The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1869-01-20
Three Words.

There are thrcc WOlNo, "i'tSH y!
one Of the ancicnts, and preserved ina
very old book, which is not read so
much Us it should DC, which contain q
fountain OF important, practical truth.
The words arc-"Eot 0nsHertny again.
They were originally bit OF good adj
vice TO servants-Slaves. ifyou wish to
call them Such-which, however, is
ouitc applicable TO men and women, In
nil conditions Of life md all agcs, as
well. -
Tho object Of the writer of these
words seems to havo been, to prevent.
altcrcation, irritation, and all the at,
.tentlant, conaeq rteHees, by1inducingSn'
person who had been spoken to in un-
kindly, Offensive language, not to re-
ply in kind, ut all. This piece OF nd
vice is in perfect accordance with the
wise warning Of another ancient
&" Leave oil strife before it be mcddlcd
WITH And why? because tho be-
ginning Of strife is rs when one lettcth
out watcr:"-thc smallest rill un-
checked, gradually becomes an ire
prc$siblc torrent. rcnding and toaring
everything in lis course. Such is hrf'
man passion; 10 which nothing is SO
cXcitin. as words-bittcr, angry. Bit
Ing words.
\ careful observance Of this rule of
lite would have saved most OF the per
soral alterations, Quarrcls, duels and
hand-lo-hund fights which have dis
.racru the human race. and would
have prevented most of the wars which
have afflicted the human family in aIl
ages. y disregard OF this piece of
good advice has caused numbcrlrsS
guarrrls between relatives and friends.
and lovers even, husbands and wives.
parents and children. a harsh Or
thoughtless word. provoking or irri-
| tatin. in its character or tone, and II
may be unjust and even false and cruel.
answered by II corresponding word.
has often proved to be kindlinS stuil
to great and destructive fire. which
has consumed the bonds Of attachment
between dear friends and separated
near relatives aud alicnatcd parties
forever.
1t is an old saw that it takes t~0 TO
make = quarrel. But it is equally true,
that il takes Out one TO prevent II quar-
rel. \ man who can hold his peace
under prOvUcatiuu cun save u quarrel
in ninety eases out ofn hundred. The
ilint aud the steel must bG. brought to-
.rthcr TO produce fire. SO man must
answer under Il provocation 10 produce
II quarrel. Yet we can scarcely know
II rarcr accomplishment than the
ability to be silent under prOvOcation-
to withhold ones mouth even from
good. II is the Srvcrc>t test OF soldier
ship TO stand still under IN rncmys
fire: 50 it is Of Sct-control in ordinary
li!c. to hear mkind. unjust. provoking
words. without replying to them
answering again. There are two
principal reasons why this is :" hard II
Thing TO lo. One is. that there is moth
! in. 50 liable to excite sudden passion
rs sharp words; and the other is. that
there seems to one. 1T the time. some
thing cowardly aud mcan-spiritcd in
receiving silently unju> and injurious
language. 1t hurts ones pride terri
bly,. 10 be still under prOvocnlion and
yet il was with reference TO just such
ra>cs that the advice or command "nn-
Swcr not again." WAS originally given.
And it was in view Of the very great
difficulty Of doing this same impor-
tant work. that the wise man said /:
&" He that is slow to angcris better than
the mighty; and he that ruleth his
spirit, than he that taEcth city"