The record-union., 1895-04-24
THE EVILS OF BLAOPHBMY.
A Useless Habit That is Damaging to
the Soul.
Rev. w. A. Hoskinson of the Sixteenth.
Street Church Makes a Plea for
Purity of Tongue!

On SUNDAY evening" aI tn0 SlAteenbn-
street Church, Rev. w. A. Hoskinson,
the pastor, preached strong sermon
against that most Objectionable habit,
swearing, or blasphemy in speech. His
text was from Matthew W, 34-"Swear
not at all" Said the speaker:
As man speaketh so is he. We are
judged by even the idle words which we
utter. as we'll as by the great wickedness Of
our lives. There seems to be some
grounds at times for theft, stealing, kill
ing, but it is hard to see any good reason
for swearing. Smoking, chewing, drink
ing, fraud, gambling, licentiousness, lust
ALI seem to have some occasion for
them, and result in something; but no
such occasion can be found for swearing,
and no one can point to results from
swearing, good or bad.
1t is a strange habit, and as degrading
and sinful as it is strange. Let us look at
It from several points of view tonight,
and may God grant that we may resolve
never to let another oath pass our lips, or
If they have never yet been polluted by
an oath resolve that they never shall be-.
The verse contains the words of Christ,
teaching us that he forbids swearing.
Hear again: Thou shalt not take the
name of the Lord thy God in vain";
Everyone that sweareth shall be cut
OFF,; LET your communication be yea,
yea" Piety and swearing never go to-
gether. The man who will swear in
common conversation is not the one to
be found alone with his God in prayer,
nor is he likely to lead the home circle
up to God in the joys of family worship.
Thursday evening does not find him
vending his way TO the house appointed
for prayer.
The heathen have too much reverence
for their gods TO use their names in friv-
olous ways. How much more should
the man in Christian lands reverence the
God who is high over all, blessed forever
more, too highly to take his name in
vain.
We treat no other friend SO i'll. No one
would swear in the presence of his Gov
ernor or President, using his name so
foolishly as he does the name OF God.
And how strangely, foolisbly, thought
lessly men act in this matter we have
Eeen them enter Gods house, b0wIng and
crossing and mum bling their prayers
with reverence most profound. And
this was good: but five minutes later they
would be seen and heard using The foul
est oaths men could utter. These would
reverence a house, but lose all reverence
for God, who is everywhere.
That name which is the sweetest and
the best, which is above every name,
which angels cannot take upon their
lips without hiding their faces in rever-
ence, shall man or woman with polluted
breath idly toss 1t about in foolish, wicked
fancy? Shall a man openly and de-
family set his mouth against the highest
heavens, and compel his Maker to listen
to his contemplate prattle and open in
suit? WAS ever impudence 80 impu-
dent? Was ever presumption SO defiant
and heinous 2"
And there is no pay in it. no profit Of
any kind, nor does the swearer expect
any. And it does not add any TO a mans
SUQaHh M TreGGinn iS 10Th aI
by an oath. True, VIXEN q man has no
thought or words, he can SaUsar; but no
man is the better understood for swear
ing, and every oath weaEens the faith of
others i'll him. 1t gives no pleasure to
him that swears, or him that hears.
The drunkard can wallow in his drunk
enness, and sing his idiotic songs in
kind of tiendish delight; but the bias
phemer gets no such delight from his
oaths. And no man gets respect for this
habit. The swearer is rather avoided
than courted. Nowhere is his habit a
passport to good society; 1t often shuts him
out. His speech is the speech of ruffiau-
ism and but1oonery. and the penitentiary
and the brothel; and good people dread
him and avoid him as they do the cholera.
He becomes a stencil in the nostrils of
good people And so he gets no pay for
his habit. 1.-The swearer sins gratis"
He is caught on a naked hook-without
even bait. 1t is the poorest paymaster
in the world. And what sense is there in
it? No one needs to swear. Anyone can
break the habit. The little innocent child
does not have it. IN o man is born with
a swearing constitution" And anger or
insult is no excuse for it. Why insult
God because a fellow-man has insulted
you? Would you strike your friend be-
cause an enemy had abused you? Stab
your father because another has wronged
you? The fact is, swearing is not justi-
liable on any ground.
1t is not polite. There is no accom-
plishment about it. No one is moro
manly for interjecting oaths into con-
versation, but good bit less so. 1t be-
longs to the scum of society and slums OF
life. 1t is part of the sewerage system
of city; and if only it could find its way
into the manholes Immediately without
running SO long in the open air and
uncovered cutters, it would not be so
dangerous.
1t is the fashion of the lowest life; it is
rudeness itself, and stands against all
rules of decency. General Washington
rebuked 1t at every opportunity. A
person once dining with him swore.
Washington said: al thought we all sup
posed ourselves to be gentlemen" The
rebuke was enough. He also forbade it
in his army, and said it was $50 mean
and low that every man of conscience
and character despises it." And we have
wondered whether all who swear do not
regard it as low, vulgar and indecent,
unmanly and degrading.
Everyone is worse for swearing. That
which cometh out of the mouth defiles.
Swearing weakens character; makes a
man less able TO resist temptation; more
irritable and peevish. IL makes a man
more insulting, dUmineering Ii de-
velops the bully and rutlian, and tends
to break down all that is noble and re-