The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-01
THE TONGUE.
BY the Rev. p. T. Hale, Pastor of the South
side Baptist Church.

The greater power for good an object
possesses, the greater power for evil it can
become. The fire that warns and cooks
If wrongly used, will burn and destroy.
The steam that, in the steam chest, will
drive the great engine with its score of
coaches attached. may explode, producing
death and ruin. The horse which, well
trained and guided, will draw the vehicle
with its precious load in safety, if uncon-
trolled, may wreck the carriage and MAIN
or kill It's occupants.
One of the most powerful instruments
on earth is the tongue There is nothing
which rightly used is capable of giving
so much pleasure, or, wrongly used may
bring so much unhappiness as the human
tongue. ,.r.
xanthus. the philosopher, told his servant
to prepare the best thing in the market for
dinner, as he would, bring home some
choice company Course after course ap-
peared at the table, but all consisted of
tongues prepared In various ways. The
master was indignant and at last exclaim-
ed, Did not command you to get the best
for dinner today?' -
.sWhat" said the servant, "can be better
than tongue? 1t is the organ of gentleness,
courteousness, speech, humor of friendship,
of love and eloquence."
2 The next day Xanthus ordered the serv-
ant to prepare the worst In the market,
and there were brought to the table only
different courses of tongue. Tongue in
this style, and tongue in the other style.
How do you account for your strange
conduct?" cried the master. IT told you
to get the best thing, and you prepared on
ly tongue; told you to prepare the worst
thing, and you have prepared nothing but
tongue!" SO = :
"Wrongly used,' said the servant what
Is worse than the. tongue? With 1t men
whisper and SANDER and back-bite and
traduce and lie and defame; what worse
thing on earth is there than the tongue?"
The apostle wonders that the same
tongue can be the source both of so much
good and so much evil. That fountain
can, at one time send forth bitter water,
and presently send forth sweet.
When we think of the amount of talk
there is in the world, and that the tongue
is the instrument of expression of the feel
ings, and how hard the feelings press for
utterance, we begin to realize the vast har-
vest of the tongue.
The Scriptures declare that the man who
controls his tongue is perfect; he can do
anything. The reason of this lies in the
fact that "out of the abundance of the
heart, the mouth speaketh" If the heart
is wicked and unregenerated, and has not
men, the tongue will utter blasphemy and
oaths against God, and ISLANDERS, lies and
insinuations against our fellows MAY the
words of my mouth and the meditation of
my hearth be acceptable in Thy sight, Oh,
Lord my strength and my Redeemer," was
the prayer of the sweet psalmist. If we
think righteously and kindly we shall speak
right How many homes are rendered MS
cradle by fault-findng husband, or by
a nagging, high-tempered, scolding wife!
One of the greatest mercies to some people
would be to be deaf, unless some others
were dumb.
So eloquent were the words of the great
est of the Greek orators, that it was said
his tongue had been stung by an attic
bee;" but all our tongues should be at least
touched with the sweetness that comes
from hearts devoid of bitterness and mall
ice. Many men say ruinous and severe
things that wound the feelings and dam
age the reputation, and when they hear of
the destruction wrought by this gatling
gun OF the mouth say they aid not intend
any harm. As If man should take his
rifle and from an upper window shoot at
men and women, and when told the havoc