The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-11-07
f..,p, Dlo''', Scientific. Historical.
An Original WING Feature.
IDLE WORDS.
BY PROF. Z. W. GILLIAN.

Tie admonition Of Christ, chat every
idle word that men shall speak, they
shall render an account for it in the day
Of Judgment" bears reference to the
charge the Pnarisccs had just made
against Him that lie cast out devils
devils: and hence the meaning of idle
words is to be inferred from the general
character of that charge.
In the first place, it was hasty and
thoughtless ore. \ moments considera-
ton would have shown the fatal objec-
ton to tan OF. lection our Lord at once
availed Himself of to confound His adj
varsaries In the second place, i was a
most blasphcmous charge. These Phari-
sees, in saying that Christ cast out devils
b. Beelzebub, affirmed that the power
10y whom our Lord wrought such works,
was an Internal spirit, or that God was
devil. This is that "blasphemy of the
spirit" which is called, by way of emf
hence, the sin against the Holy Ghost,
and which our Lord declares, whateve r
be His meaning, hath never forgiveness.
Hence by 'every idle word' we are
not to understand those light, trivial
words which men Of the greatest gravity
and goodness sometimes indulge in, and
which, though they be not especially
edifying, are yet innocent; but hasty,
false, injurious language, resembling
that of the stilf-necked and impious
Pharisees. Our Lord condemns rash,
idle speaking-loose, hurtful words
| which an unbridled tongue is so often
hurting out. For such words we shall
be called to account hereafter. 1t is not
our acts only, but our words also that
will be taken into consideration i'll the
distribution of rewards and punishments
at the last great day. And our Lord i'm
mediately adds, to reinforce His caution
''By thy words thou shalt be justified
and by thy words thou shalt be con-
demncd."
To censure mischieveousness to rebuke
vice, with the design of reforming the
offender or OF preventing others from
offending, is oftentimes manifest duty.
But if to Judge harshly of another, tc
speak severely of Or neighbor, to pas:
rash judgments upon his conduct, &C
/ originate or assist in circulating reports
t to his prejudice, when nc good end ii
proposed or likely to be accomplished
if this is wrong, even though what VT
say We know to be true, the wrong il
vastly aggravated when we not only ar
D not certain of the truth of what VI
c speak, but have taken no pains to ascer
/ tain what the truth is. These loose, idl
5 words may be spoken without mali
r cious intent. They may be forgotte
almost as soon as uttered, yet are the
> far from being sinless. They discover
J. bad state of things within us. At til
y least, they manifest an indifference
the reputation and happiness of our fe
lows which God does not excuse. Niue
! more than this-in their effects the
often intiict gricvous wounds upon
< community by epgendering heartburn
!, ngs and kindling animosties, not unfr'
quently leading to the preparation {
crimes.
I Thoughts and words do not stand
= the relation of necessary cause an
" effect A thought does not necessari
le find expression in words, and in sue
so words as truly represent the thought.
II far from this, words are sometimes use
to conceal thoughts. But this very fa
/ shows that words properly are, and ord
le uarily are taken to be, representati.c tt
as what we think; for the decept'-
Il, tempt at deception, is fou"
y, general fact that wor'A upon 'no
- real thoughts; the '1pi 1'1l'' W,
10 epce between the re is a correspond
III w., mouth and the mind. h
he Instance, one attempts to hide 9
n neart under gay words, the success =.
f the attempt obviously depends upon
he acknowledged truth, that words are II
he outward and exact expression of the t
mind. r
1t is true, then, that out of the abun- t.
lance of the heart the mouth speaketh- !;
at our uanera1 shows the