That there was need of a book on the subject of which this treats, will be evidenced to those who examine its contents. Whether this book meets the need, it is for those to decide who are its readers.

The circumstances of its writing are recited in its opening chapter. I was urged to the undertaking by valued friends. At every step in its progress I have been helped by those friends, and others. For much of that which is valuable in it, they deserve credit. For its imperfections and lack, I alone am at fault.

Although I make no claim to exhaustiveness of treatment in this work, I do claim to have attempted a treatment that is exceptionally comprehensive and thorough. My researches have included extensive and varied fields of fact and of thought, even though very much in those fields has been left ungathered. What is here presented is at least suggestive of the abundance and richness of the matter available in this line.

While not presuming to think that I have said the last word on this question of the ages, I do venture to hope that I have furnished fresh material for its more intelligent consideration. It may be that, in view of the data here presented, some will settle the question finally for themselves—by settling it right.

If the work tends to bring any considerable number to this practical issue, I shall be more than repaid for the labor expended on it; for I have a profound conviction that it is the question of questions in ethics, now as always.

H. CLAY TRUMBULL.

PHILADELPHIA,

August 14,1893

I.

A QUESTION OF THE AGES.

Is a Lie Ever Justifiable?—Two Proffered Answers.—Inducements

and Temptations Influencing a Decision.—Incident in Army Prison

Life.—Difference in Opinion.—Killing Enemy, or Lying to

Him.—Killing, but not Lying, Possibility with God.—Beginning of this

Discussion.—Its Continuance.—Origin of this Book.

II.

ETHNIC CONCEPTIONS.

Standards and Practices of Primitive Peoples.—Sayings and Doings of

Hindoos.—Teachings of the Mahabharata.—Harischandra and

Viswamitra, the Job and Satan of Hindoo Passion-Play.—Scandinavian

Legends.—Fridthjof and Ingeborg.—Persian Ideals.—Zoroastrian Heaven

and Hell.—"Home of Song," and "Home of the Lie."—Truth the Main

Cardinal Virtue with Egyptians.—No Hope for the Liar.—Ptah, "Lord

of Truth."—Truth Fundamental to Deity.—Relatively Low Standard

of Greeks.—Incidental Testimony of Herodotus.—Truthfulness of

Achilles.—Plato.—Aristotle.—Theognis.—Pindar.—Tragedy of

Philoctetes.—Roman Standard.—Cicero.—Marcus Aurelius.—German

Ideal.—Veracity a Primitive Conception.—Lie Abhorrent among Hill

Tribes of India.—Khonds.—Sonthals.—Todas.—Bheels.—Sowrahs.—

Tipperahs.—Arabs.—American Indians.—Patagonians.—Hottentots.—

East Africans.—Mandingoes.—Dyaks of Borneo—"Lying Heaps."—Veddahs

of Ceylon.—Javanese.—Lying Incident of Civilization.—Influence of

Spirit of Barter.—"Punic Faith."—False Philosophy of Morals.

III.

BIBLE TEACHINGS.

Principles, not Rules, the Bible Standard.—Two Pictures of

Paradise.—Place of Liars.—God True, though Men Lie.—Hebrew

Midwives.—Jacob and Esau.—Rahab the Lying Harlot.—Samuel at

Bethlehem.—Micaiah before Jehoshaphat and Ahab.—Character

and Conduct.—Abraham.—Isaac.—Jacob.—David.—Ananias and

Sapphira.—Bible Injunctions and Warnings.

IV.

DEFINITIONS.

Importance of a Definition.—Lie Positive, and Lie Negative.—Speech

and Act.—Element of Intention.—Concealment Justifiable, and

Concealment Unjustifiable.—Witness in Court.—Concealment that is

Right.—Concealment that is Sinful.—First Duty of Fallen Man.—Brutal

Frankness.—Indecent Exposure of Personal Opinion.—Lie Never

Tolerable as Means of Concealing.—False Leg or Eye.—Duty of

Disclosure Conditioned on Relations to Others.—Deception Purposed,

and Resultant Deception.—Limits of Responsibility for Results of

Action.—Surgeon Refusing to Leave Patient.—Father with Drowning

Child.—Mother and Wife Choosing.—Others Self-Deceived concerning

Us.—Facial Expression.—"A Blind Patch."—Broken Vase.—Closed

Shutters in Midsummer.—Opened Shutters.—Absent Man's Hat in

Front Hall.—When Concealment is Proper.—When Concealment is

Wrong.—Contagious Diseases.—Selling a Horse or Cow.—Covering

Pit.—Wearing Wig.—God's Method with Man.—Delicate Distinction.—

Truthful Statements Resulting in False Impressions.—Concealing

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A Lie Never Justifiable: A Study in Ethics

Table of Contents

PREFACE.

H. CLAY TRUMBULL. PHILADELPHIA,

I. A QUESTION OF THE AGES.

II. ETHNIC CONCEPTIONS.

III. BIBLE TEACHINGS.

IV. DEFINITIONS.

H. CLAY TRUMBULL.

PHILADELPHIA,

I.

A QUESTION OF THE AGES.

II.

ETHNIC CONCEPTIONS.

III.

BIBLE TEACHINGS.

IV.

DEFINITIONS.