The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-04
THE TRGTn ABOtT AStNI,s
ssms Mssesn~epsssas In nex.fu 10 A..
TnN Badger.

To rsK EpTroR OF The SUN-sD' -wLa
was C.amaliel1' asked Professor itm..
Russell Lowell Of a student In hs n,ut.
class. a lutte mountain In jude, ANA
the prompt answer. In these days when "a,
Bible stands dusty on tho shelf every IN.
knows OF the Ananias Club and lie folat.-
who. being also the committee on adrHia,tpr,.
has modestly declined election. allho.sh
many. including such prominent persons =,
Mrs. Ssorer. Judges Parker and BALDWIN
Mr.. Dix and the late Mr.. Hartman. have
considered him eligible and urged his claim
To membership but aston ishnsly few know
who Ananias was and how he achieved his
fame
The prevalent Impression h that Anapis.
was notorious and unmitixated liar His.
tory docs not so depict him. II gives NJ.
only these facts: The primitive Christians
adopted "A scheme OF socialism which was
quickly abandoned. as all such schemes h,vs
been. But when IL was organized enthtsi-
astic believers sold their possessions and put
them into tho common fund. administration
Of which was centralized in apostolic hands
These contributions were free will offerings
In this respect they differ from taxes which
they resembled in that they were payment.
by ndiv iduals for the uses OF the community
Possibly Ananias did not believe in m.
square deal" Perhaps his wife Sapphira
was thrifty. believed in laying by. and eI-
ercised the influence prudent wife should
have over an extravagant husband. Il
may be that both doubted the eventual
success of the socialistic plan; II so the event
justified their prescience.
However this may be. they evidently
wished to keep up appearances with the
socialistic and progressive party Of their
day. Even nov some politicians are reg
ular' with mental reservation. So thev
also sold thsir possessions and put part II
L. a..9.. g,,.-
they kept back something for rainy day.
II does not appear that either made an
affidavit, or that one was necessary So
far as 10 appears. they were only guilty NJ
that secondary and very common form Of
lying. suppression OF the truth. Very
prominent pious and wealthy persons Of
our own time who on general principles
10 dly decry dishonesty In the abstract do
every day what Ananias did. He simply
lodged his taxes. But when this trans
pired TO the ciairvoyant vision of St Peter
that impetuous saint ho1ly rebuked the
eduivocator, who was so ashamed that hs
didn't answ er word. He retained no
astuts counsel 20 argue that there was no
intent to deceive. and to demonstrate that
truth IL this 90 me and that TO thee. and
whether truth or falsehood, let IL be He
fell down and gave UP the ghost. -
and the young men arose. wound him up
and carried him out and buried him. Then
although wound up. he nevertheless stopped
going on.
The incident shows that history does nos
always repeat itself. and that some folks are
luckier or cleverer than others.
There Is precedent that allows q citizen
Of New York TO escape taxation here by say
ing In an sfidavit: Il have been. and am
now. a resident Of washin ston. and subse-
quently to explain that residence and dom.
icile are very different. that the former
depends upon intent. and that tho phrase
Il am a resident Is susceptible OF the con.
struction 4 am domciled.
HIsroRlcus.
NEW YORK, November D.