p. 103 | Perjury a Common Sin by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 9, 1873

Perjury a Common Sin.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

THOS. K. BEECHER has lately written an article setting forth the alarming prevalence of untruthfulness and perjury among all classes of society. He says:—

“Enter courts of law, from the lowest justice’s court to the supreme court of the United States, and notice with what flippancy the clerks administer the oath, scarcely looking up from their writing while they speak. Inquire of any lawyer as regards the frequency of testimony unmistakably false; and the infrequency of convictions for perjury. Read the smiles that go around from face to face when some witness swears strongly to statements which bench and bar know are positively false! We find here in our courts of justice another heap of perjury accumulating.

“There has been no gain in the direction of truthfulness. The solemn oath has been dragged down into mire; but the mire of dishonesty has not been uplifted and hardened into sharp-lined crystals and trusty peaks of truth.

“What shall be said to these things?

“I acknowledge myself staggered by the magnitude of the evil to which I am calling attention. I am at my wits’ end as a pastor and teacher. I know not what to say to my active business men, and to citizens generally, with whom I have speech, and fain would have influence.”

What do all these things mean? Is it not that the earth is filling up its cup of iniquity for the last great day? Will God’s wrath be restrained much longer? Let us take warning in time.

D. M. CANRIGHT.