Deuteronomy 25:13-16 -

Righteousness in trade imperative.

This paragraph requires no preparatory elucidation. The topic for a Homily which it gives is one of the most important in the range of human ethics. It furnishes six lines of thought.

1. In the providence of God men are thrown together for the purposes of trade.

2. Opportunity is thus furnished for the exercise of right principles of mutual justice and equity.

3. There is often given an opportunity also of taking advantage of others by unequal weights and measures.

4. God requires of us absolute justice to others, always and everywhere.

5. No false maxims of men, such as "business is business," can ever exonerate us from obligations to justice.

6. Our duty to man in this respect is enforced by a double argument.