it in a neighborhood, a society, or even a church,
awakens feelings of discord, which never terminate, but at the death of
the parties concerned.

How ought young men, then, to avoid, as they would a pestilence, this
fiend-like spirit! How ought they to labor to settle all
disputes--should disputes unfortunately arise,--without this tremendous
resort! On the strength of much observation,--_not experience_, for I
have been saved the pain of learning in that painful school, on this
subject,--I do not hesitate to recommend the settlement of such
difficulties by arbitration.

One thing however should be remembered. Would you dry up the river of
discord, you must first exhaust the fountains and rills which form it.
The moment you indulge one impassioned or angry feeling against your
fellow being, you have taken a step in the high road which leads to
litigation, war and murder. Thus it is, as I have already told you,
that 'He that hateth his brother is a murderer.'

I have heard a father--for he hath the name of parent, though he little
deserved it--gravely contend that there was no such thing as avoiding
quarrels and lawsuits. He thought there was one thing, however, which
might prevent them, which was to take the litigious individual and 'tar
and feather' him without ceremony. How often is it true that mankind
little know 'what manner of spirit they are of;' and to how many of us
will this striking reproof of the Saviour apply!

Multitudes of men have been in active business during a long life, and
yet avoided every thing in the shape of a lawsuit. 'What man has done,
man may do;' in this respect, at the least.

SECTION XVIII. _On Hard Dealing._

Few things are more common among business-doing men, than _hard
dealing_; yet few things reflect more dishonor on a Christian
community. It seems, in general, to be regarded as morally right,--in
defiance of all rules, whether _golden_ or not,--to get as 'good a
bargain' in trade, as possible; and this is defended as unavoidable, on
account of the _state of society_! But what _produced_ this state of
society? Was it not the spirit of avarice? What will change it for the
better? Nothing but the renunciation of this spirit, and a willingness
to sacrifice, in this respect, for the public welfare.

We are _pagans_ in this matter, in spite of our professions. It would
be profitable for us to take lessons on this subject from the
Mohammedans. They never have, it is said, but on