Confession is good for the soul.
This does not mean that you are to go about and tell everybody what a
bad man you are. If you do that, they will soon begin to believe you and
keep away from you.
Where there is smoke there is always some kind of a fire.
When you are wrong, say so without hesitation. Nobody is perfect, and
all men have their faults.
In the business world every man wants to know every other man, then it
will be safe to do business with him. But you can not know another
without knowing his faults.
Concealment of one’s frailties is dangerous, and leads to harm if you
are found out, and you are always found out. You are a suspicious
character, and sometimes suspicions are “as strong as proofs of Holy
Writ.”
You chew cloves to hide the fact that you have taken a drink. Why do you
not say that you take a drink occasionally if that is the fact, and not
try to hide the odor of the drink behind cloves? Nobody is deceived, and
you get the reputation of being a steady drinker, which may be far from
the truth.
You apply for a job, and you are asked: “Do you drink?” Why not answer
bravely: “No, sir, not as a rule. I do take a drink once in a while, but
will not do so anymore.” Your probable employer says to himself: “I can
trust this man because he does not hide his faults, but confesses them
and intends to avoid them.”
It is so with other faults that will weigh against you if concealed and
found out.