ally false in your speech, even in matters of little import-
ance, that you are undermining your whole moral nature and
forfeiting the confidence of your fellows, thereby fatally in-
juring yourself? I cannot and need not speak here of the
innumerable varieties of falsehood, nor of the far-spreading
evil which a single lie may work, — you must know from
your own experience that the harm which a liar can do to
others is incalculable, — the thing that, perhaps, you do not
understand is the harm which a liar does to himself, and the
danger of the first steps in the path of deceit.
As a general thing, of course, lies are told for some
purpose, to conceal a previous lie, to obtain some advantage,
or tor some similar end, and in each case are only the begin-
ning of a long course of deceit, for one of the terrible fea-
tures of falsehood is that one untruth necessitates another,
the alternative of confession being so painful that few people
have the courage to meet it. Such deliberate falsehood is
an alarming symptom of moral disease, and the mental state
which produces it should no more be permitted to continue
than a fever is allowed to run its course untended, and if
you will resist steadfastly the first temptations, you will find
each victory easier than the last, for your moral strength,
like your physical strength, increases by use.
Consider well the fact that everything is against the
liar; he gains nothing, or at best but a temporary advan-
tage; he loses the confidence of his associates, and with it
g6 ON HABITS AND MANNERS.
his best chance of worldly success ; he loses his own self-
respect, and with it all the best of his power ; and he loses
altogether and entirely his claim to be a servant of God, the
noblest name for which any man can strive. Like all other
virtues, truthfulness can be gained only by work and watch-
fulness ; you must never let yourselves grow careless, or per-
mit yourselves to believe that "white lies," or prevarica-
tions, or even inaccuracies, do no harm, for they are all false
lights which sooner or later lead away from the pure light
of truth. You can win few things for yourselves which are
better worth having than a habit of speaking the truth at
all times and seasons and to all people, and if there is one
thing more than another which you ought to gain before
you go out into the world to meet its temptations, it is a
horror of lying and liars. And here, as in so many other
respects, you can help yourselves more than anybody else
can help you ; you can remember how shocking falsehood is
in itself and in its consequences, and, with God's help, can
determine to cast in your lot with His servants, u in whose
tongue there is no guile ;" for without such resolution the
lives upon which you are just entering will be worth little
to yourselves or your fellow men.
ON HABITS AND MANNERS.
CHAPTER XV.
97
Page 42
Presented as published in 1888. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
ally false in your speech, even in matters of little importance, that you are undermining your whole moral nature and forfeiting the confidence of your fellows, thereby fatally injuring yourself? I cannot and need not speak here of the innumerable varieties of falsehood, nor of the far-spreading evil which a single lie may work, — you must know from your own experience that the harm which a liar can do to others is incalculable, — the thing that, perhaps, you do not understand is the harm which a liar does to himself, and the danger of the first steps in the path of deceit.
As a general thing, of course, lies are told for some purpose, to conceal a previous lie, to obtain some advantage, or for some similar end, and in each case are only the beginning of a long course of deceit, for one of the terrible features of falsehood is that one untruth necessitates another, the alternative of confession being so painful that few people have the courage to meet it. Such deliberate falsehood is an alarming symptom of moral disease, and the mental state which produces it should no more be permitted to continue than a fever is allowed to run its course untended, and if you will resist steadfastly the first temptations, you will find each victory easier than the last, for your moral strength, like your physical strength, increases by use.
Consider well the fact that everything is against the liar; he gains nothing, or at best but a temporary advantage; he loses the confidence of his associates, and with it
his best chance of worldly success ; he loses his own selfrespect, and with it all the best of his power ; and he loses altogether and entirely his claim to be a servant of God, the noblest name for which any man can strive. Like all other virtues, truthfulness can be gained only by work and watchfulness ; you must never let yourselves grow careless, or permit yourselves to believe that "white lies," or prevarications, or even inaccuracies, do no harm, for they are all false lights which sooner or later lead away from the pure light of truth. You can win few things for yourselves which are better worth having than a habit of speaking the truth at all times and seasons and to all people, and if there is one thing more than another which you ought to gain before you go out into the world to meet its temptations, it is a horror of lying and liars. And here, as in so many other respects, you can help yourselves more than anybody else can help you ; you can remember how shocking falsehood is in itself and in its consequences, and, with God's help, can determine to cast in your lot with His servants, in whose tongue there is no guile ;" for without such resolution the lives upon which you are just entering will be worth little to yourselves or your fellow men.
CHAPTER XV.