The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-21

Il hard 20 jump these fnree A1fn1e~
Then the liar. Re whose lips speak guile.
The false tongue means the false heart;
and how can Such a heart love Nfe2
somsfImss the lie II let ont unintention-
agly-Jusf a slip OF the tongue or a little
egaivocation or twisting o. words so as
10 give a wrong impression For example.
! heard the ofaeT day 81 q remark some
one made about another IN the presence
Of q few persons. Il had a color OF truth.
but Il vas 20 dIscoi8red. and that. too.
not wlt. intent o. injury. but from love
OF talk that IL gave a decidedly wrong i'm
preston There are ali sorts OF lies and
all kinds OF lara Seine % the genflesi
persons in the world may send the truth
out distorted Many a vision Of good
days Il blurred 81 the words tzat cannot
De cIassed under ''the truth. the whole
truth and nothing but the truth
fr0faue speech, too. IN the same way
precIudes al love OF life. Indecent speech
and va!xarlty carries one further and fur
Their Into the muddy waters q dependency
where the heart grows sick and hates the
very life il mas blasphemed. One or the
slIliest forms OF sinful speech y swear
ing. The profane man ia a poor specimen
Of humanity. His weakness Is as ludi-
crous as Il is pitiable and wicked
Hot words. too; these burn out OF the
heart love OF life. The giving way 10
passion. exploding ones anger IN speech,
shuts OF the sight OF good days
Then wasted words unbalanced and dis
proportioned. one Is 10 be warned against
Men often talk too much. IL IL sometimes
said Of one who strikes out 20 be leader
In politics. lust let him have plenty OF
scope and he viii talk himself 10 death"
II there II any weakness about man or
his theories much speech viii show IL
When one hears some OF the street-corner
oratory and foolish debates or the passing
politician he remembers the words OF one
of the wisest men so called OF the old
world: Fools lips enter into contention
and his mouth caieth for strokes" And
again: who SO keepeth his mouth and
his tongue. keepeth his soul from trouble"
The same philosopher said: Even fool
when ne hoIdeth his peace is counted wise,
and ne that shutteth his lips is esteemed
man Of understanding"
Just as the inner life effects the speech
and influences the deed. so the habit OF
speech reacts upon the soul and colors the
heart The habit of using words careless
ly, fooiishly. carnot fail TO frame the mind
accordingly. 1t Is philosophical then, this
prescription OF Peters that 'he that VIII
love life and see good days must keep his
tongue from evil and his lips that they
speak no guile" Words are things and no
one can speak falsely or foolishly or frivo-
lously without imparting to his own soul
and the souls Of others an impress that
will not soon wear of.
How beautiful and how glorious life
would be II all words spoken were born
of love and winged with wisdom. We may
not expect that. but we may expect that
they, AZ least who belong 10 Christ by their
own confession. shall try 20 use their
speech as means OF furthering the King
dom OF Christ. We must begin in the home
and make life there worth living by hal
lowing home with good words. kind
woris. words OF sympathy and
appreciation. How out of place
Ia a Christian home 10 hear words
OF criticism harsh oftiimes and cutting,
ard even words OF strife and envy. Guilt
vatc the habit 81 speaking OF the good
points and forgetting the bad ones Talk
Ing about persons II overdone. Almost any
other topic IL preferable Let people alone
unless there il something pleasant 10 say
about them. Personalities in speech along
the line OF petty criticism leave a bad flaw
or. Does IL ever occur 10 the critic who finds
fault with anothers manners or dress or
walk or features. that perhaps his or
her own are not quite free from fiaws2
Many a big beam may be lodged in the
eye that Is quick 20 discern the mote in a
brothers or sisters eye II another's face
Is unpleasant, how about your ownf II a
neighbor's ways OF doing things furnish
spicy subject for comment. how about your
own ways? Are they perfect? Adjure per-
sonaIities. Talk about things instead
Speak Of books. Of places. Of events OF
pleasant incidents IN your own experience.
Gcnerahze. II the talk starts with a per
sons inflrmities. transfer the infirmities
20 the abstract. Choose common themes
Of conversation. Invite impersonal dis
cusSon. Tire art cf conversation h lost
one 70 those who persist in picking per-
sons 20 pieces.
Another form OF household talk that Is
not refreshing. bur most demoralziug. Is
the habit Of contradiction The table Is
tho scene FOR this sort OF dispute. The
mother or father makes a simple state
ment. The children. sometimes OF larger
growth. fatly and irrcverently offer an
amendment chorus OF dIscordaut
voices. each with his own version. pro-
poses this or that substitute A motion
% lay the whole question on the table Is
seldom entertained. II must be fought out
With words 20 the bitter end The original
statement was perhaps 80 simple a thing
as day or number. Some say Thurs
day. some Friday. Some say two. others
three 10 must ~ fought out. for the sake
OF contradiction. as though Il made a whit
of difference watch day DC was or whether
ore more or less were present. Many a
home nfe 3 spoiled hy thfs sparriug over
uor-cescnttals. Let the story he told even
II not accurate Honesty that seeks uY,-
necessary correction S. selushness. and
frankncss that hurts the feelings IS brutal
Be more co1siderate in speech learn 20
speak in Eeniler end more winning tones
What a difference 80 makes IN a house
when way the day Is started. whether
with words that sting snd burn OF words
that help ore 20 1--we cut the dav cheerfulfv
snd well That r. not good day I'm any
home where there rs cruel censure. foolish
frettiuE. fault finding and complaint We
need rot wait Ter some gresk or striking
changes IN the business and financial
world IN order 20 love life and see good
DAYS. We can. even now have peace Il
not prosperity, and love even though Il sc
accompanied by sacrifice and labor LIFE
may be made very lovely ga the funniest
WAYS when our conversation 81 in beaver.
and ~ this Is meant the choice q words
that are heavenly Ia srjrit ard On tone
words that calm che heart ana saolhe the
soul and strengthen the mind and nerve
the body. 10 g. possible for ore even ~
such @ simple thing as everyday talk 20
transform home into a heavenly place. T.
e possible 90 learn 20 love Hfe IN words
tha; are lovely. AVID Go ind each DAY good
by tie use ~ words that are good
With the sptrttnafi~ts
The 'as' SUNDAY q this month being tho