The Panola weekly star., 1883-08-11
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NUfNf NV WV HiNINl NhNfH W WHftW
men aHd Wumeh N all CRATES N sueleiy
hfr h.lll I'd. pfohHliiy ihefe y nqi snsy
20 donp seaisd sud universal n That n
eFll sfHak Ing, The tongue i rnlled ~
Scripture ilie 'nufuly member" ahi
II u 10 small part ~ aelfeon1uest fur
4 man 81 gain and malntaln y perfect
control N lis uiierancca Rightly ON.
ployed, a may b. lie means " untold
aU1d hui wrUnely nsed, \ chn accom-.
plIlli vast frsllIls IN inliappincsa aiid
dsaHef We dD not rtaigp hUN great
= proportion " The nnltf0ken friend.
shifts. scattered families sDelal dlsstTi-
aIons. and even The sod records N lifes
that are crushed down In despair afo
due ~ evil speaking.
II lsa sad illustration of human sin
fulness and deprayiiy that tho car
catches moro eagerly reports Of III than
records of good, and that Tho tongue Is
more ready " utter reproofs than 10
speak words of hopciulncss aud pity
when some crrlng one has gone astray.
By the family hearthsldc, In the social
circle and In The thoroughfarcs Of busi-
ness, evil reports and slandcrous tales
are grcedily heard and quickly passed
from mouth 10 mouth. Yet often do
we see companions meet, pass pleasant
hours together, and part apparently in
the deepest, truest friendship; and yet
when once separated each may select
and discuss every fault Of the other, and
display every imperfectlon in the eyes
of an eager curious and gosslping
community. This Is social trcason--as
uhbecoming 10 upright manhood ms Is
treason against the Nation. The innu-
ence OF the slanderer Is not only insid-
ious, but poisonous and powerful. and
while he seeks 10 blacken the fame OF
others he feeds his own evil tendencies,
and becomes more and more destruct-
i've,
We shudder when We see this evil in
It's worst forms, and behold It's worst
results, and yet It can not be denied
that II is known in many Christian
homes. II Is sad 10 think that one who
bears the Christian name may have ut
tered some word which has given a
pang Of sorrow. or perhaps added to
the sting OF remorse or the desperation
Of despair How careful should we be
to "keep the door Of our lips" each
moment, that no word may pass which
shall cause us regret or others pain!
Let us recognize this evil tendency in
our nature, and cultivate the habit. in
speaking Of others, to say only such
things as are lovely and Of good report
concerning them.
Another, and perhaps worse, form OF
evil speaking Is the idle, vulgar and i'm.
pure language that may be heard at al.
most every place where men are won,
TO meet. False and silly stories are
told in the social groups, and pass fol
witty jokes; phrases Of vulgar slang ar,
used by the otherwise cultivated and
polite; and impure words are passed
around regardless of even common pro
prlety. These seem but little things
yet In result they are vast beyont
measure. They poison the fountains o
thought; they narrow and dome,aliA,
yielding nature of childhood, they sull,
ite innocence and soil It's beauty. Fort
unate, indeed, are they who from you'll
up have been shielded from the danger
Of evil speaking; and strong and mani,
Is he who has learned to resist and re
buke this sin, and who strives 10 keel
his tongue from uttering words that ar
idle, low and vile. 'For no that will
love life and see good days, let hin
refrain his tongue from evil and his lip
that they speak no guile.n
But what shall be said Of blasphemy
We talk Of National morality and prog
ress, but what Christian man will nc
shudder when he reflects that n hol
God bows down His ear to n Christia
land to hear His name hurled about |
oaths and curses more frequently an
more loudly than IL ascends In pray,
aud praisel Strange problem Of h,
man nature, that one man cih mock /
and abuse those words and nam,
which others breathe only with n
deepest reverence and loye-that II
name Of Him In whom we live nm
have our being should be heard in WI
gar mockery In the hellish dens
drunkenness and vicel The wisdom
earth can never solve for the profaI
, swearer the profound and awful mea
Ing In those words; "The Lord W
not hold him guiltless," but eve
Christian may refuse TO listen
blasphemous talk. and may guard h
own lips lest they utter irrevercntly d
holy name Of God.
Finally, let US keep pure the -four
, aims Of speech. Let us strive for bis
, and holy thoughts and aspirations. L
. US cultivate the love Of beauty. !
nocence and charity. Let us seek
scatter here and there along our pat
! way words that shall come with hel
ing TO some faint and wounded sol
|, or, In the fertile soil Of some youth
mind, spring up by and by 10 crov
our lives with blessing. Let US be
. ever In mind the great responsible
! which the very faculty Of speech pr
upon Us. remembering that Christ b
said; "By thy words thou shalt
t..atlliaI u.l Ia. tl.xr xx,t..ts f1.... ab,