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The Green Bag

failed to take a ﬂing at lying and liars, or to commend the virtue of truthful ness. Let us take a few at random :— They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.‘ Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemp tuously against the righteous.‘ These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked

imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh ies, and he that soweth discord among his brethren.0 Trust ye not in lying words.‘ He that speaketh truth showeth forth righteousness; but a false witness deceit.’ Wherefore, utting away lying, speak every man truth wit his nei hbor.a Hap y art thou, O srael: who is like unto thee, 6) people saved by the Lord, the shield

Remove from me the way of lying."

Then we have the example of the woman who tried to steal another woman's baby by lying and declaring it

was her own. Her mendacity was dis covered by Solomon's little “bluﬁ," in ordering the babe to be severed in twain and a half given to each claimant. The real mother objected and consented that the child be given to the false mother rather than have it killed. But the

false mother consenting to the arrange ment, Solomon knew she was lying about her motherhood of the babe.

The story, somewhat less authentic, from the Apocrypha, about the two

priests who testiﬁed glibly enough as to

of thy help, and who is the sword of thine

enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high laces.“

certain alleged wrong doings of the beautiful Susanna, wife of Joachim, in

The lip of truth shall be establis ed forever;

but a lying tongue is but for a moment.‘0 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us; and as for our

inigmties, we know them; In transgressing an lying against the Lord, speaking op res sion and revolt, conceiving and uttering rom the heart words of falsehood." I hate and abhor lying." One of themselves, even a rophet of their own, said The Cretians are a ways liars, evil

her Babylonian garden, is another ex ample. The priests demanded that she consent to certain proposals of theirs and “she consented not.” Then they denounced her.

They charged her with

improper conduct with another man. But after she had been convicted on the false testimony of the priests and was

beasts, show their bellies."

But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whore mongers, and soroerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with ﬁre and brimstone; which is the

second death."

With the need for all of this attention

to a prevalent sin, it is no wonder David in his haste cried: All men are liars."

Nor is it a wonder he uttered the prayer: ' onah, 2:8. ' salms, 31:18. ‘ Proverbs, 6:16 to 19. 0 {)eremiah, 7:4. "roverbs, 12:17. ' Ephesians, 4:25. 0 Deuteronomy, 33:29. 10 Proverbs. 12:19. "Isaiah, 59:12 to 13. 1' Psalms, 119:163. 1' Epistle of Paul to Titus, 1:12. 1‘ Revelation, 21:8. '5 Psalms, 116:11.

about to be executed, Daniel demanded a new trial and ordered the witnesses separated. The stories were again as

glibly told, up to a certain point. Then Daniel asked : “Under which tree in the garden did it happen?” “Under the holm tree." The other witness was then called without giving the two a chance for consultation. The second repeated the story and as he was about to depart Daniel said :

“Stay!

Under which tree did you see

them together?" He hesitated, and then replied :— “Under the palm tree" (in an oppo site side of the garden). "Thou hast lied," said Daniel. 10 Psalms, 119:29.