-
cord with our theories, but it is plain
fact that cannot be tumbled over.
Now in this sordid age, when the
dollar plays so great part, there is
no quality the possession of which
gives greater eminence, and the lack
of which stands out more in disagree
able contrast than the reputation a
man or woman has of meeting fairly
and promptly his or her pecuniary OBJ
legations. 1t is, in fact, well nigh i'm
possible for person to succeed In life,
whatever his talents, unless he pays his
debts. A mans reputation takes its
cornerstone in his own immediate To-
cality, where he Is best known. II he
passes this gauntlet safely, he may
build on indefinitely, but he must be
thought well Of at home or he cannot
hope beyond. Now if his townsmen
with whom he has every day dealings
are kindly disposed toward him, his
natural talents will have further play.
II they are not; if every inquiry
from the outside meets with discour-
aging answer is it not clear what a
handicap he sutfers9
Nothing tends to make a man or
woman more unpopular in a commu-
nifty than habit OF persistently and
wilfully lodging the payment of debt.
1t is impossible to Offset this reputa-
ton by the possession of ever so many
virtues. People will not be tolerant
of those whose ledger accounts are sell
dom or never settled. A feeling Of an
mostly springs up; a resentment of
wrong suffered that obliterates much
of the real worth of the debtor. It
never pays to evade the fulflment OF
ones just obligations.
People are careless about involving
themselves in debt. If they see a
thing they want, they oflen purchase
it without knowing how it is to be
paid for. As a rule, nothing is no val |
liable that it warrants purchase under |
such conditions. Far better to wait !
until cash in hand justifes the outlay. |
The worst debts to pay are the ones |
incurred for things not really needed, |
and the failure to pay them gives the
debtor a bad odor.
Then there are the debts for neces-
saries that are left hanging while the
money goes for pleasure or luxuries. |
The washerwoman is unpaid while the
debtor goes on a vacation or INDUCES |
in rich clothes. There can be no JUS
titication of such a course, and the |
community will accept none. The
worst loser is not the washerwoman. !
but he who does the wrong, amount |
ing to a sin. Nobody needs recreation
so badly that he can afford TO take it at !
the expense OF his creditors. silks |
and satins do not show to advantage
when the butcher and milkman can