The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-09

Between sixteen and twenty years oil
age, there is apt TO come time when u
young man Ia as much ashamed OF not be-
ing able 10 swear gracefully as he is Of the
dizziness of his first cigar. He has his
hat, his boots and his coat of the right
pattern, and now il he can only swear
without awkwardncss and as well rs his
comrades he believes he is in the fashion,
There are young men who walk in an at
mosphere Of imprecaton- on their
lips, under their tongues, nesting in their
shock OF hair. They abstain from IL in the
elegant drawing.room, but the street and
clubhouse ring with their profanities.
They have no regard for God, although
they have great respect for the ladies, My
young brother, there is no manlncss in
that. The most uugentlemanly thing u
man can do is 10 swear.
Fathers foster this great crime. There
are parents who are very cautious not 10
swear in the presence OF their children; in
a moment OF sudden anger they look
around TO see II she children are present
when they indulge in this habit. Do you
not know, o father, that your child Is
aware OF the fact that you swear? lie
overheard you in the next room, or some
one has informed him of YOUR habit lie
is practicing now. In ten years he will
swear rs well rs YOU do. DO not, q father,
be under the delusion ihat you may swear
and your son not know IL. II is nm awful
thing TO start the habit In fainily-tho
father TO be profane, and then 10 have the
echo OF his example come back from other
generations; 30 that generations after gen.
erations curse the lord.
The crime is also fostercd by master
mechanics, boss carpenters, those who arc
at the head OF men in hat factories, and in
dock-yards, and at the head OF great bust
ness establishments. When you 70 down
TO look at the work OF the scatlolding, and
you find il is not done right, what do YOU
say2 II is not praying, is III The EN-
ployer swears-his employe is tempted "a
swear The man says: 81 don't know why
my employer, worth $4,000 or 100000,
should have any luxury should bc denied
simply because | am poor and dependent
on days wages haven't ~ much right
TO swear rs he has with his large income"
Employers swear, and that makes 80 many
employees swear.
The habit also comes from infrmily Of
temper. There are n good many people
who, when they are at peace, have right.
eousncss OF speech, but when angored they
blaze with imprccation. Perhaps all the
rest Of the year they talk In right language,
but now they pour out the fury Of q whole
year in one red hot paragraph OF five min.
utes. knew Of a man who excused
himself for the habit, saving 81 only
swear once In q great while. | must dc
that Just TO clear myself out"
Tho habit comes also from the proluse
use Of bywords The transition from q
byword which may be perfectly harmless.
10 imprccaiion and profanity, IL not very
large transition. Ii il "Iny slarsln and
"mcrcy ON mel" and good gracious!n and
"by Georgcl" and "by Joycl" and You q
on with that little while aud then yor
swear. These words, perfectly Harmless,
In themselves, arc next door 10 imprech
ton and blasphemy. A proiu-e use oi by
words always ends In profanity. tn
habit is creeping up into the highest style
OF society. Women have no paiionc
with flat and unvarnisbed profanity
They will order man out OF the parlo
indulgng In blasphcmy, and yet you vii
sometimes find them with fairy fan 70 th'
lip, and under chandeliers which bring nc
blush 10 their check, taking ON their lip
the hottest Of names In utter triyiallty.
Why, my friends, the English language
Is comprehensive aud capable OF express
ing all shapes Of feeling and every dcgrc,
OF energy. Arc you happy, Noah Web
slcr will give You ten thousand word
with which 10 express your cxhilamiion
Arc you rightcously indignant, there M,
whole nrmoics In the vocabulary, right.
cous vocabulary-whole armies Of dcnun.
citation, aud scorn. and sarcasm, and
irony, and caricaiure, and wrath. You
express yourself against some mcnnncss
or hypocrisy, In Rll the oaths that cvcl
smoked up from the pit, and | will com,
right on alter you and give thouandiolt
more emphasis Of dcnunciatlons 10 th,
same mcanncss aud the same hypocfis,
In words across which no slime has cycl
tailcd, aud into which the fires Of hcl
have ever shot their iorkcd tongues til,
pure, the innocent, God.hon0pd Anglo
Saxon In which Milton sang, aud John
Bunyan dreamed, and Shakespeare dram
atizcd.
There IL no excuse for profanity whcr
we have such a magnificent language
such How Of good words, potent worls
mighty words, words Just 10 suit ever,
crisis and every case. Whatever I've IN,
cause Of II, profanity IL on the increase
aud II you 10 not know II, II IL bccnus,
your ears have been hardened by the din
OF imprccaiions 40 that YOU are not stirred
and moved M you ought to be- by prUiani
ties Ia thcsc cities which are enough IA
bring a hurricane Of fire like that which
consumed sodom.
DO YOU know that this trivial use oI
Gods name results In perjury DO you
know that people who take the name 81
I a..l In Nsfll Ia 49,
thoughtlcssness are fostering the crime Ol
perjury2 Make the name Of God foot.
ball In the community and II has M
power when In courtroom and In logs'
laiive assembly !, " employed In solemn
adjuration See the way sometimes they
administer the oath: "S'help you God =
kiss the book" Smuggling, which IL NJ.
ways n violation Of the oath, becomes In
soino circles grand Joke. You say 10 0
man; GLOW Is II possible for you 10 sell
these goods 10 very chcap2 ] cant under
stand H." "Ah," lac replies, with a
twinkle Of the eye, "ihe custom.houso
tariff Of these goods isn't ~ much rs Il
might be-" An oath does not mean a.
much as II would were the name Of God
used In reverence and In solemnity, Why
IL Il that 20 often jurors rcndof unaccounl.
able ycrdicls, aud judges give unaccount.
able charges, and useless railroad schemes
pass In our State capitals, aud there arc
most unjust changes made In tariffs arid
lifted from one thing and put upon an.
other2
What Is an oath7 Anything solemn
Anything that calls upon the Almighty
ANYTHING that marks an event Ia man 4
hisiory7 Oh, mol II IL kissing the book