Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-04-06
CHARITY THINKETH NO EVIL.

CHARITY THINKETH NO EVIL.
Of the dozen or more distinct excel
lencies ascribed to charity by st. Paul
in the thirteenth chapter of his first
epistle to the Corinthians, this is not the
least: that sit thinketh no evil,' or as
the new version has it, ''taketh not ac-
count of evil.'' Christian love, which
is the proper rendering of charity here,
cherishes no malice, imputes no wrong
motive, and thus thinks no evil, speaks
no evil OF any one. The apostle in a
preceding verse had said: CHARITY suf-
fereth long and is kind And this es-
sential quality of kindness prevents all
evil imputations, all evil speaking. The
very life of charity is the law of kind
ness, expressing itself both in good deeds
and good words. We can no more be
charitable while INDUCING in censorious
evil speaking, than we can be charitable
while giving way to hard, selfish and in
tolerant actions,
And yet how often in the daily inter-
course of life is this great law of kind
ness violated even by protesting Chris
tians. How often is the interchange of
conversation, even among those who
claim to be neighbors and friends, not
to say brethren of the same church,
seasoned, not with the grace of low
ing, forbearing charity, that speaks no
evil, but with the sharp and cruel pep
per of a speech that delights in picking
flaws, magnifying trifles and imputing
the worst of motives! How often is
the character of a good man picked to
pieces, and his reputation even for COM
mon sense and integrity torn into a
Thousand tatters, in some little coterie
of smart. laxative people. They fancy
they are showing their own superior
gentility, and doing God service by thus
parading what they think the short-con-
ings of fellow-C Christian, or it may be
a fellow-sinner. Is this the way they
take to convert the sinner, or edify the
church? Is it not rather the surest way
to reveal the inward uglness of their
own souls, and to establish character
for consciousness, which is as repug-
nant to the spirit of the Gospel as it
is despicable in the sight of all good
men?
The Golden Rule of our Savior, to do
unto others as we would they should do
unto us, is shamefully violated in this
matter of speech. Yet He tells US that
by our words we shall be justified, and
by our words we shall be condemned.
Plainly in His judgment we are as ac-
countable for our words as for our ac-
tions. Have protesting Christians for
gotten that the Golden Rule applies to
speech as fully as it does to conduct?
and that the new commandment to love
one another may be violated by evil
speaking not less than by evil doing?
SANDER is a vice to be abhorred by all
good men, and idle tattling, delighting
in evil reports of ones neighbors, and
giving utterance to evil surmises. and
inuendoes and suggestions, is a habit of
mind in direct conflict with the first
principles of Christian charity. Char
ity thinketh no evil. But here is a pro-
fessed Christian whose tongue is never
still, and whose mind is never free from
thoughts of somebody's evil doings!
What must be the character of the
speech flowing from such fountainp
An unbridled tongue is the theme of
one whole chapter in St. James brief
general epistle to the early Christians.
The tongue, he says, is little member,
and it boasteth great things. 1t is
little fire, and it kindleth much wood.
1t is bit in the horses mouth turning
about his whole body. 1t is a small
helm, but strong enough to guide the
great storm-driven vessel. Left to it
self it is the world of ingenuity. Right
or wrong, it is the sure index of charac-
ter. Herewith bless we God, and there
with curse we men made in the image
of God. In the unregenerate man, I'M
checked by the restraining grace of God,
it may become an uncomfortable evil,
scattering firebrands, arrows and death.
" 1t defileth the whole body, and setteth
on fire the course of nature, and it is set
on fire of HE'LL After this dark, terrible
pOrtraiture of the evil of unbridfed
speech, we need not wonder that the
inspired writer should give the caution:
:" Ny brethren. speak not evil one of
another. Who is a wise man and en-
dued with knowledge among youP Let
him show out of a good conversation
his works with meekness of wisdom. "
In the same spirit the Apostle Paul
writes to the Christian brethren of the
church at Colosse: 'Let your speech
be always with grace seasoned with
salt, that We may know how We ought to
answer every man." These and other
directions in the New Testament are but
a commentary on the more ancient max
i'm of tolerant charitable speech, found
among the Proverbs of Solomon. "a
soft answer turneth away wrath; but
grievous words stir up strife. The
tongue of the wise useth knowledge |
Alright; but the mouth of fools poureth
out foolishness." True Christian CHAIR
ty is tolerant of another's opinions, and |
is always tenderly alive to another's
feelings and another's reputation. In
this respect it beareth all things, be-
lieveth all things, hopeth all things, en-
dureth all things. 1t is not easily pro-
voked, and thinketh no evil.
This beautiful law of charity is vio-
lated by that spirit of intolerance, and
that habit of censorious fault-fnding,
which some people indulge in, as if they
thought their sole mission in this world |
was o make everybody around them rs