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Show NO SUDDEN PLUNGE. An unusual number of trusted men have been found guilty recently ot fraud. Some have bad years of ex perieuco, and were supposed to bo thoroughly tried. These men re present all classes, and have filled all positions. Years Beein to give no cuarautee that a man can b-j trusted 10 day. Church relations, church offices and church professions aud high positions amount to nothing, dome of the saddest talis have occurred oc-curred with men who have enjoyed years of repute. These reverses ol character come suddenly. Yet in many casea tho developments show that the honesty was ouly seeming, and that the men wore a garb ot piety ouly to accomplish base ends. Men do not Ittap trom the high tower ol probity lo thy gulf ot inlamy at a bound. The descent is gradual and the steps no loss real, because invisible. invisi-ble. 1 was talking the other day with a church ollici.il who was associated with a gentleman who has just now covered his family, and bis Inends, and Ins church with the pall ut shame. Ha said: "To the outside out-side world this event is sudden aud astounding. Tins mau stood very nigh in the community. He han bjeii a leader in our church for filter n years. The pastor did nothing with-oit with-oit consulting him. Iu the absence of the pastor he look control of the prayer meetings. He was treasurer of all our board-, aud ws a luhug spirit everywhere. It was so up to ttie hour of his expjsure. Yet many ot us tell for a long while that all waa not right. He had two bad failures. If it had been any one else, Iraud vould have been charged. He sold out an institution of which he was president, which was an extraordinary thing; but as the gentleman lost his office and $d,0U0 salary by so duing, it was supposed to be all right. We dii not know then that he received a bonus of $o0, 000 lor the transfer. I'wo years ago myself and several prominent meu in the church refused re-fused to contribute to the church funds as long as this money unaccounted for went thn uh the hands ol this gentleman. gen-tleman. The world now knows wn it we have long feared." Burleigh's New York Coir, in Boston Journal. |
