Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-11-01
The Art Of Profane Swearing.

are you, ne crled out, VINO uOn swear
1t all ?"
"Not sanctimonious," / answered, mot
he least bit of it; quite the reverse; but
have been over the world a good deal,
md was never yet in a civilized country
where it was considered proper to swear at
a public table"
| kept my eye steadily on his while say
ing these words, and was somewhat appre-
hensive Of an explosion; if l had looked
down, he might have struck me, for he was
very mad and after hurting out his right
to say what he pleased where he pleased,
and making a show Of eating little, he
left the table, before the rest of the COM
pany were half done their dinner. He
stood a minute or two behind my chair, as
if uncertain as to what he had better do
about it, but concluded to drop the subject
and retire. / did not see him again.
When he had left the cabin, the gentle
men near me expressed their qualification |
at the manner in which the fellow had |
been reproved, and congratulated them
selves on his speedy retreat from the field. |
/ do not know that swearing is quite as
common as it was formerly. do not hear
so much of it, and it shocks me more when
| do hear it. Passing through little vii
lage on Long Island in a stage this sum-
mer, we heard the men about the tavern
door, where we halted, swearing often and
erribly, as if it were their habit; and one
Of the passengers remarked:
"They swear here as big as they do in
larger places"
1t is an impression Of mine, but | do not
pretend to be positive, that the progress Of
civilization and refinement of manners has
caused proiane swearing to be regarded as
vulgar, indecent and intolerable in good
society. In other words, it is an offence
against good manners, and, therefore, is
banished. Some men swear freely among
their boon companions, who set watch
within hearing. l had occasion, some time
ago, to call, upon business, with well
known temperance lecturer. He frequent
ly addresses Sunday schools and religious
assemblies. When ! entered his office, he
was conversing with a visitor and was
swearing in every clause of every sentence
he spoke His oaths were double and triple
and awful. | sat q few moments waiting
for them to be through and to hasten them
/ came forward and mentioned my name
and business. The profane reformer rec
ognized my name and said he would be at
liberty in moment. He continued his
conversation, but never used a profane
word after he had heard my name. He
had no fear of God would take his holy
name in vain but he had so much fear OK
offending a mere man, that he would change
the whole style of his conversation for his
sake! OF course, felt more contempt for
him when he ceased swearing, than when
he kept at it. II seemed at first to be q
habit that had become a second nature
and perhaps he was unconscious Of the
fact that he was swearing with every
breath But when | saw it was not a hab
it, but studied practice that he sworC
TO impress what he was saying upon one
who probably would do the same thing
was filed with contempt for the man
and / wish now it were proper for me t
hold him up by name in this letter. to tn,
scorn of those who think he is a good maj
and great temperance oracle. He is on,
Of many men whose only religion is to pro
mote what they call reform, that is, the re
form Of others but to reform themselve
is what they have never yet undertaken
They are very severe in criticizing tn
habits of those who indulge in what the,
do not care for, but they have not tn
slightest idea of giving up anything tina
fall in with their own tastes. DIR. Butte
hits them right between the eyes when b
speaks of some men as
"Compoundng for sins that they're inclined tC
BY damning those that they've no mind to-"
Very unlike this unreformed reformel
was gentleman, a very distinguished ma
in the politics of this State and the coun
try, who was one of a circle where wa
present, and we were relating anecdote
chiefly Of public men. He told a capiti
story, but in quoting remark of anothe
it was necessary to repeat a profane wor
that had been used as part of the sentenc,
thought it not Objectionable, as it wa
simply telling us what another man sale
But after the company broke up, the ger
tleman came to me and said he owed m
an apology. was entirely at loss I
know why, but he proceeded to say that
quoting a remark of another he had r,
peated profane word, and he never ALLOW
ed himself to do so; he hoped that woul
pardon his carelessness. / was deeply in
pressed with his nice sense of prophet
and would prescribe the same rule for m,
self if not for others.
We are sometimes asked wherein col
sists profane swearing-is cursing to
reckoned profane? Is it profane swearir
TO invoke curse upon others, or to use Il
most awful of all curses to give emphas
to what we are saying? think it is. Al
early in life this was so firmly fixed in n
mind and heart, that during the who
course ofmy life 50 far, have never TAX,
an oath in court or out of it, in public
in private. and have never used word,
my knowledge, that could by any one
regarded as profane. | have said gre
many things that / have been very sor
for afterwards, and would give much if
could buy them back again. Idle word
foolish talking and jesting which are n
convenient! How much human breath
spent in these that do no good, and on
make work for future regret and reper
ance. But to early parental culture,
those holy lessons on "what is require
and what is forbidden in the third co
mandment," 40 owe it, that have l
now one profane word to recall, or to 8
swer for when we come to give account
every idle word that has been spoken.
Because of swearing, the land moui
eth" was very ancient lamentation, a
il is quite likely that the sin is as comm
now as it was in days of old. Our pub
men indulge in the habit very general
and some men are profane swearers
whom the world at large have an idea Il
they are models of propriety 'in hea
speech and behavior" They would
grievously offended to have their nan