The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-05-13
Do we Swear.

Some people, who will not Bwear them
selves, repeat with oviden; guSto the
profanity Of others A man will tell s
story interlnrdcd with expressions which
he would not use himself, aud seem tC
take satisfaction in saying things which
he would be ashamed to say in his own
proper person. Many man will in
dulge IL witticsms on the 'strong" Ian
guage Of another, or allude pleyiully tc
the "epithets" scattered through his talk
An inexperienced listener would suppose
there was something bright and funny in
swearing.
We hear expressions like these &" !
was go angry | wanted to use bad
word !" II felt like swearing :" "li
would have done me good to let dy az
oath" And these expressions are made
not with modification and horror at the
sin almost committed, but as though ono
had kind Of pride in it,
The man who laughs at al oath, blunt:
his own moral sensitiveness and paralyzes
his influence against swearing. Witty
profanity and witty vulgarity are 90 less
profanity and vulgsrity because they cx.
cite laugh. Wit and humor SO often
debase themselves that man does not
think Of repeating to his sister or wife
the jokes and anecdotes over which he
and his confreres have been laughing in
the Office or counting-room, the workshop
or club.room, or even the study. The
professional story may be very amusing,
bat 1t 1t Ia irreverent or coarse it defles
a man. Are not profanity and impurity
sin and ii shame fer men as well as
women? 1t is true that q man in his
contact with the world must hear SO much
that noyor comes TO a woman's ears that
he is less shocked by any development oi
wickedncss. With many. profanity is as
habitual as talking, so those who count
1t wrong, do not make any protest they
even excuse it on the ground that the
man does not know when he swcars. and
that he does not mean any more by il
than another when he uses an innocent
interjection or cxpletivc. But If ono has
INDUCED in sinful habit till he ceases
to be conscious of it, does that destroy
the siR? IF man has helped himself
to my money till his hardened conscience
ceases to discriminate between mean and
tu7tn, do | any the less call him n thief
A hardened criminal is not the moio
easily pardoned under the law because
he had so often committed the crime that
the ways of wickedness ore habitua to
him.
But though it does not excuse proian.
ity, there may be hiLt al tho truth in
the assertion that bywords and expletives
are a kind of swearing. 10 whatever
way we give vent to feelings wrong in
themselves, Or wrong when they become
uncomfortable, We may be indulging in
the spirit Of profanity. A contemptuous
treatment Of sacred things may be bias.
phcmy iD the sight Of God. The fierce
gesture. the angry tone, the flashing eye,
the scorn of lip and brow, may express
passion and willlulness the same in kind
as the startling oath Sidney Smith
speaks Of wooden swearing" which con-.
aists in slamming doors and banging fur
nituro. The angry exclamation, the
abusive scolding'of the mistress, the pas
sionate, insulting retort Of the servant,
the hot temper and wifulneas of the child,
the byword OF the schoolboy, aud the af.
iected ordinations of the fine lady may
all be included in our Savior's interpreta.
tions of the third commandment and His
injunction concerning sincerity and sim.
plicity in our communications
Tho voice and speech are tue exponent
Of the nun. Liston to q person for Ave
minutes, and you have uuconsciously
made your estimate Of his character and
culture. a slang word from woman's
lips destroys tho beauty Of her face, a
man drops 40 oath, and you cease to ex.
Pect in him the delicate instincts Of a
gentleman. Have not the listeners some
responsibility in this matter of speech =?
Have We no power of resistance against
the prevalence of profanity. We are
sensitive and indignant when any tongue
uses the name Of friend with ightncss
or insult. We do not generally preach a
hom'ly TO the man who treats with ridi.
cule or dishonor. one wo love. but we
mako him sure that we cannot bear it.
DO We make men sure that We are hurt
at all by iyreyerent and profane mention
OF the name and attribvtes of our Divine
Master ?--Hlustratcd Chyiaian Weekiv