Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-12-21
A Sermon BY Talmage.

MIN 1Of ten years, seeing Wnere ne
goes and how long he stays, and
when he comes and all he does, with
a desire to destroy him and you can
make him appear despicable. But if
it is wrong to despoil a mans good
name, how much worse to damage a
woman's reputation. That style Of
infamous work is going on from Gen.
tury to century and always by whis-
pers. One whisper starts a suspic-
ion. The next whisper tells the sus-
pioion as an established fact. And
many woman as honorable as your
mother of your wife has been whis-
pered out of all kindly association
and whispered into the grave. Now,
there are people who say there is no
hell. But if there be no hell for
such an accursed despoiler Of wo-
mans good name, then it is high
time that we take ub collection and
have one built. There is such a
place already established, and what
time they will have when all the
whisperers get together to rehearse
things down there. What an ever
lasting carnival of mud! If it were
not for their insufferable surround
ings they would enjoy the new OPP
portunlty in that realm of the out
cast. All the bad being there, what
rich and rare field for exploration
by whisperers. On earth they had
often to belle people in order to de-
stroy them, but now they can say all
the bad things possible about their
neighbors and still speak the truth.
Jubilee of whisperers! Grand gala
day Of backbiters! Semi-heaven for
scandal-mongers! Only stopping
their gable about their diabo!ical
neighbors long enough to ask at tie
iron gate some new conner from the
earth what is the last gossip from
Brooklyn.
Now, how are you to help quell
this great iniquity! First by refus-
ing to listen Or believe anything
against anybody till it is positively
proved. By all law of courts and all
common decency, let every one be
supposed innocent until he or she Is
proved guilty. I do rot commend
my way to you, but 1 will tell you
what almost always say when 1
hear or read anything defamatory Of
anybody-'I guess that is lie"
The only person that is worse than
the whisperer is the person who with
out protest accepts and believes the
whispers. The trouble is you hold
the sack while they fill it; the re-
ceiver of stolen goods is just as bad
as the thief. An ancient author said
that those who uttered SANDER and
those who believed it ought to be
hanged, one by the tongue, the other
by the ear. When you hear any
thing about your neighbors do not go
about asking questions concerning
the charge made and SO spread it.
Don't demean yourself by becoming
inspector of warts, and supervisor of
carbuncles, and commissioner of gut
ters, and the holder of stakes at q
dog fight. Allow no defamation at
your breakfast, dinner or tea table.
Teach your children not to speak i'll
of others. Show them the difference
between a bee and wasp, the one
gathering honey and the other thrust
ing sting. have heard of a house
hold where they carefully keep what
is called ISLANDER book" and ev-
erything that is said in the house in
the way of detraction is as carefully
recorded as any ledger is kept. For
the first few weeks there were many
entries, now very seldom is anything
written in that book. If any of you
are in the habit of whispering, let me
advise you to desist. Mount Paurus
is a great place for eagles, and cranes
flying along there cackle so loudly
that the eagles know they are coming
and pounce upon them to their de-
struction. But it is said that the
old cranes have found this out
and that they take a stone in their
mouth before they start so that it is
impossible for them to cackle, and
thus they fly in safety. Be wise as
those old cranes and avoid the folly
of the young cranes. Don't cackle.
Take courage if you are maltrcated OF
whisperers. because such creatures
soon run themselves out. They come
to be understood as we'll in a COM
munlty as though some one had
chalked on their oyercoats or shawls,
"Here comes a whisperer, make room
for the leper.''
4 Tasaghtfal Urchin.
Not long since a; smart 7-year old
son of one of our preachers, after
service was over and the family had
returned home from church said:
Papa, do you ever look at me
while you are preaching?"
The father thinking that he was a
little hurt by supposed neglect, said :
Certainly, my son, 1 often look at
you and think of you when 1 am
preaching
''But to-day did you notice me at
all?"
Eyes, 1 did, son, several times"
said the father.