The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-05-27
THE SONDAY-SCR00I.
International Lesson Appointed
for June 6, 1897.
subject: Difficulty of Managing the Tongue.
st. James, 3:1-13.

ably attached to the observance of the precepts
| it contains.
To preserve this inspired book with q
Vestaps fidelity should be the pride of every
Christian man and woman. Its pages are filled
with nutritious food for the young, consolation
for the weary and hope for the an xious pilgrims
starting for the opposite shore. Its authen-
ITCHY, truth and integrity must live eternally,
for it is the voice of God himself speaking to
mankind; and it will be, first, the foundation,
and then the light, of future generations, when
the Julians, Voltaires. Paines and Ingersolls
shall be forgotten, or live only in the contempt
and adherence of mankind"
| Data-St. James, 3: lib.
| Time-We may date A. ID. 81, about.
PIdce-The words were written in all prob
ability, at Jerusalem.
| Writer-St. James the Less, son Of Alpheus
| To Whom IFritten-To brethren" V. /.
CT. l: i, =. st. James was a Jew. The Epistle
is classed with the general or catholic epistles
WORDS AND PHRASES.
/ /. Brethren. l. The apostle was about to
chde certain persons. He addresses them in
kindly way. showing he WAS not angry, but
| concerned for their good. Rigldity should be
tempered with sweetness Then, rs brethren,
he could be the more familiar in dealing with
them.
2 Many masters. /. This is a form of ex-
preston meaning BE not too many" Limit
the number TO qualifications of applicants and
call for teachers to meet the required amount
| of teaching. Teachers should always he few
| rs compared with the masses. One teacher can
| instruct a goOdly number We should have a
! high ideal As TO what the Office OF teacher 49,
| IL must he known that mere ordinary talents
are not sG iiicieHt. A few well-quaiifed teachers
can do more work than host of blockheads.
| Since teaching is indicative Of superiority
| over the taught, there are always persons anx-
| ious to be above Others. They cultivate a
| desire for greater rank, and this desire Is an
| itch, and it is very contagious disease. Christs
warning should be remembered. A teacher
was called Rabbis. See st. Matt, %: 7-l2.
We must magnify the importance OF the call
| to preach or teach. Many mistake the feelings
| prompted by egotism. selfish ambition. pride,
! for the movings OF the Holy Spirit. There is
! need of great discrimination in admitting per-
sons into positions lest they have not the quail
| fcations, aud as consequence good causes
| suffer-
| 5. matters. /. better translation is
teachers" So the Revised Version renders
| it. We may suppose that preachers in particu-
lar are meant.
I 4. Knowing. /. If they know it. why did
they scramble into the places OF tcachersi 1t IS
evident 81. james aimed against besetting bad
tendency. Persons were presuming to teach
| who did not realize the absurdity OF their i'm
| petuosity who knowingly did wrong. ST.
James perhaps meant that they ought TO have
| known better. Then he proceeds TO show them
| their mistake.
5. We tteachers) shell receire the greater con-
demtnattoa. Tits is mentioned as the first reason
why men should not push into the office of the
! teacher. Be condemned for seeking in sense
of self ing is tho idea. Another idea may
| be this, that teacher has tremendous respoA-
! siblity. and will he Obliged to give critical
account of himself at the Judgment.
6. We offered all. V. 2. A second reason
why no one should be anxious to become a
| teacher. Mistakes and wrongs much
more hurtful as the guilty person occupies u
lofty position.
| Tongue MUST BE WELL GUARDED.
T. third reason assigned for not adding ur-
necessarily TO tho teaching class is the difficulty
| of using Alright the tongue. W.. Teachers in
special must their tongues and they re-
| quire greater discreton-more than men COM
monty possess.
8 Perfect = Perfect in self-control. See
the adjective whole" If one can manage
his tongue. he can manipulate his entire body.
| 8. Tongue IS like a BIT 2, j. The tongue is
| like rudeer ot a ship. a. The tongue Is like
| fire. 5, 6. Tho tongue can only with diff
| Guilty be tanned. The tongue is like fountain
which pours forth bitter water and also sweet
water. IL. The tongue is like fig tree which
! bears olives ~
| with the horse; as rudder in proportion to
| the size OF the whole ship; as spark is to a
| fearful cogaagration.
| IL. A little does great dea-a little bit in
| bride controls a violent horse, little rud
der enables the helsman to guide an Atlantic
steamer in storm; tousue can affect tho
| entire body, turning it toward success fail
4 f.., vii Inv,
| the ears. An unwise verbal expression may
| bring about wars among nations mere
| mark may produce strfes, attentions, fierce
snimesities.
II, Matter. s The original means forest.
-. World Of iniqity. t. World has the
! sense of abundance; AS We say, world OF trials
! to indicate a long series OF difficulties 50 we
say, dcluge of wrOng-doing, flood Of
inquiry.
II. Course Of nature. 8. Some think we are
10 understand the circulation of the blood. We
know how angry words excite. Some persons
| have died from the effect Of passionate excess
10. Poison. 8. Suggested by the aiiusion to
serpents.
SUGGESTIONS
| The tongue is poison. ST. Matt 81: -:
"a; st. Luke. 81; Ps. 1903; Jer., 9:s:
Ecc'us, %: -. The word quarrel comes to us
| from root which means arrow. Shals-
pere. in Much Ado About Nothing says: How
| much An Ill word may empOison liking" Aud
| again he wrote: Islander. whose edge ia sharper
| than the sword, whose tongue ou,vcuoms all
the worms of Nile"
Moore gave the lines:
| 20, many n shaft ut random sent,
| Finds mark the archer little meant!
Aud many n word Mt random spoken
May soothe, wound, a heart that's brokenn
| 1t is well to remember the power of the
tongue for JOY misery. This lesson ought to
be deeply impressed on tho young. An arrow
with poison. The wound of All arrow is terrible
| but woe TO the victim when the arrow carries
poison.
"A contemptuous word is like the scratch of
an envenomed arrow. The wound may be
slight but the poison rankes aud spreads
| through the whole system. Friendship sell
| dom survives such wounds; its form may re-
main, but its vital warmth and cordality are
gone.
| "A frivolous word sharp retort.
| An arrow al random sped
II has cut in twain the mystic tie
| That had bound two souls ia harmony
| Sweet love lie, bleeding dead.
| A poisoned shaft with scarce II AIM
| Has done mischief sad shame"
But the tongue is not power for evil alone.
| 1t is not only "A weapon. 1t is the instrument Of
praise-the organ for social convsrsation-the