Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-05-30
The Backbiter and sl.nderer.

Oh, how unlike the spirit Of Christ :,
the spirit of the backbiter and sIsn
derer! How unlike the followers Of tSs
meek and lowly Jesus is the person NM
who, in the absence of another, emu
ploys a worldly member "-ths
tongue-in slandering, insinuatinp a ND
fication of self-esteem or retaliation
and revenge. What q pest to society,
what a curse to a neighborhood is h.
or she who, instead of doing to others
as they would wish to be done bv
sneak, listen and strain to catch ~
every sole word, or what they NAV
term an improper action, to stigmatizys
and blast the reputation of some ops
who don't belong to their society, O,
whom they wish to degrade below
themselves. How much better it would
be for such people and the world I
they would but look into their own
hearts before they gave vent to Their
passions that set the fires of hell to
blazing, producing a smoke that will
only be blown into their own eyes.
II the most trivial report, unfayor.
able to q persons reputation, be raised.
it is to the slanderer and backbiter
feast of fat things. They seize upon il
as a hungry eagle upon his prey, bear.
ing it about, and, like a whirlwind, Il
draws into its vortex q variety of i'm.
probable circumstances, which increase
its force. One person relates it to
another. with a little addition, the see.
ond to the third with something more.
and thus the devil is exalted and the
innocent degraded.
A certain writer on SANDER saws:
''Hell can not boast SO foul q fiend, nor
man deplore so foul a foe. It is the
poisonous arrow whose wound is in
durable; it is the heart-searching dag.
ger of the dark assassin; it is the NOR.
tai sting of the deadly adder. Murder
is its employment, innocence its prey
and ruin its spoil" SANDER is a dan
gerous poison, for who is secure, whose
reputation is secure, when such foes
lurk about in darkness seeking whom
they may devour? A persons reputa.
ton is as dear to him as his hearts
blood; for "a good name," says Solo.
mon, sis rather to be chosen than great
riches" and says that illustrious Shake.
speare:
"Who steals my purse steals trash; tits some.
thing, nothing;
Twas mine, It's his, and has been slave to
thousands.
But he that tilches from me my good name
Robs me Of that which not e.nriches him,
And makes me poor indeed"
Yes, however wealthy a person may
be, if his reputation is traduced he
may be said to be poor indeed" for
wealth without a favorable reputation
is but an empty sound. It is much the
best if people can not in conscience
speak well of their neighbors to say
nothing about them. If they can not
find any good to communicate in their
daily visits, concerning their fellow-be,
ings, whether high or low, rich or poor,
professor or non-professor of religion,
let that charity that ''covers a multi.
tude of sins'' be thrown over their sup,
posed failings; and if any have just
occasion to speak or think evil of their
fellow-creatures, let them go and sec
them face to face, and thereby settle all
difficulties, for where there is no stale
bearer the strife ceases"
Then, o slanderer, whoever thou art,
remember that thou art accountable for
thy words, and that God twill by no
means clear the guilty; but will bring
every work into judgment with every
secret thing, whether it be good or
whether it be evil, Words of Faith,