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that very moment they were plotting the death of the greatest prophet the world had ever seen. And we, when we frown upon the man who expresses doubts or disbelief of our doctrines, and pursue him with bitter words or grievous actions; instead of trying all things honestly by the standard of truth; yes we, who profess such reverence for old reformers, are indulging the spirit of those who stoned and imprisoned and slew them.

But whether men are disposed to hear us patiently, or to oppose and persecute us; we ought always to be faithful to the interests of truth. We ought not to be reckless in declaring our convictions, nor ought we, out of regard to private ends, to dissemble what we believe. We ought not to be imprudent, and we ought not to be cowards. As the cause of truth may suffer, through our want of care in publishing our sentiments; so our souls may be undone, if through fear and cowardice we hide the truth in our hearts. He is the worthy, who neither stifles truth from any selfish motives, nor betrays her into the hands of her enemies by rash exposures.

READY MONEY.

Those who pay ready money for all they purchase, have many advantages over those who go on trust. It is more pleasant paying money for what we are receiving, than paying it for goods that are consumed. Men cannot give their money so cheerfully for a coat that already wants mending, or for bread and beef that have gone out of sight, as they can for new cloth and fresh provisions.

Those who pay ready money, are at liberty to make the most of their stock. They can go to what market they choose, and buy such things as please them best. Those who go on trust, must keep to their shops, and take such goods as are to be had there. To change before the score is paid, is considered as disgraceful as a moonlight flit. And those who sell on credit, generally sell higher, and have often inferior articles. They

often have bad debts, and they must customers make up for the faulty ones.

make the good Besides no one

can sell so cheap on credit as for ready money.

Again, when people go on trust they often buy more of some things than they need, and are less careful in using it, than those who pay for every thing before they touch it. Trust makes them careless in buying, and wasteful in using; so that they bring on their ruin with double speed.

And even in working, people do not work with so much pleasure, when they know that every penny is due before it is earned. What worse drudgery than working out old debts? It is both up hill and through the mire.

And the woman who is sent in search of credit, has no pleasant task. Her nature shrinks from it as from something disgraceful; a sort of humiliation for which she was never intended. And then to be refused, and sent back covered with shame; what husband can willingly expose his wife to grief like that? But if credit is found, an honest man and woman are never easy in debt. And very often a habit of living on trust leads to dishonesty, and to a complete ruin of the character. And then a system of credit appears to me to be a general evil. "Owe no man any thing" says the scripture, "but to love one another," and I am persuaded that if this principle were acted on, all classes would do much better. It would not be so easy perhaps for some to get large fortunes, but it would keep many thousands from want.

If a man use his credit when he does not need it, he may have no credit to use when he does need it. Credit should be kept for cases of necessity, as medicine for cases of sickness. Men ought no more to live on credit, than they ought to live on physic. Never use your credit but on special occasions, and on special occasions you will always have a little credit to use. Those who are always in debt in good times, will seldom be trusted in bad times; those who pay ready money as long as they are able, will have most credit

if

when money fails. A fortnight's credit may save you, if you save it till hard times come; but it may be your undoing, if you use it while the times are good. Again, you live on the trust system, you are almost sure to die in debt, and to subject your children to want and disgrace. Would you wish to have your children dunned as soon as you are gone? While in health, keep straight; and if sickness only should plunge you into debt, your kindred will help you out with the greater readiness.

The trust system is less pleasant to your shopkeepers, as well as to you. It cannot be pleasant for them to sell dear, and it cannot be pleasant for them to lose. It cannot be pleasant to trust, especially those who most want to be trusted; and it cannot be pleasant to refuse to trust, when once they have adopted the plan. The system tends to harden the hearts of both buyers and sellers, and to destroy the comfort of both.

If then you want to buy good wares and have them cheap; if you wish to be free and independent; if you wish to have your money your own when you get it, and to preserve your credit for a rainy day; if you like an easy mind and a comfortable home, give with your right hand, while you take with the left, and be straight with all the world. And most people in health when times are tolerable, might manage this if they would try. It only requires resolution and care and perseverance. Economy, temperance and industry, will seldom fail to raise you above your difficulties, and keep you above them too. Going on trust is nothing more than a bad habit with most people. They have got into that way, and they go forward without thought. It would take a little pains to get off it, just as it would to lift a cart wheel out of a deep rut, but you would get on all the better for it afterward.

Let me advise my readers to avoid this unhappy practice, and especially let me persuade the young to begin at first on the ready money plan. If you cannot do without trust, you will never do well with it. If your means are scanty, you had better make up your

minds to suffer a little hardship at first. You make the difficulty greater by putting it off, and you will have to climb over it at last. Better sit on a stool that is paid for, than on a chair that is not your own. You had better wear a coat with patches, than have your names in the black book. I had rather have a crust of my own, than a loaf of another body's. But trust is likelier to bring you to a crust, than ready money.

And let me say a word to Shopkeepers. They are often as much to blame as their customers. Some urge people to run into debt, that they may have them fast; others encourage them to take unnecessary things, by telling them they need not pay for it yet; and others throw their customers into difficulties, by trusting them out of pure kindness. The first two sorts act wickedly, and the last unwisely. Favouring an honest man with credit, when he does not absolutely need it, is like giving a strong and sober man intoxicating drink. You may mean well, but you do ill. You may think you are bestowing a favour, but you are giving a wound. The drink may make the strong man fancy himself stronger for the moment, but he will be the weaker afterwards, and perhaps become a drunkard: you may make the honest customer think himself better off for the time, but he must suffer for it at length, and perhaps become a miserable slave. If a man never drinks intoxicating drinks, he will never dream that he wants them; and if a man never takes things on credit, he will seldom want money to carry him through. Hoping that trade may be good enough, and wages high enough, and provisions cheap enough to enable every industrious and honest man to support his family in comfort, and be in debt to no one; and that when favoured thus we may enjoy our blessings with thankfulness and temperance, and in the exercise of charity to one another, I would wish you all-farewell.

TEE-TOTALISM.

A FRIEND.

It has often been disputed whether it be possible for

men to live without sin; but it must now be granted on all sides that it is possible to live without the sin of drunkenness, for it is found that we can live without the drink which makes men drunk.

TRUTH AND CHARITY.

He who is the most devoted to the cause of truth, and the most correct in his sentiments, is always the most gentle and charitable towards those who are in error. He will not be indifferent to the opinions held by his neighbours; on the contrary, he will be anxious that all men should think correctly, and that error should be banished from the world. But he will do every thing he does with mildness and affection. He will instruct, and reason, and persuade; but he will make no use of violence or unkind words. If he can bring his brother to a better mind, he will rejoice; but if he cannot he will leave him in the hands of God. He knows that he is bound to instruct and help his brother, and as long as he sees a prospect of doing good he will labour faithfully; but he also knows that when he has done his duty he is not answerable for his brother's errors, and he therefore leaves him with a calm and tranquil spirit.

But he who is regardless of truth, and takes up his opinions on human authority, is sure to be unkind and intolerant towards those who differ from him. He dare not reason, because he feels that his creed will not bear it; and the stronger the arguments of his opponents, the more is he enraged against them. These are the characters who calumniate their brethren, and labour to destroy their reputation and influence. These are they who crowd the prisons with dissenters, and kindle the fires for heretics, when the civil power is in their hands; and who harrass, and excommunicate and slander their more enlightened brethren, when they occupy influential situations in the church.

We may generally set it down for truth, when we see one who is impatient in dispute, angry at his opponents, and forward with insinuations about bad motives

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