Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-02-13

MI nabon's Sermon on Evil Speaking.
For III many things we offend all If any man of
fend not IN word. the same is perfect mau and
able also to bride the whole body.-Jdmes III,
The text as it stands Is somewhat obscure
word of explanation is therefore neces-
sary to make Ii plain. When once under
stood it affords great lesson. The idiom OF
our Euglish Language requires that word
Gall" should 90 before "offsnd" and not fol-
low after it. 1t is thus put in the nomins-
tive, aud will read, ave all offend" The
word "ofend, too, needs to be cleared up a
little. As it stands it might be construed to
mean the giving oiense to others in some
way. This is not the meaning. We are to
give no offeuse to any one in anything il It
can be avoided. The word literally means
"to stumble" as one who is weak, or meets
| 40 obstruction. Ii means here 10 commit
mistakes, to fall into difficulties. l suppose
the word was rendered Offend" because by
| thus stumbling the law is some way offended
or insulted. The meaning is, then, I'm many
| things we all stumble" or we all stumble in
| many things-th1t IL, commit many mis-.
| takes. The most mature CHRISTIANS are liza
| BILE sometimes to fall IN this way. A thou
| sand difficulties lie III the wav to inter-
rupt us. Men stumble through Ignorance,
| or passion, or prejudice, or thoughtlessness
or some other way. As long as we are in
| eho Acbh may SApcbt IT. anu ouSAt "
keep a sharp look out. 1t is no mark that
one is not Christian o. a good man if he
| stumble. The best OF men do so. "a Just
| man fslieth seven times a day" says Solo
mon, sand riseth up again" 1t is his in
| trinity, not his fanlt, for stumbling is not
! Willful transgression. Christian perfection
does not imply deliverance from all inirmi-
ties and infallibility in The affairs OF life. 10
many things we oil sumbe. Bat 1t is part
of prudent, thoughtful man to make as few
| bluuders as possible. For this reason his
prayer ia, Lead US not into temptation, but
! deliver us from evil" Moreover, a wise
man will learn from experience and not Of
| fend in the same way often. If he is careful
| he will watch and avoid the bssetting evil.
| The foolish pass on and are punished.
The most common wav in which men err
| is perhaps the unguarded use Of the tongue.
| This IL almost universal evil, and one the
most difficult TO correct. The apostle m axes
this common fault the ground of some good
counsel about the use OF our speech. 'If any
| man offend not 9TH at is stumble not in uord,
| the same is q perfect man, and able also 10
Birdie the whole body" When one through
| grace gains that measure of self-control tn at
| ne does not stumble Ia his speech, that is csu
either speak or hold his peace, and il he
speaks say the right things, he is prepared
| to avoid the most of the difficulties in life !;
| for if he can control his toDgne the other
members will be easily managed.
Without doubt more blunders are COM
mitted in speech than in any other way, and
| the injury sometimes falls on a whole neigh
| berhood. That unfortunate occurrence The
other day that cost a man his life, and that
| entailed untold sorrow upon families and
friends, all grew out of an ill-tempered in.
terchange of hot words. The peace of the
community was undisturbed, and heart.
aches engendered simply because somebody
said that some body else perhaps said 30 and
so. All the result Of thoughtless phrase
| at an unfortunate time. "Behold how great
a matter little FIRE kindleth." No wonder
the apostle called the tongue 'an unruly evil,
full Of deadly poison" 1t is even ''set on
| fire Of hell" The maxim OF fool is to
speak what he thinks, and his he does I'M
| der pretense OF superior candor. But the
wise man keeps his mind and utters only
what is right and proper, knowing that
| whose keepeth his mouth and his tongue,
keepeth his soul from troubles" prov.
| xxi
| If a man can control his tongue he csn
manage the whole body. 1t is a very little
member, but it is monster OF strength. All
manner of things, says St. james, have been
tanned, but the viper that has its home in
the mouth no man can lame. After years of
seeming quiet, give it liberty and it will hiss
with wrath and sting without mercy.
| We are commanded in the scriptures 10
bride the tongue as we would a horse. II
takes a strong lever bit, and a man has often
TO rear back in his stirrups to hold bis
tongue in, but that Ia the ouly way 10 keep
from being plunged into the pit No one
need be afraid OF losing the power OF speech
by holding his peace. 10 the right use OF
the tongue there are certain things TO be OBJ.
served
First-Never indulge that which is the
east impure Impure thought msy occasion
ally be provoked by things about US, but nc
impure speech should pass the Iips. I'm.
chaste language is proof Of an uucean mind
and besides the uttersnce OF a soiled phrase
leaves its faint within. An incident, an
anecdote, that savors in the least oil
obsenity is unfit to be repeated. LET nc
corrupt communication" sage the Holy Bible
proceed out of your MOUTH" "evil commu.
nication corrupt good manners" They evil
IDENTIFY offend the dignity and taste OF the
circle where they are uttered. There is no
surer way 10 degrade the mind aud 10 wer the
tastes than to speak and hear foul words
Under this head | may mention proximity
which is a species of impurity after ALL Fol
as unclean words indicate a bad state o.
mind, profsne language is mark of low
| state OF morals and little regard for divius
things. Both are offensive TO the pure ir
heart, and of vast injury TO those who in
dulge the use.
Second-Never speak uRkindiy. There j,
no occasion for it. If poor fellow-morta
has stumbled and lies in the midst of diff
culties, or has himself been unkind, dom
commit the sameerror. Unkind words gen
der unkind feelings, and these we must moi
have. The world needs pity, charity and
love, not sharp criticisms and unkind
speeches. II you are provoked and insulted
rather than offend to your own injury, bite
your lips and hold your peace. "Bs kindly
afectionate TO one another" says Paul, Gin
bro.herly love-"
Third-One other thing before L quit BY
sill means avoid raia and improbable CONVEX
sation. Silly, nouseusicsl talk is next in in
| jury 10 evil talk. Constant sttempts at wi.
and humor, or the free indulgence of the
tongue when there is little to say is coarse
habit, and ought 10 be avoided, No one can
rise up after sitting an hour in the indulge
of frivolous conversation without sustaining
loss. The tongue is an instrument OF
power. ThereSith we should praise God
and bless men. Use it for messages of SYM
| patty, and fer advice, and counsel, and
sweet charity. Whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever
things of good report, think on these things,
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