Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-07-06

times they had TO lie about them, but
down there they can say the worst things
possible about their neighbors and tell
the truth. Jubilee Of whispercrs. Semi
heaven Of scandal mongers stopping their
gable about their diabolical neighbors
only long enough to go up to the iron
gate and ask some newcomer from the
enrth, What is the last gossip in the
city on earth where we used to liveV
II Curses Every Community.
Now, how are we to war against this
iniauity which curses every community
on earth? First. by refusing to listen to
or believe whisper. Every court of the
land has for a law and all decent com
munitics have for a law that you must
hold people innocent until they are prov
ed guilty There is only one person
worse than the wbisperer. and that is the
man or woman who listens without pro-
test. The trouble Is. you hold the sack
while they fill it. The receiver Of the
stolen goods is just as bad as the thief.
An ancient writer declares that a SIAN
derer and man who receives the SLAM
der ought both to be hangcd-the one by
the tongue and the other by the ear--and
l agree with him.
When you hear something bad about
your ncighbors, do not go all over and
ask about it. whether it Is true. and
scatter 1t and spread it. You might as
well go to n smallpox hospital and take
a patient and carry him all through the
community asking people if they really
thought it n case of smallpox. That
would be very bad for the patient and
for all the neiehbors. Do not retail Sian
ders and whisperings. DO not make
yourself the inspector of warts, and the
supervisor of carbuncles, and the COM
missioner for street cutters, and the
holder Of stakes for dog fight. Can it
be that you. an immortal man. that you,
an immortal woman, can find no better
business than to become a gutter in
spector?
Beside that, at your family table allow
no detraction. Teach your children to
speak well of others. Show them the
difference between bee and a wasp
tho one gathering honey, the other
thrusting sting. I raad Of a family
where they kept what they called "A
SANDER Book" and when any SANDER
Gus words were uttered in the house
about anybody or detraction uttered it
was all put down in this book The book
was kept carefully. For the first few
weeks there were a great many entries,
but after awhile there were no entries at
all. Detraction stopped in that house
hold 1t would be a good thing to have
a SANDER hook in all households.
Are any OF you given to this habit Of
whispering about others? Let me per-
suade you to desist. Mount Taurus was
great place for eagles, and cranes
would Hy along that way, and they
would cacklc so loud that the eagles
would kndk Of their coming, and they
would pounce upon them and destroy
them. 1t is said that the old cranes
found this out, and before they started
on their fight they would always have a
stone in their mouth so they could not
cackle, and then they would Hy in perfect
safety. Oh, my friends. be as wise as
the old cranes and avoid the folly of the
young cranes. Do not cackle.
Detraction Changed to EuloEy.
II there are people here who are whis-
pered about, il there are people here who
are slandered, il there are people here
who are abused in any circle of life, let
me say for your encouragement that
these whisperers soon run out. They may
do n little damage for awhile, but after
awhile their detraction becomes a eulOgy
and people understand them just as well
as though some one chalked all over their
overcoat or their shawl these words
Here goes a whispcrer. Room for the
lepe- ROOM" You go ahead and do your
duty. and God will take care Of your rep
utation. How dare you distrust him
You have committed TO him your souls
Can you not trust him with your reputa.
ton? Get down on your knees before God
and settle the whole matter there. Tha,
man whom God takes care OF is well
sheltered.
Let me charge you, my friends, to make
| right and holy use of the tongue 1t is
loose at one end and can swing either
way. but II is fastened at the other end to
the floor OF your mouth. and that makes
you responsible for the way It wags
Xanthus. the philosopher told his servant
that on the morrow he was going to have
some friends to dine. and told him to get
the best thing he could find in the market
The philosopher and his guests sat down
the next day at the table. They had moth
ing but tongue-four or five courses oi
tongue-tongue cooked in this way and
tongue cooked in that way, and the phi
losopher lost his patience and said to hi,
servant. Didn't l tell you to get the bes,
thing in the MARKET" He said: II did &c,
the best thing in the market. Isn't the
tongue the organ OF socality, the orgar
Of eloquencc, the organ of kindness, the
organ Of Worship"
| Then Xnnthus said. Tomorrow wan,
I you 10 got the worst thing in the mar
ket" And on the morrow the philosopher
sat at the table. and there was nothing
there but tongue-four or five courses OF
tongue-tongue in this shape and tongue
In that shape. and the philosopher agar
lost his patience and said. Didn't I tel
you TO get the worst thing in the mar
ket?" The servant replied. 81 did, fol-
isn't the tongue the organ Of blasphemy
The organ Of defamation, the organ q
iying?"
Oh. my friends, employ the tongue
which God 80 wonderfully created as thu
organ Of taste, the organ Of deglutition
the organ OF articulation to make Others
happy and in the service OF God, II 20,
whisper, whisper good-encoura gemen
to the fallen and hope TO the lost. All
my friends. the time will soon come whel
We will all whisper, The voice will b.
enfeebled in the last sickness. and
though that voice could laugh and shou
and sing and halloo until the fores
echoes answered, it will be so feeble thel
We can only whisper consolation to thos
whom we leave behind and only whispe
our hope of heaven.
While ] speak this very moment Their
are hundreds whispering their Inst utter
ances. Oh, when that solemn hour come
to you and to me, as come soon it will
may it be found that we did our best L
serve Christ, and to cheer our comrade