Weekly Trinity journal., 1870-06-25
NUMBER 25.
The Law OF the Tongue.

What feast of fat things is spread out in So
ciety for all those who enjoy talking about their
neighbors All men are ridiculous in spots
and some men are ridiculous all over. II one
/ enjoys the sight of moral weakness, and has an
eye for deformity, and Il tongue sharp ms Il dis
sectors knife, he need not lack for happiness.
Every household is full of matter for malicious
| fun. Every neighbor every friend (and the
more intimate the bette:) has world of amuse-
ment in him, if one only knows how to squeeze
him. Men are always saying things, which, if
laid up, may be used upon them rs whips 1t
needs only sharp watch, and every man viii be
found doing things Inconsistent with his former
! conduct and, for that matter, inconsistent with
! his own avowed principles.
! If man be good-natured and unwilling to see
or report upon those thousand weaknesses, he
! loses great deal of satiSfacion-such as it is
Oh, it is refreshing to =" take oH'' a man be-
hind his back-to lower him in the sight OF his
friends, by bringing sharply into light the faults
and tolbeS OF which he is guilty. The only pity
is that men should be restrained in the luxury Of
such amiable work
Unfortunately, one meets with prejudes. So
ciety seems to have fallen into straight-aced
notions about the liberty of criticizing faults
1t is held to be wrong to make private matters
public. If this notion is to rule some of tho
richest sports of life will be untouched and un-
used What, not allowed to repeat what one
hears in private family Not use what we
hdental conversational ? No: permitted to pub
lish private letters BY such rigid notions of
honor and right, ones liberty of enjoyment is
greatly restrained
Then, also, it is deemed dishonorable for u
man to assail friend. Why not2 Friendship
promotes intimate acquaintance, and accurate
knowledge of human nature. Where else can
one find such minute studies Of the human heart
rs in the hours of confidence when friend
opens his most secret thoughts Goethe used
his dearest friends and friendships ms materials
for the drama. Why should not men cory his
example2
1t is still forbidden us to injure men by ex-
posing their faults and errors-whcn they hrt on
our side. The world seems to have been super
stitiOns on this subject. There have been un-
calmly proverbs and sayings, all founded ON this
notion of honor toward one $ own party.
But us if all this Interference with the liberty
of malicious wit were not enough, men thrust
the Bible in our face, and declare that upon its
testimony, il is wrong to have good time over
mems sins, and to enjoy their inqutics. There
is to be found somewhere or other in that book
so it is said--that charity "reoceth not in in
quty, and thinketh no evil Indeed, away
back in the old Testament hundreds and hun
dreds of years ago, it is said, " Love covereth
all sins, and there is an echo of the same in
the new Testament, "Charity shall cover tho
multitude of sins" Even more embarrassing to
the natural liberty of the tongue Is the sentence,
" lie that covereth n transgressiOn secketh love;
but he that repeateth II matter separateth very
friends II these notions are to rule, pray how
are we to enjoy ourselves over a dish of tea dis
cussing our neighbors' iaults2
And still farther it has been laid down by
learned aud good mea, and by many it is still
believed to be true that we have no right to
speak evil of any man, or to report any harm Of
him, no matter how true the report may be, un-
less we have n just and benevolent end in view
1t is taught us that we cannot justify ourselves
for talking evil of our neighbors by showing that
we "Only speak the truth We have no right
to make any man uncomfortable, or to make him
appear ridiculous in other mems eyes, dim
nsh his nAucnce, or impair the respect of the
community toward him, or in any manner to
harm his good name, by reporting true things
even aboutsh him In short, it is held by many
that Christianity requires US to do good to men,
to make them happy, to conceal their faults, to
publish their excellencies, to rejoice in their
prosperity and sympathize in their troubles, and,
In all things to treat them as should, in like
circumstances, desire ourselves to be treated
If this be the right doctrine, two things are to
be'said First, that there very few men who
have become Christian in their tongues, and,
second that there was never time when the
gospel of an honorable and Christian tongue
more needed to be preached.