The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-11-07

strife by thOughtleSs, nasty, lcenlious
tongue. This is no Pigment of the imag-
nation. All can readily see effects.
They who search below the surface for |
causes find that very large proportion
of the evils that afiict mankind are the |
consequences of rash, idle speaking.
There is nothing that requires more
watchfulness than the tongue. Its I'M
ruliness the Apostle depicts in the strong
est terms: Every kind of beasts" he
writes, land of birds, and of serpents,
and of the rest, is tanned, and hath been
tanned by the nature of man. But the
tongue no man can tame-an unquiet
evil full of deadly poison" So sensible
was the Apostle of the tongues unruli-
ness that he declares that our ability to
manage this member is a mark of true
Christisn and the evidence of ability to
resist all temptations, and deport our
selves by the rule of Christ: "If airy
man," he writes again, "offend not in
word, the same is a perfect man; he is
able also, with bride, to lead about
the whole body" The tongue, which
must needs be used so much, must be
used with all care to be used without
offence; and not the least frequent and
fervent prayer should be that God may
set watch before the mouth and
keep the door of the lips. Let
some remedies be offered for a harsh
and hasty tongue. The first is to scru-
tinize our own hearts. If we were as
strict observers of ourselves as we are apt
to be of others; if we would examine,
with shrewd eye, our own daily life; if
we would pry into our own bosoms and
see ourselves as we really are, self-abased,
we would throw over our neighbor the
mantle of charity, and hold our peace
when to speak would not be to praise.
Another remedy is to think and make
choice of our words, as they rise for ut
terance, with respect to their moral and
religious aspect. To think of our words
according to theiI grammer and mean
ing, choosing those that convey most
clearly the sense intended, and throwing
| these words into their most effective
form, is the method, above all others, for
acquiring finished style. To such a
habit, formed in early youth and devel-
oped by constant daily practice, DIR.
johnson was greatly indebted for the
force and copiousness and accuracy of
his diction. And if in regard to our
words, in their moral bearing, we would
practice an oversight like this, and con-
troll them as they are formed for delivery,
the outcome would be the habit of ex'
hibiting that fine tact which instructs us
both when and how to speak, and when
to be silent. A superior consideration is
the reflection that Christ is the proper
Master and Judge, before whom all must
one day appear, and by whose sentence
alone we must stand or fall. "Why dos
thou Judge thy brother? or why dos
thou set at naught thy brother? for WI
shall all stand before the judgment sea
of Christ" Nothing should be NOR
efficacious to cure us of speaking hastil.
and harshly of our fellow, or more likel.
to beget in us tender sympathy for hin
in his trials, and compassionate sorrow
at his failings and defects, than tn
, thought that, we are prone to err, VI
all are advancing towards great fina
/, judgment, and along a path which tn
:, devil and his angels render narrow an
:. perilous. Common dangers and commo
hopes, binding the wayfarers, shout
make their words for each other sweee
= and gentle; and such they are whe
these dangers and hopes are felt
real. The final consideration i" NC