This postcard illustration of Commandment IX was copyright by the Rose Company in 1908.

Printed in the United States, the postcard was not mailed.

Like thousands of similar postcards related to the Ten Commandments, this postcard was probably collected by a young student of a Sunday School.

The Commandment has great relevance today, when easily-disproved claims, “alternate facts”, and wild theories are claimed to be true.

Falsehoods, conjectures, accusations, insinuations – charges of evil-doing are leveled continually and, at times, quite successfully, without evidence.

A healthy and free society is based upon a regard for truth, and establishes the means of approximating “truth”.

Our system of laws demands that any who testify must swear an oath of truthfulness.

There is no justice system that can guarantee absolute truth, but our attempts to compel honesty signify that the whole of our human society rests upon a regard for truth.

So, the postcard of 1908 reminds us on this Sunday that our duty and responsibility is to be careful that we do not bear false witness.