The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1841-01-08
THE TONGUE GUARD.
"Keep thy tongue. from eUiI, aud thy lips .fyo'
speaking guile. psalm, xXxly ID.

KEGS thg tongue from sOiI and thy ltps from
spe dle.ng guile. psalm, xXxly ID.
There are coach guards, and night guards,
and watch guards, and fire guards, and other
guards but none of these is of so great mpor'
lance as the tongue guard; the nature, necessl-
ty, utility, and principle of which | desire to IL
lustrate n the following paragraphs;
Seeing that the power OF the tongue is SO great
and that therefore the tongue guard is so neces-
sary, so indlspensably necessary, will proceed
to give few directions how to use it.
|. Do not speak profanely. ''Fear an oath,
and be careful to abstain from taking the name
of God in vain, lightly and arslessly to express
surprise; in common conversation mention not
that name but with reverence.
2. Speak not falsely. He who has levity
enough to speak falsely to crafty vanity, or to
cause mrth, is a TOOL. He who violates truth,
in order to crafty malice or obtain revenge is a
villain. He who deviatess' from truth in otder
to evade danger, is a coward. And l wish to
caution, not only against downright lying, but
also against every species of duplicity, promise
breaking, prevarication. and assimilation OF
every kind.
B. Speak not unkindly, and especially of alb
sent persons, who have not the opportunity OF
defending themselves. The law says, "Thou
shalt not curse the deaf" (Lev. XIX. I4;) but
remember absent persons are deaf TO what you
say; therefore speak not ill of them. "Be very
cautious" said q wise observer, "of speaking
or believing any i'll of your neighbors; but be
nue.. more cautious of making hasty reports OF
them to their disadvantage" l have known
some people indulge in SANDER, and then by
way of excuse say they cannot help but speak
as they think, bat she whose honest freedom
makes it his virtue to speak what he thinks,
makes it his necessity to think what is good.'
1. Do not speak fooishly or unchasiely.-
Foolish, frothy conversation is unbecoming
the dignity of rational being, and especially
of Christian.
8. Do not join too freely in general CONVEX
sation of commonplace, gossiplng chit-chat.
Remember that wise preverb, sin the multi
tude ofwords there wanteth not sin; but he
that refraineth his lips is wise" prov. X. 10 }
We seldom talk freely but we grieye our lel-
low-cTeatures, OF ourselves, or God, and have
therefore TO repent oft afterwards. This eau
ton is by no means unnecessary, nor is is
new. 1t has been considered of high impor-
lance by the Wisest and best of men.
81 could wish" says Thomas A. Kempis,
"that / had often times held my peace, and that
had notbeen in company"
"Why are we so fond of conversation, when
Notwithstanding ne seldom return to silence
without hurt of conscience"
some said, AS often as have been among
men returned like man; and this we often
find true when we have been long in com.
pany.
at is easier not to speak at all, than not &c
speak more than we should"
''It is easier to keep at home, than TO be suf-
f0iently upon our guard when we are abroad
''No man safely goes abroad, but he who is
willing to stay at home, No man can speak
safely, but he who is willing TO hold his peace