explain to them the reason.

Reader, what is your word worth? What value do you place on it? What value
do others place on it? What value does God place on it? God wants you to
"speak the truth, and lie not." Your standing, your influence, your
usefulness--all depend upon your faithfulness; and if you are faithful, you
will be faithful to your promises. Think seriously over these things. If
you are at fault, set about to amend. Such a fault will be a blight upon
your life and upon your character until it is corrected. When the Psalmist
pictures a righteous man, he says that he "sweareth [promiseth] to his own
hurt, and changeth not." Are you that sort of righteous person?

TALK SIXTEEN. HOW TO KEEP OUT OF TROUBLE

Old Uncle John was not so spry as he had once been. There were only a few
black hairs left among the many gray ones. His limbs were shaky and his
steps faltering. He was "no good for work any more," he said; but there
were two things that he kept on doing right along: he seemed to be always
smiling and he seemed to be always praising the Lord. "Happy John," people
called him, and he certainly deserved the name. He did not seem to have
much of this world's goods to make him glad. His lot in life did not
appear to be more than usually pleasant, nor was there anything in the way
of external evidence to show whence his happiness came. I had often sat
and gazed upon his placid face lifted in devotion to God. He never seemed
to get into trouble. No matter what happened, Uncle John seemed to have no
part in the trouble. With others, troubles came and troubles went, but
Uncle John still smiled and praised the Lord.

One day I was standing outside the meeting-house with a little company of
brethren, when Uncle John came walking out, smiling as usual and praising
the Lord. One of the brethren said to him, "Uncle John, how does it come
that you are always so happy and never seem to get into trouble?" He
stopped and looked at the speaker with a broad smile, and answered, "I
just praise the Lord and mind my own business." He turned and walked away,
but his words lingered in my ears and were indelibly impressed upon my
memory. His secret was very simple, but very effective. And thus he went
on smiling, praising the Lord and minding his own business, and he was
"happy John" even to the end. Many years ago he went to his reward, but
the lesson that I learned that day has never been lost.

Uncle John's rule for k