The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1910-06-17
The HONEST
MAN
BY Rev. David James BurrelI, d. d.
Montreal, Can.

| with; and let 1t be as simple as pos
sible. An honest man is one who
pays his debts. That covers the whole
case. 1t will be seen that this def
| milton, so simple apparently, is quite
comprehensive, and it cuts deeper
| than We think. For when the matter
of life's assets and liabilities is fully
canyassed. it will appear that 1t is
no easy matter to live and die with
clean balance sheet.
The question at the outset touches
| our relations with God Are we
| debtors to God? Yes, by universal
| consent. In the bill of particulars
| there are three items, to-wit:
First: Creation. Is there any one
who does not rejoice In the fact that
he was made but little lower than
| the angels" and in the likeness of
God? Is 1t nothing to stand erect,
sensible of a divine birthright and of
| divine Inheritance? Is there no
| occasion for gratitude in the fact that
| | am able to dream dreams and see
visions, and, as Kepler said, think
Gods thoughts after him." What
least possible recognition of Gods
goodness. thus far, is in keeping our
selves on friendly terms with him.
The second item in the bill of partic-
| ulars is Providence. In God we live
| and move and have our being. We
slept in his arms last night. cared for
| as tenderly as children in their moth
a,', u
and continually cares for us.
What shall we render unto him for
| these loving kindnesses? Do they lay
no obligation upon us? The least
that we can do Is to bend our knees
| in thanksgiving. To the beggar who
stretches out his hand saying: Il am
hungry" you gave enough to buy HIM
self breakfast and he says: Il
| thank you" Could he do less and
bear the semblance of man? What
| then of the man who never prays,
who takes Gods gifts without word
| OF recognition? Is he an honest man?
The third item in the bill of particu-
lars is divine grace. 1t matters not,
| SO far as the question at issue is con-
the oyertures of Gods mercy or not;
| it still remains that provision has been
| made for his deliverance from sin.
You may not have accepted Christ,
| my friend; that does not affect the
fact that God gave his only begotten
| Son to die in your behalf that you
| might be saved from sin. Here Is an
| Unreasonable obligation laid upon
| every man. How shall we pay 1t?
The answer Is in the words of the
| familiar hymn: Here, Lord, | give
myself to thee, tbs all that | can do"
Would that we might sing 1t, but once
with heart and understanding! For 1t
| contains the sum total of the philoso-
ply of duty; that is. of what we owe
to God.
1t is a startling fact that men are SO
prone to overlook their obligations to
Cod for here is the very root of hon
esty. viii man rob God?" Shall
we withhold from God that which Is
his honest due? Nay. that Is clearly
impossible II one would be an honest
man.
But the question touches, secondly.
our relations with our fellow men. For
no man liveth unto himself and no
man dieth unto himself 1t would ap-
pear that the angels were created one
by one; but men are of one family.
and blood is thicker than water"
We are mutually interdependent, as
lenders and borrowers; and each Is
bound. in honesty. to balance his ac-
count with his fellowmen.
/ am debtor to society; that is. to
my fellow men en- masse. The liber-
| ties, immunities and sanctities of my
| daily life come to me through the So
| cial organism; and, so far forth, | am
debtor to the community in which
| | live. How shall | meet that obli-
cation? To state II as briefly as pos
| sible, | am bound to put more into the
common exchequer that l draw out
of It.
There are two kinds of people, con-
sumers and producers. The consumer
says: The world owes me q living"
| and proceeds to exact 1t. An idler.
rich or poor living In pursuance OF
that dictum, is dishonest man The
| producer, on the other hand, Is one
who adds to the common fund by ma
king something He earns livelihood.
and something more. And when he
makes his exit, he leaves the communi-
| ty richer from his having lived in II.
| What are you producing, my friend?
Make something. | pray you. Make
a pillow or a poem. make house or
q history, dig a we'll or build stable;
produce something that will remain as
your memorial leaving the balance on
the right side when you have gone
your way.
But my Indebtedness is not merely
to humanity en- masse. Il am debtor
to every man" The original break
In the family cifcle was made when
| Cain asked: Am | my brothers keep
err" owe something to the next
| man. Get that in mind when you meet
a drunkard Keeling in the street. for