The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-21
Birdie YOUR TONGUE.
no NOT GO AROUND TINS WORLD As
Az EpII scandal soNGER.
Rev. II. T.. williams Gave 70 the Congrega-
tion of Grace Episcopal Church Excel
lent suggestions About Thinking.

elGfr WCil my WOIuS, Nt H''PiN VIZ 49,
about the fallings Of your fellow mon.
rev. II. T. Williams. the assistant rec
tor OF st. Paul's Episcopal church. occu-
pied the pulpit OF Grace church Sunday
morning Rev. J.. II. Mason, the rector
having to oaiciate at st. Pauis in place
OF the Rev. Mr.. Carmichael.
There was large congregation at Grace
church. and the sermon. which created d
great deal of comment, was spl snddiy
delivered by Mr.. Williams.
The glst of the sermon was as follow'
Psalm cxl. 3. "They have sharpened their
tongues like a serpent; adders poison
is under their lips
The man who wrote these words pos
sessed thorough knowledge of human
nature. 10 was not n knowledge acquired
from books but from long experience
among his own people. What he says is
not the result of theories, but of the PLAIN
unvarnished facts. learned during a busy
life A life which none of us need wish
TO live; experiences which none OF US nred
envy. In adversely and in prosperity
alike he had found that one great enemy
of man is the tongue. Whether he were
in the wilderness or In the palace, that
was one foe he could not escape. Doeg
the EdOmitc, Ahitophel the counsellor.
Absalom the son. Shimei the Benjamitc,
might all have inspired the bitter words
of the Psalmist. They were no mere
TRADES, but the outbursts of a suffering
soul.
The abuse OF the tongue attracts our
condemnation even more strongly than
IL did DaVid's. And yet what fault is
more often committed? What sin IS
easier to fall into? The homicide must
either deliberate before he takes human
life or he must be aroused TO the highest
pitch of uncomfortable anger before he
commits the fatal act. The man who
violates the sanctity of a home must
prcmeditste.
The average man. II he is honest will
confess thai IN ordinary occasions he
does not carefully weigh the meaning and
effect of his speech. You meet a friend
on the street and pass a few moments
in casual conversation with him.
How much impression is made on your
own mind 10y what you say to him?
There is only one chance in a hundred
that you can recall word you said IN
less you are reminded OF it 10y your lis
tener or 10y some one to whom he has
repeated il.
Is il not a fact that we are often ac-
cused of having made remarks Of which
we have not the slightest recollection
and which we hastily disclaim when our
attention is called to them? Do we not
recognize mans general lack Of delibera-
tion when We excuse the hasty word of
a friend and say: "He did not mean
what he said; he was not thinking"
How much of tho troubles Of life can
be traced TO this thoughtlessness? How
many friendships have suffered ship
wreck from the effects of Il careless
speech, forgotten as soon as uttered?
How many mistakes have been made
in business. in law. in medicine. by the
lack of nice discrimination in verbal di-
rections?
How often have We gone off on false
course which has affected our whole life,
nhsled by remark which meant nothing
20 the speaker but which was fraught
with direst results TO the bearer? What
tremendous conflicts have threatened the
very life of the Church. initiated by an
apparently innocent theological state
ment?
Many people are never SO happy as
when they are listening TO the sound or
their own voices.
"rhey always talk who never think. -
The man who is always ready to take
the lead in conversation is generally the
one who has the least capital 10 carry
on the business with. lie is like scant-
fly stocked shop with all the goods in the
show windows.
whose troubled waters one can scarcely
float a chip. makes more noise than the
mighty river with its fleets from every
shore,
Sensible people are not Influenced by
such takers but, nevertheless, they do
find an audience. and the very fact that
they do not Intentionally make MISCHIEF,
is frequently the cause of more damage
than would result from the efforts of one
4 % or
absence of motive lends more sem0lance
of truth TO what they say; and a slur
upon ones character from such source
has with many more force than it would
have coming from a person VINO was
known 10 be unfriendly. And yet the
one might be true and the other base
less.
But IL the effects Of the careless and
irresponsible use OF the gift OF speech are
serious, what must be expected wheh eVli
motives are at work? And, remember,
these motives need not necessarily be
such as arise from ill-will. Most or us
would prefer the open accusation OF an
enemy TO the fippant sneer OF one VINO
merely wished to make his conversation
amusing and piquant.
There are many varieties of unwhole-
some talk between the thoughtless chat
and the virulent attack. All OF US nave
suffered from the professed friend VINO
relates some occurrence In which we nave
perhaps been involved and in which we
have not shone with particular Drlilancy'
We can always trust our friend TO embel-
lish his account of IT with touches cal
culated TO exaggerate the mistakes we
have made and to expose our tolhlcs,
especially when by doing so he VIII gain
n reputation for being a fine raconteGr
and win fame as wit.
Such men trade on the natural pleasure
80 many feel at the misfortunes Of others.
and rather than allow good story TO
fan nat ne will invent additional situa-
tions 10 tickle the humor Of his audience
A man like that Will recoil with horror
from an accusation OF unfriendliness. He
sees no harm in having A good laugh at
our cSpense and thinks US ilI-natured II
We do not Join as heartily in the mirth
he has evoked as others do. How fer
yentiy We can say In such IA case:
s'Cive me the avowed. the erect, the
manly foe.
Bold can meet-perhaps may turn his
blow.
But Of all plaques. good Heaven, thy
wrath can send,
Save save. oh save me from the candid
friend
Is 1t not a shame that there can be on
this earth. breathing the air with us, a
rumber of creatures made in the image
and likeness OF God. who win deliberately
undertake TO Islander their fellows?
Here are the men and women who, II
seems to me, might be justly numbered
among the murderers and thieves. The
Nervousness OF their sin consists In its