South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-02-02
BIG MEMRERSHIP
IN ANANIAS CLUB
Rev. u. S. Davis Says Club
Boasts OF Large Number
of Persons Here.

The Ananias Club Of South Bend
was the subject Of the sermon dcIiv-
cred by Or. L. 5. Davis TO the con-
gregation OF the First Baptist church
sunday evening.
''The incident that forms the basis
OF my remarks IS found in the fifth
chapter OF acts. Ananias sold his
property and brought the proceeds
, 10 the Apostles. IL turned out that
he kept some OF the money while ne
wanted them 20 believe that he had
given an. The Apostle Peter dis
covered the deception. He lied
against the holy ghost The judg.
ment was the swift and sudden death
OF Ananias
THE Ananias club ofimodern days
gets it's name from the incident No
body really joins this club. II rents
no halls. It has no initiation fee.
Yet itsexists and is a club with q
large membership. We say this be
cause by common agreement every
liar is counted a member
The Psalmist David once said: Il
said in hast all men are liars II
what David said was true then every
body would be a member Of this
club. But David took back his words
which he said in hast He changed
his opinion. II was a hasty conclu-
sion. II was not true. All men are
not liars.
AT times men are disappointed in
other men, and they jump To the
conclusion that all men are false.
Sometimes a man is cheated and too.
quickly decides that all men are dis
honest. All such reasoning is faulty
and does michief when it gets into
speech.
What Constitutes "A Lie.
~ deliberate attempt to deceive
We must take into account that
many men undertake and promise
more than they can fulfill. The tai
Tor. the shoemaker. the plumber. the
dressmaker and others are doing this
, daily. But IL is not with the intent
20 deceive. They perhaps tried their
best 10 have the work ready when
promised. There is disappointment
but we can not say that there was
deliberate lying.
Truth is an honest endeavor 10
a fact precisely as It exists in our
mind. A man may be truthful and
yet tell a lie He innocentIy obtain
ed the wrong information of a fact
and honestly endeavored TO convey
il To another. Yet ne was wrong. He
was mistaken. Yet he was not gull
~. There was no element or decep-
ton.
All lies can be put in one OF the
following classes. Lies and vanity.
This is the attempt 20 deceive others
about yourself. He poses as honest
but is dishonest. He even assumes
pietv but lacks purity. He is an
actor Lies of hattery. To tell q
person that ne looks well when YOU
know he looks sick. To tell a per-
son she looks fine in her new hat
and then TO tell your friend she looks
horrid.
False Advertising.
Lies of interest All false repre-
sensations for gain All advertise
u,ents that declare the garments are
all wool when they know they are
part cotton The free use OF the
word guaranteed when they know
that they do not intend 10 stand
back of the sale Saying that sugar
Is scarce until the price goes up.
and behold there Is plenty of sugar.
All prohteers are liars Of interest
Lies OF fear. These are lies utter
cd through lack OF moral courage
20 tell the truth. Fear of wounding
the feelings OF other people. Lies
Of malignity. Backbiting and mali
Cious insinuatiOns uttered out Of
malace belong 10 this class.
Lies Of benevolence. Lies to pro-
mote good objects. Worthy objects
GO not need such help.
Lies of wantonness. A foolish
contempt for the truth. To tell a lie
when the truth would do much bet
ter. These are the people who work
their imaginations over time.
Acting lies.
practical lies. These are lies not
spoken hut acted Auanias did not
speak but acted as If he was honest
when he sought 20 deceive. The eN-
cuse is sometimes a lie. In fact IL is
more often a lie than the truth. Peo-
PIE ought 20 use the excuse very
sparingly. There is no such thing
rs white lies or harmless lies all
lies r black and harmful
lying 20 ones self is the worst
sort OF lying. Trying 70 deceive our
selves as 10 our motives. OneriuE
excuses TO ourselves In order 10 hide
~ from ourselves the real reasons for
our conduct Some people make the
faults OF christian people the excuse
for their not becoming "A christian.
No man ever tried 20 hide behind "a
bigger lie
To thine ownself Doe true
And it must follow as night the
day
Thou canst not DE false 20 any
man.
Degrees I'm lying.
a great liar always begins with
small lies. and finds i'm them the
traininS for the highest degrees I'm