The Penn's Grove record., 1904-03-04
DIVINE PUNISHMENT OF THOSE
WHO RETAIN WHAT BELONGS
TO OTHERS.

TO OTHERS.
Our Lord declares that calamities shall
fall on those who keep what does not be-
long to them. Hear His own words:
"Woe to him that heapeth together that
which is not his own" Hab. II. g..
Those who refuse to pay their lawful
debts heap together what is not their
own and are certain to incur sooner or
later the miseries pronounced against
them by our Lord. Again God declares:
ga kingdom is translated from one peo-
Pile to another, because of injustices, and
wrongs, and injuries, and divers deceits."
Feel. X. s. This divine declaration is
carried out i'll the case OF families and in
dividuals who are guilty of ininstices,
wrongs, injuries and fraud against others
God has solemnly pledged His word to
protect the property rights of all, rich
and poor, high and low, and He will per-
NIT no injustice, 40 wrong, nc injury, no
fraud to go UNPUBLISHED. Again hear
His words: stSome distribute their own
goods and grow richer; others take away
what is not their own, and are always III
want" Pow. XI. "a. God increases the
store of the generous hearted as He mul
tiplies the seed sown in the ground,
whereas those who owe bills everywhere
and refuse to pay them are afflicted with
want. As the proverb says, they have
no luck, things 60 wrong, wages are spent
foolishly, there are disappointments, mis-
cries, and unhappiness, and they are al
ways in want because they take what is
not their own. The dreadest punish
ment awaits them in the next world.
"Know you not that the unjust shall not
possess the kingdom of God" | Cor.
vi. 9. The church teaches that we are
obliged at the peril Of our salvation to
pay our just debts. No power on earth
car absolve from this sacred duty. There
can be no forgiveness in the holy tribunal
of reconciliation for the person who cul-
pably refuses to pay his debts. Even in
the dread hour of death dissolution can
not be impaired to such a person unless
he makes good the iniustices done others.
God has made the conditions of forgive
ness, no power on earth can change them.
and restitution for every injustice is one
of those conditions. The Catechism
teaches, 1--WE are bound to restitution if
we are able, else the sin will not be for
given" eff we are able'' does not mean
if we can restore without saving, self
denial and sacrifice. There are but few
cases where cutting down expenses, as
regards dress, drink, pleasure, travel,
ETC., would not enable people to pay their
debts. 1t is possible to deceive men, but
''there is one' (the Lord) sswho seeth
and judgeth," and who cannot be deceiv-
ed, and unless the Lord ratifies the abso-
luton given by the minister Of reeoncilia-
ton there can be no forgiveness. The
payment of debts is a sacred duty, eter-
nal salvation depends on it. Gle that
will not render what he hath robbed
shall die everlastingly." Ezech. XXXIII.
Is.
DISGRACE OF REFUSING TO PAY
DEBTS.
To culpably let debts run on for months
and years is a positive disgrace. Incon-
veniences and losses are thereby inflicted
on storekeepers, butchers, landlords,
doctors, undertakes, newspapers, and
others whose bills are not paid according
to agreement. There is nothing more
humiliating to a woman of refinement
and d~elicacy of feeling than to know that
her neighbors are aware that her hus-
band does not pay his debts, but spends
in various ways the money that belongs
% others. The man who makes light of
paying his debts will make light of other
o bligations. There is nothing that pains
a man of good principles more than to
find his wife wasteful and extravagant,