New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-02-23
The Tongue.

Tne TOnSue.
The sword and the sceptre, the pen
and the tongue are the four most pow
erful instruments for good and evil
known to man. The sword has been
drawn in defense of individual rights
and to vindicate national honor; and it
has also been unsheathed for bitter re-
venge, personal glory, and national
conquest. The sceptre is older than
the sword, and is the symbol of author
ity. It has been swayed alike by the
wise and the foolish to protect the in
nocent, patronize the learned, support
religion, screen the guilty, foster
ignorance and sanction infdelity. The
pen has a more enduring power than
the sword and sceptre. 1t hands down
the past; it embalms in more than
mummy durability the discoveries of
science, the inventions of art, the reve-
latiors of religion. But the tongue is
older and more universally used, and
more powerful than the sword, the
sceptre, or the pen. The tongue is as
old as Adam--and Eve too. 1t is an
instrument on which man may play
what tune he pleases. 1t has hymned
the Creators praise, and cursed His re-
yerend name; it has eloquently plead
the rights of suffering humanity, and
as eIoquently defended crime, oppres-
sion, and sin.
And what is the tongue 1t is the
instrument of taste, of deglutition, and
of speech. Metaphysically it signifies
language, and in this sense we use it to.
!. day. No member of the human body
has such power. The arm may inhic
heavy blows, and the foot may crust
its victim; but the evil tongue is like
two-edged sword, consuming fire, ant
a deadly poison. None of our physica
) powers is so yariously used, and thi
l was St. James opinion when he said
Herewith bless we God the Father
and Herewith curse we men; and GU
y. |
of the same moath proceedeth blessing
and cursings." Its related of HsoI
b the Phygian, who was reckOned one
}, the wise men of Greece, and who wa
Q the slave of the philosopher Xauthu
J that one day his master designing t
treat some of his friends, he ordere
e Hlsop to get the best things The markt
:, afforded. So he went and purchase
!, tongues, and had them cooked wit
! different sources; but his master va
! angry, and said: ~Did l not tell 70
IS to get the best things the market coul
e afford 2" sand have not obeye
: your orders ~ answered Esop. 9.
! there anything better than tongues
: bond of civil society, key Of scienc
o organ oftruth and reason. BY it citi'
! are built; governments are establishe
; and administered; by it men instruc
h persuade, and preside in assemblies, ar
/ byit we praise the gods" His mast
N replied: eco, then, and buy me Il
d worst things the market affords,
r some company viii dine With me
! day Esop went and again bOug
ii tongues, and to appease the anger
b Xanthus and justify the purchase,
or said to his master: Tongues are 4
4 4, worst things in the world; instrumer
: Of all strife andcontentions; forme nte
Il oflawsuits, source Of divisions and wa
d and organ of error, sin, calumny, a
y blasphemy.g.
: : The proper government the tong
4 is evidence Of a perfect Christian. e
at any man offend not in word, the san
y IS 4 perfect man.s Gods praise Of ]
II was { In all this Job sinned g
y with his lips David resolved
n viii take heed to my ways, that Is
n not with my tongue Itwas sayi
4 Of solomon, that " the talk Of the i
q tendeth to penury,H and also thi
s z Seest thou a man hasty in bis wor
on there is more hope Of fool than
a him ? And The great Master sal
Ii eLet yeus Communication be, y
ne yea; nay, nay, ior whatsoever is m
~ than these eomesh Of evil It's ma
Ne land woman'a tee hardest task to lsi
ng g know whom son % sneak. d