The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1859-04-21
The JournaI In the PulDit.


II he will agree to read chapter from il, every
Sabbath morning to his congregation, we will
do our best to remove the back biting, tale
bearing propensites Of q porsion of those who
sit under the weekly droppinss of his pulpit
We will begin with the following chapter, from
the pen Of Rev. DR.. Cheever:
"ln every scandal there is the warp and the
woof; it is seldom that some ground cannot
be had TO work upon the woof may be TACT
wholly perverted, but upon il the liar may
weave his warp, his figure OF deuaction and
scandal and it comes out all IN one piece, aud
no man can soy that there is not some truth in
it, though it the truth were picked out, the lie
would stend by ITSELF clean aud absolute lie.
Mr. Wilberfotce relates an instance regarding
himself He found himself held up TO the pub
lie ridicule in inimcal journal, the author OF
the slander having given the following instance
Of Mr. WilberiOrces alledged PhdrisaiSm;
"He was lately seen" said the journal "walk-
ing up and down in the Bath Pump-room, (ut
a waering-place of great and fashionable resort,)
reading his prayers like his predecessors of old,
who prayed IN the corners of the streets, to be
seen of men,
"Mr. Wnberforce remarks that as there is
generally some slight circumstance which per-
verseness turns into charge OF rcpruach, be-
gan to reflect, and soon found the occasion of
! V. |
room, in conversation with friend prayer
was quoted from Horace, the accuracy of which
was questioned /; and as had a Horace in my
pocket, took it out and read the words. This
was the PLAIN bit of wire, which factious ma
Lightly sharpened into pin TO pierce my repu-
talion" How many pin-mokers are thus at
work, converting plain bits OF wire into sharp
pointed and envenomed arrows OF malice and
detraction.
| of nf
quences produced by such tattle, and by the
needless repetition OF scandal, are incalculabe
and incessant These miserable habits of tale
bearing ard meddling, of back biting and whis
pering, are the source of the greater part OF The
quarreings, alterations, curosites jeaousies,
and incurable di, isons in families. The small
est. plainest bits of wire may become, by such
malicious working, sword that pierces to the
destruction of all peace and happiness. The
smallest possible authority is enough TO give
countenance for the spreading OF an evil report,
! and there are plenty who stand ready to take 1t
up and spresdit. AS in the case of Jeremiah
r Report, say they, and we will report it. Ali
my famIisrs watched for my halting. saying,
; peradventure he will be enticed, aud we shall
prevail against him, we shall take our revenge
I on him. AS in the case also of Nehemiah 1T
is reported among the heather, and Gaslmu
saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel
and now shall it be reported to the king accord
ing TO these words
"Gashmu saith it, anybody says it, is author
ity enough. Nhat did Nehemiah know about
/ Gdshmul What did any one know But
e there are always plenty of Gashmus for the Sian
derer's purpose, But although GlshmuS be as
/ plenty blackberries, Cots law is absolute
Il and explicit; i, hedges this wickedness around
: with many provisions, aud walls it in, SO that
e Il man who commits it is as il he broke through
r flaming gates for the purpose, Thou shalt not
raise nor receive false report. Put not thine
hand with the wicked TO be an nurigh eons wit
e ness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to dc
evil neither shalt thou speak in cause to de.
K cline after many towres, judgment. Keep thee
r far from false matter. Lord who Shall abiIe
>. in thy tabernacle? He that backbtcth not with
his tongue, nor doeth evil To his neighbur, II
5 taketh up a reproach against his naighbor.
g Then observe the vagueness and indefinite
ness Of the accuse ton, founded on what, in the
= nature OF things, was absolutely Impossible Il
II be known, except by overt action; founded on
n suspicion or conjecture of mems thoughts
g That thou and the Jews think to rebel ! There
was no pretense that they had rebelrd; there
was no need to begin the lie in so gross ond
: bungng manner it was enough to set tn
: conjecture Of an intention in motion. Who
= ever took that report to the king would be sur,
to present it thus: 'lt is said that there is rebel
lion in Jerusalem. Rebellion Who is al
IL the head Of III? Nehemiah, the governor.'-
G And where is the proof of this thingr oh
e Gdshmu saith it, And who is Gashmu ? Oh
o nobody knows anything about that, but doubt.
less he is some responsible person
"Thrre is always such convenient aud rr
; spouslble Gashmus 10 stand gOd-a hers for the
d baptism of orphan lies. Sometimes men will
n do hy corporation what they would not dare to
8 do singIy and separately; as in the case record
ed in Ezra, when Rehum the Chancellor and
ShumShai the Sc?Ibe, and the rest of their com
S panions Dinaites, SusHnchites, Elamites, and
q Others wrote their letter of. slander, to put a
stop to the work Of the house Of Go at Jrru-
salrm and with such dca ly effect, that the work
was really stayed for may years by the kings
! commandment.
There are two advantages in the corporate
; method of lying, First, the great strength given
to tn" falsehood, and the appearance of indiS-
e puta bic truth, under the hand OF so many wit
n nesseS. Second, the evasion of Individual re-
spousibility and consequently of individual
shame, if found out and third, insensibilty of
conscience, which in such a case, is individual
( proofag all sense oi sin and shame in such
; a transaction. A corporate conscience is sercd
as with hot iron. A corporate villainy loses
more than half lis appearances OF criminaty,
and by the concurrence Of many persons, passes
at length for a christian exp1dcncy. 1t is as
the rays of the sun, which are many. cOlorrd
} in their prismalic eparation, but combined, ap-
pear only as white light. So. what mems in
dividua conscienccs might start back from, and
shudder at. as dishonesty and shame. their cor
porate votes and signatures maintain and avow.
Schemes, reports, plots, and vilIainies, to which
men would not have been willing to attach their
separate signature, TO stand alone, they some
times, without scruple, indorse and insure, in
their corporate capacity. They bee ,me, in fact,
an insurance company OF the father % lies, be-
ing able, as a company, to meet losses which
would break eny one or dozen, Individually
The Thorough Bred French Stallion.
! r ri u