tion of false reports, u tale-bearing," as it is called in Scripture, is indicative of the same state of mind, and comes under the same condemnation. As the law of God takes cognizance of the thoughts and intents of the heart, in condemning an external act it condemns the disposition which tends to produce it. In con- demning all speaking ill of our neighbour, the Scriptures condemn a suspicious temper, a disposition to impute bad motives, and an unwillingness to believe that men are sincere and honest in the avowal of their principles and aims. This is the opposite of that charity which "thinketh no evil," " belie veth all things, hopeth all things." It is still more opposed to the spirit of this law, that we should cherish or express satisfaction in the disgrace of others, even if they be our competitors or enemies. We are com- manded to " rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep." (Rom. xii. 15.)
The usages of life, or the principles of professional men, allow of many things which are clearly inconsistent with the require- mants of the ninth commandment. Lord Brougham is reported to have said in the House of Lords, that an advocate knows no one but his client. He is bound per fas et nefas, if possible, to clear him. If necessary for the accomplishment of that object, he is at liberty to accuse and defame the innocent, and even (as the report stated) to ruin his country.1 It is not unusual, espe- cially in trials for murder, for the advocates of the accused to charge the crime on innocent parties and to exert all their in- genuity to convince the jury of their guilt. This is a cruel and wicked injustice, a clear violation of the command which says, " Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour."
Falsehood.
1. The simplest and most comprehensive definition of falsehood is, enunoiatio falsi. This enunciation need not be verbal. A sign or gesture may be as significant as a word. If, to borrow Paley's illustration, a man is asked which of two roads is the right one to a given place, and he intentionally points to the wrong one, he is as guilty of falsehood as if he had given the wrong directions in words. This is true ; nevertheless there is a power peculiar to words. A thought, a feeling, or a conviction
1 Lord Brougham, according to the public papers, uttered these sentiments in vindica- tion of the conduct of the famous Irish advocate Phillips, who on the trial of Courvoisier for the murder of Lord Russell, endeavored to fasten the guilt on the butler and housemaid, whom he knew to be innocent, as his client had confessed to him that he had committed the crime.
440 PART m. Ch. XIX. — THE LAW.
is not only more clearly revealed in the consciousness when clothed in words, but it is thereby strengthened. Every man feels this when he says, " I believe ; " or, " I know that my Redeemer liveth."
2. The above definition of falsehood, although resting on high authority, is too comprehensive. It is not every enunciatio falsi which is a falsehood. This enunciation may be made through ignorance or mistake, and therefore be perfectly innocent. It may even be deliberate and intentional. This we see in the case of fables and parables, and in works of fiction. No one regards the Iliad or the Paradise Lost as a repertorium of falsehoods. It is not necessary to assume that the parables of our Lord, are ver- itable histories. They were not designed to give a narrative of actual occurrences. Intention to deceive, therefore, is an element in the idea of falsehood. But even this is not always culpable. When Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives to slay the male children of their countrywomen, they disobeyed him. And when called to account for their disobedience, they said, " The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women ; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives : and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty." (Ex. i. 19, 20.) In 1 Sam- uel xvi. 1, 2, we read that God said to Samuel, " I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite : for I have provided me a king among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I go ? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord." Here, it is said, is a case of intentional deception actually commanded. Saul was to be de- ceived as to the object of Samuel's journey to Bethlehem. Still more marked is the conduct of Elisha as recorded in 2 Kings vi. 14-20. The king of Syria sent soldiers to seize the prophet at Dothan. " And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people I pray thee with blindness. And He smote them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha. And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way neither is this the city : follow me and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria. And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw ; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria ; " that is, in the hands of their enemies. The prophet, however, would not allow them to be injured ; but com-