Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-11-19


s,,,, ,,.,,,,,,,it tihe iSnltg 81 speech - siren
.-ia,ii ,,,,,re lsasy OF use W sesae nea tAan u
t,,.s. fiilp3v l,tiih words N5iho99 troRoles *
i,,,,t;alblineses witllogt tAelt, fhey sSnes'
l,ssf-srslE die words thes h5ar y rsSs. NosSi
~ Nh l,ssf,oses a-s ever resay ~ shesr tongues
"a. if3n,as s.yiiehi m tAlS. Words are then
,,,5s,,s ,x,sria. aiheSr togaos are loesely SET
mr. ss,ssas 81 So5ce are not smpaired OF wear
- nv nnar. and an excitAble heart keeps
the tongue for ever ia motion. AZ VITA this
constitution and scmperAin ent, fhero DC lnteili-
eence, wisdom and right principle the great
tslkar ia a great teachers but IL there be ig-
ner~noe. foily. and littleness OF soul, this coin
bination produces the gossip by nsture-nOt,
marh NV natures God for the tendencies OF
which va spoak may be all governed and con-
secrated to the highest ends.
Every faculty strengthens by exercise, and
every tendency increases by our following its
leading. Upon these principles weakness is
often snpnlapted by strength, and y slight in
clination becomes a strong bias. fhe exam
Die OF rho gossip by nature, often creates the
eoasip bV nractice, whose little talent Is,
In the first instance, parrot-lIke imitation OF
the gossip by nature. But true it is, that while
some might dwell with .tattlers for years, and
only become more and moee silent, others
learn OF the gossip to speak things which they
onght not. The reason Of this is to be found
in the ordinary and manifest effect of gossip.
In the majority of cases it affords pleasant ex-
citement, and is q cheap amusement. 1t gives
moreover, Importance, to the talker, and it
gains great influence over the hearers. Then
tits sometimes used to detract and to defame,
to SOW dscord and eDgender strife, to sustain
faction, and to promote the cause of party.
Ana thus gossip may be traced TO desire for
pleasure and for power, and to desire to
gain the esteem and attention of others. 1t
may be traced also to anger, hatred, envy, and
ill.will.
Among gossps by nature and by practice,
we find the following species =
The Gospel Gossp-the tattler who, leaving
the common ground of Christian fellowship,
breaks in upon the sacred enclosures of do
nestle and private life, not only by speaking
things he ought not, but by doing this as
right. As though, forsooth, because a man
sits with you at the Lords Table, no is bound
In solemn duty to find out who was your father
what are your temporal resources, what is the
nature OF your occupation, and other matters
which are your business, and not IN any sense
his. It is enough for purposes OF Christian
Fellowship to know that your fellow-commui-
cants have Father IN heaven, and that one
is their Maker, even Christ. We may, more
over, remark that there is much in the relg-
lous history and spiritual life of our fellow
christians with which we have nothing to do.
But the church gossip is one who is ever tat
ulng about this mans conversion, and that
mans backslding !; this mans eminent piety,
and that mans inconsistency and one who
canvasses free y and needlessy the claim OF
new converts to sit at the Lords Table,
and to be Joined with the churches of the Sa-
viour.
lhe h<N'e Gossip must also be named, whose
LATHE is ever about births, marriages, and
ueath-aoouut wives and husbands, parents
children, masters and seryan s. about this
homan's extravagance and economy, and that
nous iWlfe's niggardllness. Such we NAV raul;
with the worst class of burglars and house.
breakersi for they invade the sanctity of the
nome, and drag forth into common notice
thlngs which onght to be kept sacred in every
family.
The political gossip must not be passed BY
the tattler about public men and nationa
Hnalrs, VINO, to serve party will destroy the
SAVIOUR OF the most precious unguent by cast.
ing into it dead flies, and who will divert AT.
tehtioR from public nuisance, or from the
preach OF public trust, by blowing elegan
gqDoles, and raising brilliant will-o. the wisps
We must make one more lrmark on this par
Vi oar supJect-the source of gossip can new
81 DC either good or cody. 1t must ever arts,
rom rom weakness, or from wickedness; from lit
heness, or from levity; from the pressure o
eVh feeling, or from the absence of VIII olesom,
snougnt and Of good feeling. 1t is not taugh
py lhe holy Ghost; it cannot be learned o
Jesus Christ; it is not the will If our fathe
ANt VIZ VIC piluClplbS Vi true HDult
ness enforce it The tongue of the gossip
NOT touched with live Goals from heavens Al
sars IL is set on fire by unhoy ardors, and
spen SET on fire of hell. And if it be trace
aDie 10 constitution and to natural tempera
nent, IL cannot thereby be excused, seein
snas nteie seli.control would avoid the evi
without effecting any mischieyous rev,
ntlon in the natural characteristics of III
man. -. " -
Ahe eHeet OF gossip can never be gody On
good ana wise father overrules it, for som
dement,, but it produces no direct ADVANTAGE
Ihat which is in itself evil, and which spring
from an EVIL source, cannot but produce evil
-. corrupt tree cannot bring forth goo
irult'" Look at the effect of gossip upon 50
ciety and upon the talker. First, on the talk
OF himself. Gossip destroys self respect; fol
produces an amount of shame and self CON
Tempt. This IN " be felt at the time o sneak
ing, out IL invariably follows idle words. 1t /.
instructive to observe the most earnest and
acuVe gossips shrink from being called by
tnelr proper name, and how angry they be.
come when they are honored with their true
.1ies. Ihen, again, gossip is as a rule con-
necteo with fasehood. A gossip who is NOT
mar Is great rarity. And when the gossiD
~ NOT liar he is always a fearful exaggerator.
Iosslp' moreover, invariably leads to detrac-
non ana SANDER. 1t blights our social aAec-
lions 1t checks the growth OF godliness. and
or IL often blinded by fragments of the stone
Gn ne Is splitting. The steel-grinder is of
.eh INJURED by his own filings. Those who
mo[A WIN polsons inhale their hurtful influ
euce and thus those who tattle are injured
,neH own words; those who attend to 9th
o,s, business without cause, must neglect their
omn ana those who meddle with other nen.
PIES character and pursuits, fall into many a
~ uI SNARE The good social influence OF
wy gossip is, moreover, DESTROYED He il
n1t trusted, and he is despised even by those
WY WIN listen greodily and amuse themselves
ss nu ny u.s. talk, and by those who are them
selves idle takers.
1t separates chief friends. COWS disoor5 H.,
sWeen brethren; awakens doubt and snsn;cinn
. nele mutual trust and confidence shonld he
slohg; arrives the sensitive and refined o,pnv
I'm sVcletyj produces reserve and efforts a.
s.eaiheht, where otherwise there wonld ia
sra 1900 anu freedom; and 1t constantly placea
pVns anu actions in false light. The sor-
toMs OF many individuals, the tropbIas -
many families, and the COMMISSIONS s,,a,,
al, o.ales, are often traceablc eptireIv 10
~ "oIus' A spark may set fire TO n citv
~ iooKing at the work Of the tattler we ~
~ s say2 behold how great matter n Iittle
tne eVll which we have been constellation
SO widespread, that the nnastion aa Is
San we Individually do to retnova ~ ~ 80
w mus tnings 81. Let us Mace f,;n,, .!Hl
~ r peiore our minds what God has Said
tSers ~ aUS n " gossip and may be shown Sa
.. Lei n. cor. N ms word upon the subject
hce in this matter, and unsnsriu,,, own rrac-
ourselves with the guilt We may d iscov erargs
nes us az once both in heart and lip, dterriS .,
TO torsake this sin. 4. Let us all o,r
IN heaven for preventing and RESTRAINING atner
H. LEI us practice slowness Of speech. q
Let US never listen to gossip. II thern ~, D.
NO listeners, tattle would cease. In this WY
yer me receiver is as bad as the thief.
Lei US re6uke gossip in our neighbor whcnry