The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1884-09-26
For the Southern Sentinel.
COnyersati0n....NO. /.

Language is the medium of conversa- |
ton between God and man. Through it |
Christ conversed with man while on earth. |
In what sacred light then is language 10
be regarded! and yet. how shoekinsly
bad is this Gift of Heaven perverted.
.,Every idle word is commuted with the
Judgment. A single word of the Al
mighty could dissolve the universe. A
single act of Eve destroyed the world. A
single idle word may be the first sentence
in the book of despair. A single idle
word may ruin soul forever. .'For every
idle word men must give an account at
the day of Judgment"
There is passage of scripture we
| would do well to ponder: ''If any man
among you seem to be religious. and bril-
| dleth not his tongue, but deceiyeth his
| own heart, this mans religion IS vain.
| Now, what is meant in the above Is. un-
/ bridled loquacity or talkativeness. indnl-
ged in without any design of doing evil.
This is not light but weighty matter,
not so much from the Indifference of the
subjects of conversation, as the destruc-
tive results that follow. Trifing. indf-
ferent and humorous subjects are resorted
to, as matters of talk; these are soon ex-
haus.ed, and then scandal, defamation,
divulgement of secrets, betrayal OF eonfi-
. dence. suspicious surmises, exaggeration,
and even the disclosure of ones own Sc
crets, must fill up the time rather than II
, should lapse i'm silence. Impetueusiy
lured on BIZ the tervid desire TO attract
attention, the umestrained spirits soon
reduced to necessity from which there
, | is no retreat. A necessity to say what al
: first was not thought of or designed, ano
which is Immediately succeededby reSTe1
a on the part OF friends, and the contemp
] of enemies. The only end in view is Il
!, be still talking. To make out a plausible
+. story, and to fix attention, invention sup
: plies place, time and circumstances 'fh'
attention Of the present moment Is al
that is desired. The least suggestion i
sufficient to cali ont all the powers Q
thoughtless loqnaeity; and then, like fir
in well seasoned combnstibles. 1t spread
in every direction.
u This disposition is to- be distinguishes
: from the use Of speech, in be:ning falls
y witness, perjury, and the perpetraiion :
'e injustice, which may he committed VII
: cool design; sor is it to be confounae
l. with vain desire TO be thought impor
le tant, intelligent, or possessing an engi
+ ging versatility oftalcnt; for this is van
IN itv and conceit. Nor is it deceit in Ia
/ management OF business, trade, or Woriu
i ly matters, which develops Itself IN
fe multitude of words to perplex tra'l
/ when fewer words would aiis"'
We every laudable end It is disposition
u keep on talking just for its own saAe'
al auy particular theme at the time may e
cite, and good or evil. trnth or falsehoo
a are varied irst as attention Is ob,aiho
yexations, rescntments. strife, dlssei
d. sions, disgust, offenses, envy, maie
C. faults, foliies, inproprieties, ana de'
ny injuries to the reputation, peace M
welfare of others, are ascribable to this u
er. bounded voluaility. What folly to aile
ak this evil habit, and thereby consume pf
nt. cious time tb9c Should be employ e-a M
- wisely. and hence profitable to eurseN
m and others j. W. uzaES
.ou aua 'sA'',s' = -
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