The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-09-05
READ AND HEED.
SERMON ON THE POWER OF KIND
NESS BY DR.. TALMAGE.

but Little of the Soft Tongue.
CINCINNATI. o.. Aug. 24.-Dr. Tai
mage. who is in the city to-day discourse
on 4 power which, If il had been used Il
extensively rs Christ intended il to N
used. would have saved the church an,
the world from infinite dscord and SOr
row-thc power of kindness. His tex
is "A soft tongue brcakCh the bone.
prov. INV, l5). Following is his ser
mon:
When Solomon said this he drove 4
whole volume into one phrase. You. Oi
course. will not bc SO silly Us To take the
words of the text in Il literal sense. They
simply mean To set forth the fact that
there is Il tremendous power in Il Kind
word. Although il may seem 60 he very
insignificant. its force is Undesirable and
lllmitahlc. PunTcnt and all-co3QuCrinG
uttcramcC: IA soft tongue hrCakcth the
bone"
If the weather were not 80 not. ;lud |
had time. | would show YOU Kindness aS
:, amcans of defence: Kindness rs q means
* of usculnos SIS; kindness aS Il means ofdO-
mcstic harmony; Kindness as best cm-
ploJed by governments t"r tho taming
and curing Of criminals; and Kindness as
s5s best adapted for the settling and unjust
ing International uuarrcls: but | shall
call your attention only to two oi these
thoughts.
And at first. speak to you Kindness
as n means of defence. Almost every
man in the course OF his life. is set upon
and assaulted. Your motives are mis-
interpreted or your religious or political
principals are bumhardcd. What to 1t"
under such circumstances is the question.
The first impulse ot the natural heart
says: "Strikc back. Give aN much aN hc
sent. Trap him into t,ic ditch which Lee
duT for Your feet. Cash linn with -
severe wound aS that which lac iuiIIcl-
ed on your soul. Shot for shot. Sarcasm
for sarcasm. An cN" i"r an eye. y
tooth iur Il tu"th.' i;ui thcIvttrr spirit
in the mans soul rises up and say:
"Gou ou"ht to reconsider that mattcr.'
You look up into the face ut Christ aud
SAY: My Master. how uu1ml | tn at
under th"sc uihiCulL circumstances. ;"
And Christ instantly answers: "Bl,>>
them that vur~r YOU. amd pray Tor them
which dr>pltciully use y"u.' Then N,r
old naturr rises up a-aju and SAYS: ~ uU
had better not forgive linn until first you
have cll>tiNrd hm. You viii never -ct
him in 80 tight Il corner a.;u. You
will never have such an opportunity ut
milictin~ the riyht Kind al punishment
npou linn ayaiu. FIRST cha>t;>r him ar,I
then let him 90. 'Nur SAYS the bet
fer nature, "hush. thou foul heart. Try
the SOFT ton"uc that hrruhcth the hunr.'
lIavr YOU ever in all Your lie known
accrhlcty and arrim"n"u~ dj~pui" tu ~rt-
ilc quarrel: Djd they not always make
matters worse, worse. and wnrseI
Many Years ago there whs,ia "rcui
quarrel in the l'rc>hNtrriau family. Miu-
listers al Christ were lhouy Qd.X
III proportion rs they. laid lnsaspred
1anccs with other clcrgyIalen cf tlfo sferGr
denomination. The most outragesuS
personalities were abroad. As m The
autumn Il hunter comes home witlitI
string olgamc, partridSns and Wild ducks
slung over his shoulder. so there wcr,i
many ministers who came back from the
ecclesiastical courts with long strings or
doctors Of divinity whom they had Shot
with their own rifle. The division he
came wider, the luminosity Greater, until
after while some GOOD men resolved
upon another tack. They began tn rN-
plain away ihc 'Iillcu!tIr>: they lr-Hu L.
forgive each others faults. AMI l". the
Great church quarrel WAS settled. and 4
ncW school PRESBYTERIAN church aIld the
old school Presbyterian church bCCamC
enc. The dIilrrrnl parts "i the Irc~hN-
trrian order, wir.dvd 10y Il hammer. Il lit
lie hanmrr. 4 'mINttan hammer that the
|criliur" calls n soft tongue.
You hayr dispute with y"urmrj.hhor.
You say t" him II di~ll>r Nou.' H."
replies: II can't bear the >i-ht oi v"u.'
Nou say To him: Never enter my huljsr
:"ain.' He says: If N"u come on my
door sill I'll Kick YOU oil.' You say Ia
him: "l'll put YOU down. lie says To-
You: "Iou are miStai>cn II plIt Nuu
down. And 80 the contest ray,>: and |
N".r after year N"u act the lnrm.~t,Hn
lart. and hr acts The mmchretiru part. Al
IcraW while the better SPIRIT >ciI'~ You. ali
one day N"u =" over To- the urjGh'uur.
and say: "Htvr m" N"Ur hand. We lave
fought long enough. Ihn" i :" short.
:nd eternity l. >" near. tl.a, "" c;un"
:l!i"rd amy Longer |" uUrtri. i"ri \"u