The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-12-13
asPublished every Wednesds st " 9
year in advance.
Wednesday, Dec. Is, 1905.
ON Honesty.


Rev. E. g. Kennedy. pastor OF the Associate
Reformed Church in Aboe71lle, iast SunoaS
NIGHT took for his subject Honesty, oesin-
ming with comment on social dishonesty VI
speech. where one thing was said When some'
thing else was the truth, and In proceeding
nm his way he touched upon various otnef
aims OF dishonesty. The politician VINO raised
his head above the common lever "as y
large, for the evil minded, while In fact the
politician was no doubt as lon sat as otners'
Tn his refersnce TO dishonesty In high places,
he referred, among other Things, 10 LUG
.oonaoIs in insurance circles which the press
has recently brought TO light. he tnougnt
these corporations held trusts whlcn were
.acred that the funds Of families should be
.ornpnlously guarded, and he was astonished
~ the evidences OF unfaithfulness He
,honoht. "a churchmen, as citizens and as
ne,ehhors the duty OF common honesty was
ever present.
Honesty of speech and honesty OF action Is
necessary with or among Christians: "A
man might be an honest man and not Do d
Christian, but he could not be q Cnris'isn
and not be an honest man.
Mi, Kennedy has felicity OF expression anu
wisdom in the selection OF suojeots' nc
preaches the practical or the temporal sioe
ofthe holy scriptures wherein man Is taught
onty 10 his fellow man az we'll as obligation
a ths Author OF our being. We must live
clean lives. and serve Him with ardent zeal.
And then, when the end mt placing ool
whole trust and confidence In Him, We may
hopefully lie down In that great sleep wnion
men call death.
IA for the science of theology the Wisest
rnov little and the re / Of as are not especial;
~ interested in speculations about which
the preacher himself Is ignorant. Mr.. Ken
nadv does not attempt TO lift the veil or u
discoyer TO us the secrets Of Him who fctl
surrounded Himself as with @ paVili&,. |
darkness. The temporal side OF the that
howeyer, max 90 1t perfectly plain t4Sol,ness|
we should al far as possible, ssb,nos Mr..
and pureness Of living. All thesT1 morning.
Kennedy breaches every s211yed for those
and ON last Sunday night w In weakpess|
of rs m%iserablei sinnersESwhich are strlv.
are struggling with the<s
ing for the msstry. "a q liberal or exact
w. This is not 1nte4PIn any Of It's uttersnces.
report ofthe sefse preacher, except in the
We agreed w .gh regard for the methods
e1pressionZ4 9 insurance companies as a
ano acls companies whose conduct 10
"n9ie' ISSreviewed OF course received Just
now % 1t is the preachers. seeming respect
cens11ee insurance buslness at which we are
ior >rised. We bin that any great corpora
s stn which teaches the people how TO ev.ade
.ae,r just debts. and seeks to induce the peo-
ple 10 put their money where creditors can
not get II, exercises a demoralizlng Influence,
and instilIs into them q principle which is 81
variance with the objects and the teaching
Of the preachers sermon. II the insurance
companies hold out the idea that 1t is honor
able and honest for the policy holder TO take
out q policy in the name ola member OF his
family, instead Of the name OF his creditors,
can the act be claimed TO be honest? II such
policy Ia Issued for the purpose Of defeating
the claims OF creditors, and II money that
should 60 to pay debts, Is spent on life insur'
ance, Is the act either lawful or honest? The
law OF the country forbid debtors from dif-
posing OF their property In order TO evade
the payment OF their debts. II. therefore,. Q
debtor buys property with the money which
should 20 to the payment OF his debts, the
courts would declare the contract illegal and
the property would be taken to pay his debts.
II an insolvent debtor tries to enrich his
family at the expense or his creditors. does
anybody doubt that the Courts would do
with the policy az 1t would do with property
that Justly belongs TO creditors?
hit be true that the companies teach that
method Of defrauding creditors, and are a
party to such contracts. are not the COM
psnies corrupting The sieans nj its very foun.
tain head ? II the head officers teach any
such doctrine as the cheating OF creditors, is
IL surprising that they would cheat people
who enter into contracts against the awf
man who expects equity must himself
have eileen hands. II the companies co.,
nive at upfsir dealing by their customers. is
It not pretty certain that the judgeous may
be on their guard?
II, the companies encourage debtors IN
cheating their creditors, is 1t reasonable to
expect the companies to be honest and faith.
ful TO their truths?
There may be honest companies, and to
suth we would extend our confidence, but
in that variety OF insurance companies that
teaches dishonesty we have very little conf
denee, and. should not be surprised II they
shonld steal the money OF their dupes.