"NOTRUST."

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 140, 14 June 1881, Page 4

"NOTRUST."

(By Bishop Clark, of Rhode Islard.) This U a HttJe more explicit than « T ernis Cash," and when we see the sign, " No Trust" stuck up behind the counter-, wo infer that although it may not be altogether complimentary to tbe mah'd customers, it indicates that he is doiug business on a safe basis. Ifc does not imply that his patronp intend to be dishonest, but they may be forgetful or careless, and before pay-day comes, there may be a change in their circumstances that will prevont them from discharging their obligatiors. Indifference as to running in debt trenches closely upon tho borders of stealing, and it is a melancholy fact that some very distinguished men have been notorious for their recklessness in contracting pecuniary obligations, ns also for their utter concern in mectiDg their liabilities. This, however, is not tbe subject -which I desire to consider. "No Trust" may be regarded aa equivalent to " Not to be trusted f and now suppose that every untrustworthy thiDg about us were thus Lbelled in conspicuous letters, how many surprises we should have ! No one can distinguish with bis eye the electrotyped article from solid gold ; and in Paris every jeweller is obliged by law to placard his goods according to their intrinsic value. "What a relief it ! •would be if si me such statute cculd be made universal ! You buy, for instance, what purports to be a piece of woollen goods, a suit of broad-cloth, with a beautiful color and finish, or a roll oi carpeting, of the mest fashionable pattern, and it turns out that you have been cheated. But a small proportion of the stuff which enters into these goods ever grew on the back of any sheep ; and the elpgantly engraved label, "ivoollcn goods" ia a lie. Here ig s ship equipped for sea. Everything looks well about her ; sbe is freshly painted aod newly furnished ; tho cabin is exquisitely adorned, the colors that; stream from tho mast -bead are bright and fair;— why should 1 hesitate to take passage in this nicelooking craft? If I could see, just above water-mark, tbe phosphoric words gleaming out, " Not to be trusted," warning me that the timbers are unsound, or the engines imperfect, or that the sails and cordage are rotten, or that the vessel is not properly manned, the captain incompetent and the crew rebellious, I should be most thankful for the caution. Here is a man who asks your influence and vote to lift him into office. He tells a plausible story, he makes great professions of disinterestedness, he desires to give the country the benefit of his service — for his country's sake ; but in the same breath he mildly insinuates that, if you help to elect Lira, it shall in some way tend to your personal advantage. If he tells you this, do not trust him. He wants to buy jour vote, not with just so much money, but with promises, which are equivalent to a bribe ; and on his forehead ought to be written, in conspicuous letters, u Not to be trusted" I have sometimes listened to very impassioned and meJ ting speaker?, who, just because of their excess of fervor, seemed to be unworthy of credit. There is an artificial style of animation and an excessive show of candor, which are always to be suspected. By watching a little you will soon detect the falge accent and the misplaced emphaais. Ibere is a great deal of lyiDg on the public platform. Many a maD, in order to take the audience off their feet, lifts himself up where bo treads upon nothing. There is a latent instinct by which we determine^ who, among our associates, deserve* to be trusted. Nothing can shake our confidence in certain persons wh^m we thoroughly know, while " trifles ligbt as air " may deBtroy our confidence in others. "When one man gives me bis hand I am sure that his heart is in it ; the more fervently another man greets me the more I distrust him.