The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-06-28
BRIDLE THE TONGUE.

BRIDLE THE TONGUE.
James Says it is Set on Fire Of He'll
Certainly it Has Created a Great
Deal of it on Earth.
Wilmington Messenger.l
Bridling the tongue has been the
theme of pulpit and pen among Chris
tians from the days Of James, whose
writings we have commented upon.
In the third chapter of his Epistle he
takes up this most important matter,
and the key to his statements is that
however unruly the tongue is, it is
nevertheless subject to the grace of
Almighty God. He warns US against
reproving others or we shall ourselves
"receive the greater condemnation,
for in many things we offend ALL"
Each has enough Of sins to answer for
without becoming the abusers or critics
or condemners ofothers. Gods judg-
ment will come surely even if we
should escape mans censure and con-
demnation. We are all really too
peccable, too vulnerable, too abound
ing in shortcomings as we'll as sins Of
commission to set ourselves up as the
judges to pronounce upon others. The
divine writer shows how horses are
managed by brides and ships are con-
trolled by helms. He then turns to
the abuses and sins of the tongue, and
says that "even the tongue is a little
member behold, how great
matter a little fire kindleth,' and
he likens the tongue to ga world Of
iniquity," and declares "that it de-
fileth the whole body" Men have
many offences, but there is none that
tempts man to evil more than the
tongue, which "i is set on fire Of hell"
to quote James's strong and very ex-
pressive language. Men speak lightly,
damn with a few words, and inflict
Injuries that are irreparable. They con-
sumo character as fire consumes the
field of dry straw, and sweep away a
life time OF fidelity and honor as the
raging fire sweeps, scorches, devours a
forest. 1t is set on fire of hell"
An evil, unregenerate nature yielding
itself readily to the power of Satan
makes the tongue a scorpion sting. A
great fire that destroyed large part
of Chicago some twenty years since,
originated in shed of straw where a
COW kicked over a lamp. Other cities,
towns, villages, houses have been de-
stroyed by a fire that originated from
match carelessly stepped on or from
some trifling accident. Churches have
been rent and torn by the little tongue
inspired of hell to spit its venom and
expectorate its hates. The wicked
tongue is an instrument of the devil to
do his effective work Of detraction,
discord, demolition, death. 1t has
made many home hell, turned
many family connection into discord
and belligerency; inhamed society ;
divided church congregations broken
kingdoms into fragments alienated
wife and husband, parent and child
and life long friends, putting all
into combustion'" to quote an old
divene. Burkitt says: "Such a tongue
being set on work by the devil, and
kindled by that fire which came from
hell but, verify, tongue set on fire
from hell, shall, without repentance,
be set on fire in hell" James says no
man can "tame it" for cit is an un-
ruly evil, full Of deadly poison" 18th
verse; 1t is God only who can give
us power to tame the tongue and con-
troll the temper. Only His grace will
be found sufficient for this. God can
heal what man is utterly powerless TO
remove or alleviate. He can tame
bad temper or subdue bad man.
The poison of sin finds sure antidote
in the provisions of the Gospel of the
Son of God. There is no other ply
sician, no other remedy. God con-
trolls all, for He governs all. Let US
pray to be delivered from the evil
the great, consuming, damning evil Of
using the tongue to defame, to revenge,
to destroy. Let US pray for grace
that we may all be continually de-
livered from evil speaking, malicious
speaking, i'll natured comments and
filings, 50 that never in the heat or
passion or with the malice of delibera-
,
iniquity," set in motion by "the
tongue" which is I" little member
that neither in vanity nor pride
neither in anger nor jealousy; neither
in malice nor revenge, we submit to
its power nor be induced by the devil
for one moment to forget the Lord
commands and yield ourselves ready
instruments of the arch enemy of
souls.