. Ye~s. 13-16.-Jlforality ,:n ti-ade. Th? 8:ebre~ lawgiver lays just stress on honesty Ill weights and measures. 'l he general pnnc1ple 1s that of honesty in trade. Weiahts and measures connect themsch-cs intimately with the ideas of justice, rectitude ''im- partiality. ,1 ustice is represented by a figure with scales and weights, Falsificati~n of \\"<'igbts and mcasur<JS is thus a reprcsentatil'e sin, one which corrupts integrity in man with peculiar and fnt11l rapidity. l. AN IN,JL'NCTION Ml'CH lIEEDED. Trade morality is at present at a low ebb, Mixed ur 11·ith the thousands of honest transactions which no doubt take place every day, there must be admitted to be an enormous number which are more or less fraudulent.. "On the average," says Mr. Spencer, "men who deal in bales and tons differ but little in morality from men who deal in yards and pounds. 11licit practices ol e.cry form :md shade, from venial deception up to all but direct theft., may be bro~!!ht home to the higher grad<JS of the commercial world. ':?'ricks innumerable, lies acted or uttered, elaborately devised frauds, arc prevalent-many of them established as ' customs of the trade;' nay, not only established, bnt defended"(' Essays,' vol. ii. 'Morals ol 'l'rade;' cf. Smiles on 'Duty,' eh. iii.). The saddest fenture in tho out~ look is the apparent prevalence of the feeling that trickery of this kind is absolutely essential to success-that a man can't get' on without it. II. A-,; TXJUNCTION '\l·HrcH OUGHT TO BE ENFORCED. But how? Dy a fearless ex- posure of dishonesties, and by a loud and firm demand on the part of every upright member of society for honest and truthful dealing; Only if the dishonest are a majority in society-a majority of overwhelming numbers-can they ultimately prevail aaainst 0 the honest. A determined combination on the part of persons of integrity would suffice to put them down. 'l'he man known to be honest should be supported, even at soma JYXtmiary sacrifice. Custom should be unflinchingly withdrawn from men detected in tricks, and the stamp of public reprobation placed on such men and their doings. Means should be taken to diffuse information as to the arts and frauds by which dishonesty sustains itself. 'l'he causes of these dishonesties need also to be looked into-chiefly, according to Spencer, the indiscriminate respect paid to wealth. Love of the honour and position which wealth gives-the certainty of being looked up to, courted in society, applauded for sucC<JSs, with few questions askecl,-this is the tap-root of the evil, and it is to be cured by distinguishing between wealth and character, and by honour- ing the former only when in alliance with the latter. III. AN D"JUNCTION WHTCU IT IS EVERY ONE'S INTEREST TO ENFORCE. Trade dis- honesty should, if possible, be checked: 1. In view of its inherent immorality. Nothing can be more despicable, more mean and disgraceful, than the lies, frauds, briberies, malpractices, adulterations, which, if the witnesses a.re to be trusted, abound in all 1:-anches of trade. These things are a blot on our country, the shame of which· toucLes all. 2. In view of its corrupting effect on morals generally, Its influence spreads beyond itself. It saps principle, eats out faith in virtue, unfits the individual for every moral ta8k. 3. In view of its effects on national prosperity, These are ruinous. God's displeasure rests on the nation, and he is certain to chastise it. But the sorest whip he uses to chastise it is the scourge of its owu follies. Our dishonesties lose us (are actually losing us) our markets; lower us in the eyes of foreign nations; destroy credit; engender a spirit of general distrust ; still worse, by undermining principle, they destroy the power of steady application to work, and increasingly substitute the motives of the gambler for those of the merchant content with lawful gains. The inevitable end is impoverishment and disgrace. 4. As a measure of self~ protection. Each individual suffers as part of the whole. He is frequently cheated, 6ometimes incurs serious losses. Hard-earned money finds itij way into the pockets of clever but unscrupulous scoundrels, who as rapidly squander it in reckless living. --J. o. Vers. 17-19.-Amalek. Moses, in calling the sin of Amalek to remembrance, and enjoining destruction of that people, was not speaking "of himself." He but declared the will of God, long before announced, and solemnly recorded in a book (Exod. xvii. 14),. Oil, XXV. 1-HJ.J THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY.
H was not" after tho spirit or mission of the Law," M has been well remarked "to nim at overcoming inveterate opposition by love and by attempts at conversion. 'The Law taught God's hatred of sin and of rebellion against him by enjoin in<> the extinction of tho obstinnto sinner" (' Speaker's Commentary'). The lessons fro~ the command arn these- I. GoD KEEPS IN REMEMBRANCE INJURIES DONE TO HIS CHURCH AND PEOPLE. (Ver.17.) II. Goo SPECIALLY IlEMEMBERS INJURIES TO THE FEEP,Lj,': AND AFFLICTED. (Ver. 18.) The "fear of God," if nothing else, ought to restrain inhumanities. "Saul, Saul, why persccutcst thou me 1" (Acts ix. 4). III. WRONGS TO TlIE CHURCH OF GoD WILL NOT PASS UNAVENGED. (Ver. 19.) Repentance, as in Paul's case, may reverse the sentence. If the sinner is obstinate, the doom will fall as certainly as in the case of Amalek (2 Tbess. i. 9).-J. 0.