Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-07-08
TO GOSSIP is A SIN.
DR.. Talmage DenouDces the Practice
of Whispering of Evil
~Cissses IL Among the World. Great
est tNtllsinies--More Harmful Than
Open siander--A Destroyer
OF Good Names.
Copyright. isss. BY Loui, Kiop-eh.,

that have cursed the world and urges
generous interpretation of the charsc-
ters of others; text, Romans 1929,
Full OF envy, murder, debate. deceit,
mahgnity--whisperers
Paul wns here calling the long roll OF
the worlds villainy, and be puts in the
midst of this roll those persons known
in all cities and communities and places
as whisperers. They are so called be-
cause they genSrally speak undervoice
and in a confidential way. their hand 10
the side Of their mouth acting as fun
mel 20 keep the precious Information
from wandering into the wrong ear.
They speak softly not because they
have lack Of lung force or because they
are ovSrpowered with the spirit of gen
tlcness, but because they want 20 es-
cape the consequences Of defamation.
II no one hears but the person whis-
pered unto. and the offender be ar
raigned. he can deny the whole thing.
for whisperers are always first-class
liars.
Sorhe people whisper because they are
hoarse from a cold or because they wish
10 convey some useful information
without disturbing others. but the crea-
lures photographed by the apostle in
my text give mufied utterance from
sinister and depraved motive. and some
times you can only hear the sibilant
sound as the letter -" drops from the
tongue into the listening ear. the brief
hiss of the serpent as it projects its
venom.
Whisperers are masculine and fcmi-
nine, with a tendency TO mn jCrity on
the side OF those who are caAed "the
lords Of creation" WhispcrcrS are
heard at every window OF bank cashier
and arc heard in all countngrooms as
well as IA sewing societies and az meet
inrs Of asylum directors and managers.
They are the worst foes OF society. re-
sPonsible for niscries innumerable;
they are the scavengers Of the world.
driving their cart through every com
munity. and to-day I hold up for your
holy an2thcma and eNccration fhege
whisperers.
From the frequency with which Paul
speaks of them under different titles
conclude that he must have suffered
somewhat from them. His personal
presence was very defective. and that
made him perhaps the target OF their
ridicule, and besides that he was
bachelor, persisting in his celibacy
down into the sixtics-indced. all the
way thrOugh-and. some having failed
in their connubial designs upon him,
the little missionary was put under the
raking fire OF these whisperers. lie
was no doubt a rare morsel for their
standardization. and he cannot keep his
patience any longer. and hs lays hold
OF these miscrcants OF the tongue and
gives them very hard setting down in
my text among the scoundrelly and the
murderous. Envy. murder, debate, de
ceit, malignity-whisperer
The law of libel makes quick and
stout grip Of open SANDER. II should
in a plain way. calling you by name.
charge you with fraud or theft or muir
der or uncleanliness. tomorrow morn
ing / might have pcremptory docu-
ments served on me. and l would have
20 pay In dollars and cents for the dam
age l had done your character. But
these creatures spoken OF in my text
are so small that they escape the fine
tooth comb of the law. They 20 on, and
they 60 on, escaping the judges and the
5uries and the penitentiaries. The dis
trict attorney cannot find them, the
sssriff cannot find them. the grand Jury
Mnot find them. Shut them of from
| one route of perfidy. and they start on
smother. You cannot by the force OF
/ moral sentiment persuade them 20 de-
sist. You might as well read the Ten
Commandments 10 flock of crows, ex-
. pecting them TO retreat under the force
| OF moral sentiment. They are TO be
/ found everywhere, these whisperers. I
think their paradise is a country village
OF about 1000 or 1000 people where
everybody knows everybody. but they
also are 20 be found in large quantities
In all our cities.
They have a prying disposition. They
look into the basement windows at tho
tables Of their neighbors and can tell
just what they have morning and night
10 eat They can see as far through a
keyhole az other people can see with a
door wide open. They can hear conver-
sation on the opposite side OF the room.
Indeed. the world 10 them Is a Whisper
ing gallery. They always put the worst
eonstruction on everything.
Some morning wife descends into
the street. her eyes damp with tears.
and that is n st:nulus 20 the tattler and
is enough TO set up business for three
or four weeks. Il guess that husband
and wife don't live happily together.
wonder IL he hasn't been abusing herr
It's outrageous! He ought 10 be dis
ciplined. Hs ought TO be brought up
before the church. I'll go right over to
my neighbor's and IN let them know
about this matsor." She rushss In ell