Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-14
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A Leuter Sermon Preached In st. PauPs
Church Last Ev ening
Right Rev. Bishop Jenner delivered a
Lenten sermon at ST. Paurs Church last
evening. The Bishop has been visiting in
Sacramento for several weeks, and this was
his farewell sermon. The subject of his
discourse was Evil Speaking The
learned gentleman said the sins of the
tongue were not only the most numerous.
but they are also the most varied in degree.
ranging from the idle word spoken merely
in lest, TO willful and corrupt perjury.
The Bishop confined himself to the COM
paratively speaking minor offences. such
as back-biting, busy-bodying, gossiping,
scandalizing, tale bearlng, tattling, whisper
ing, falsehood, hattery, verbal insincerity,
and taking Gods Eame in vain.
He said that back-biting was not only a
very common, but also an exceedingly
mean ohense for none but an abject cow
ard, both morally and physically, would say
behind persons back that which they
dare not say to their face.
Busy bodies are despised and detested by
all, and he or she who has business to do
and does it, not only best serve their own
turn, but they viii also the more speedily
ingratiate themselves with their neighbors
Everybody knows Mr.. and Mrs. Gossip.
Members of their numerous family are 10
be found in every city, town and village.
:" The woods are full of them" But be-
ware of them. No good can possibly come
of such.
Scandal-mongers and tale-bearers are
closely allied. the principle difference being
in the tales. they carry. The former fire.
quently revel in filth and beastliness. The
CO dol mo g chnI1ld
be nailed to the listeners ear.
The tattler is more fool than rogue, and
Solomon says, The lips of a fool shall
swallow up himself" What pity it is
that such is not more frequently the case.
Whisperers are the meanest kind of evil
speakers. Like the back bitter, they havnt
the courage to speak out, but go crawling
and sneaking around like veritable snakes
in the grass, worming themselves into the
confidence of others only to turn around
and betray them. Such people are curses
wherever they are.
Though falsehood is but another name
for lying, it is often committed without any
sinful intent. What are commonly called
or known as white lies are but lighter
shades of black ones.
Flattery is another kind of deceit, but
truth is no fatterv. Nevertheless it may
be one of those very rare cases in which
''the truth may be blamed but cannot be
shamed." For person may be pulled up
with pride and self-conceit through full
some flattery as to think more highly of
himself than he ought to think, even
though it were all true.
But there is kind of fiattery which
David condemns, Psalms xii, g:
They speak vanity every one with his
neighbor; with fiattering lips and with
double heart do they speak.
This kind of fiattery is done to carry
favor or to obtain some end in view. For
time it may possibly succeed, but not
withstsnding that flattery is sweet and
sought after by many, the yeriest fool will
ultimately discover the trick and despise
the perpetrator. Verbal insinceriiy is only
anoIher name for verbal hypocrisy, and
hypocrite in word is as bad as hypocrite
in deed.
1t is INDUCED in in variety of ways,
and. strange TO say, such canting hypocrisy
often succeeds, even with sensible people,
Notwithstanding the fact that the fraud is
glar,ngly patent.
Swearing in common conversation is
very often committed from sheer carless-
ness, without any sinful intent, in which
case 1t should rather be looked upon as
ungentlemanly than sinful conduct. But
| when associated with the name of God it
BECOMES heinous offense.
There is, however. class of people who
seem to think that swearing in any form
is absolutely objectionable. But, as
rule, such people are not only hypocrites
| and uncharitable, but they themselves are
| frequently guilty, not only of most if not
all of the other sins of the tongue here
named but are also guilty of swearing.
1t is true, perhaps the language used may
be more euphonious and polite, but it
amounts to precisely the same thing after
all. Such people are tersely described and
reckoned up by st. Paul in Rom. H., L:
Therefore, thou art memorable, o man,
| whatsoever thou art, that judgest; for
| wherein thou judgest another. thou con-
demest thyself, for thou that judgest doeth
the same things"
During his remarks the Bishop gave IA
! miliar instances and illustrations of the
manner in which most of these sins are
committed which in some cases were
highly amusing.
He concluded his remarks by advising all
to give up the habit of evil speaking, assert
| ing that the only weapons necessary and
available in this way was fervent prayers
and indomitable will. The one without
! the other will he of no avail, for God helps
| those who help themselves