Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-04-02
legations.
GOSSIP,

The talk OF the lips tendeth only to penary.
Prov. IA xiii.
Perhaps there are few gifts Of the Ore
ater so capable of comforting happiness
or misery as the power of speech, the
sbllity to express thought by the utter
aaee Of the lips. Some estimates of the
great value of this gift may be obtained
bynoting abe different effect of thought
spoken by the SILVER voice of an eloquent
orator and the same thought expressed on
the printed page In the first instance.
it Is living, thrilling truth, powerful
to qnell mob, or excite multitude TO
grand and heroic acii,R. In the other an
idea O addressed 10 the mind of the reader
only. How tame and lfeless 1t seems in
comparison. The gentle, loving voices
of friends. and the sweet prattle of child
rem attest, 10 all who can hear, the
priceless value Of lhe gift Of speech. With
this power peace and comfort arc given
10 the departing. soul, and words of con
soiatien are addressed TO those who
m0urn. The Bible says ga word fifty
spoken is like apples 6f gold In pictures
of silver" But what is the "talk of the
lips that tenderh only TO penuryf" Idle
talk is one kind. Foolish testing and the
habit Of turning everything into ridicule
can be productive only of loss to the
speaker. Idle speech is the expression of
idle Thought. and in jesting the speaker
catches only NJ the ludicrous side of
things and in both cases the speech is not
the result OF careful thought and study,
but of random observation and usually
without thought, The habit is thus
formed OF careless speaking, and the
mind becomes incapable of serious reflec-
ten aad She man loses his influence over
truth in every community. of jesting,
ffippantly-ialking men "who carry no
weight ia llfe."
Gossip is another labor of the lips
which tendeth only 70 penury.
"GOssip Is q constant infringement
of the Golden Rule" Ne one wants 70
have his or her personal affairs talked
aAeut, and the habit Of hawking the
business Of others about and bringing
them before every little social gathering
is one of The most Immoral practices in
any community. The habit grows by in
dulgeaoe until what seemed at first only
pleasant chat, becomes backbiting and
s,andering and no ones good name is
safe from the attacks of the gossip. A
tale bearer makes himself poor
in everything werih having. He
is mean in his own esteem, in
the respect Of honorable men. and in the
Judgment of Gud. BE loses time, whose
value eternity alone can determine. He
loses opportunities 10 bless himself and
others. in gratifying this mean practice
of criticiEing his neighbOr's affairs, and
assigning motives for their conduct Of
which lie knows nothing. A. person
given togossp is seldom truthful. The de-
light he experiences IN retailing the news
and surprising his listeners proves too
great temptation, 10 exaggerate tbs
facts. to be resisted. "a confirmed Cos.
sip is always an ignorant or malicious
person." and should be stunned, for he
not only reduces himself to poverty by
his labor, but all his acquaintances lose
by such association. Profanity and OBJ
sceni,y are lab..rs of the lips which tend
only 10 penury. Persons iudulging these
habits arc poor indeed, p"or in mind,
manners, and morals. How poor and de-
based a man mus, be who thinks an cath