Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-04-22
, ghuife Misfellanu.
WORD TO LITTLE ME-"
BY HENRY WARD BEEcHER.

BY HENRY WARD BEECHER-
ENEwBURYPoRr, Feb. s, 1869.
REV. AND DEAR SIR win you please
give the readers of your sermons, pub
lished in the Boston Traveller, your
views of "talebearing." My attention
has been directed to this subject by hear
ing a church-member speak freely OF
the private affairs of a family where
she had been for time an inmate, eX-
posing not only their familiar converse
tions, jests and remarks, but matters
sacred to the family, and things that
are embittering people against this fam
ily. / observe that all, even the Oldest
and best, listen eagerly to this talebear-
ing remark upon the things told of, and
repeat them to Others. again and again.
L have often asked myself, what is right
regarding these things, but get no salts
factory answer; for am not very old
in experience, so take the. liberty to
ask you; and L shall be very glad and
thankful to you, if you will be so very
kind and oDliging as to answer, through
q sermon; and, perhaps, you will do
good to others besides your humble
friend, little me. s.-15g-zsf
a SCHOOLGIRL.
9 Our young friend asks a sermon, The
subject is worthy of ten sermons; but
we can give only an article.
7 The disposition topry into the privacy
of domestic life is, unfortunately, very
common, and is always dishonorable.-
The appetite for such knowledge is to
be regarded as morbid, and the indul-
gence of it disgraceful. isa.]ss e "a
Z A family have a sacred right to priVa-
cy. In guarding the delicate relations
of the household, secrecy becomes a VIZ
tue. Even if by chance the private AZ
fairs Of the household are laid open to
a stranger, honor would require him to
turn from them, and if a knowledge OF
them were forced upon him, they should
be locked in sacred silence. 2HP
z A double obligation of silence and
secrecy rests upon one who is guest IN
family. The turpitude of betrayal
of family history by visitor. is far
greater than theft would be. To pocket
half dozen silver spoons would do TAR
less damage, produce far less suffering,
and be less immoral, than talebearlng.
II is a thing SO scandalous that it should
degrade person, and put him out OF
society. To betray the secrets of the
household is not only an odious immor-
ality, but it is a sin and shame to be
on good terms with those who are known
to commit such outrages. They are mis-
creants. They put themselves out OF
the pale of decent society. They should
be treated as moral outlaws. oe2 EsrFt
These hungry-ey Jed wretches who sit,
in the unsuspicious circle of parents and
children, treasurjng their words, spying
their weak nesses, misinterpretIng the
innocent liberties of the household, AND
then run from house to house with their
shameless news, are worse than poison
ers of wells or burners of houses.
They poison the faith of man in man.
If one opens hiseRaouth to tell you such
things, with all your might smite him in
the face. There are-two ACTIONS which
justify you in Instantly knocking man
down; the oneis the act of pointing a
gun at you insport, and the other is the
attempt to tell you asecret which 1t IS
disgracefUl for him to get, and for you
to hear. Makepo terms with such peo-
pie. Talebearers have no rights. They
are common enemies of good men,
Hunt, harry, and hound them out of
society. They are the worst of pests
save one, and that is the listener to the
There could be no .tattlings f,there
were no one to hear. 1t takes an ear
and a tongue to make a scandal. Greedy
is as dishenerables as nimble
tattling. The ear is the open market
where the tongue sells its ill-gotten
wares. Some there are that will not re-
peat again what they hear, but they are
willing to listen to it! They will not |
trade in contraband goods, but they will |
buy enough OF the smuggler for family
use! -5 EsrEnuiE sE-D
These respectable listeners are the pa
irons of tattlers. 1t is the ready mar
ket thatkeeps talebearing brisk. 1t is
shame to listen to i'll of your neighbor.
Christian benevolence demands that
you do not love ill news. A clean heart
lnd-a-trae eEFejeieeink kipdly things
1t should be pain and sorrow to know
Of anything that degrades your neigh
Dor in your eyes, even if he is your enc
NY; and how much more if he is your
friend :?
Little Me-" shows by her letter that
she has a good and honorable heart
Let herpersuade others to her way Of
And, as help to the good
work, we will give her some wholesome
texts from the sacred Scriptures to make
sermons out of. 4-.- .-5.....s- :. ID.
"Thou shalt not go up and down as
,alebearer among the people"
{ "a talebearer reYealeth secrets; but
le that is of a faithful (honorable) spirit,
,oncealeth the matter"
1.-The words of the talebearer are as
Wounds that go down into, the inner
most parts of the belly"
The Hebrews thought that the affec-
ions had their seat in the entrails and !
,owels, and by this phrase, s'go down
nte the innermost parts of the belly,'' )
hey signify how sharp and exaspera-
ing to the deepest feeling of our nature, |.
re the cruel offices of common tattler l
"Wbere no wood is, the fire goeth out;
o where there is no talebearing, the :
trife ceaseth."
AS if he had said that SO much of the
trife of society arises from tattling, that
+ that were cured there would hardly
e any cause of quarrel left. f----lr
Commend me to that religion which
makes a man humane with his tongue, :,
nd honorable with his ear.
Perhaps the Boston Traveller will
Dpy this article, and then Little Me"
ill see how heartily We have entered
Ito her case.-INew York Ledger. !
Story of a Paris Rag-Picker.
The wife of one of the most eminent L.