Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1899-01-27
A Plea for Pure Speech.
From The JetersOnian, by ]. L. LODGE,
D. D., Editor.1

beginning Od pr0fdnum VulgH 81 hate
profanity and vulgarity," Numbered in his
Latin, but expressed q moral sentiment
never more needed than at present. Words
cannot severely enough condemn the de.
based forms OF speech prevalent in all classes
OF society. AS in things proper and good
the individual derives additional strength
and encouragement from the assembly, so,
vice is rapidly propagated by countenance
and example. 1t is observed that among
the higher class profanity is decreasing
but no such claim can be made as to vul-
garity, and the abuse of pure strong, and
elegant language. Such prostitution is to
be expected of the low grades OF humanity.
They lack that elevated instinct which is
traceable to genealogy. Birth does much
for man, and in nothing more proclaims
itself than in that pride, or care for ones
dignity, and the observance OF the code OF
gentiltY, which is in a measure the pro-
moter of external morality. Everywhere it
separates itself from the common, seeking
union and utilization with kindred elements,
discarding and hating those tastes and prac.
tees which mark inlerIority. 1t is con
scious effort for self preservation; a resist
ance against contact known to soil. Edu-
cation, where there is ambition to desire
and mind enough to acquire 1t, acts pro-
bISooiNCly as ICClhincI, piOsCulihB1 di1Ci
several generations, grated principles capa.
BILE OF creating honorable examples. Igno.
rance and vulgarity are so naturally united
as 10 evoke no surprise at their harmony.
Every human creature has tongue, and
will use IL. The theme will conform TO
character. Byron says Of Jack Bunting,
HE knew not what TO say, and 80 he swore."
In the lack of literature, or other exalted
topic, the vocabulary of the shop, or the dis
section of reputation, offers for the vacuum.
Morality is the congenial subject OF the re.
ligious; the It'd bit of the immoral is vul
garitY. EVIL association as a circle encloses
the homogeneous. Its influence beguiles
| and betrays youth, entraps manhood, de
bauches women. Without redemption, IL
must breed moral maggots, wallowing con
tented 10 the filth OF their own creation.
1t is more painful ~ see how the evil exists
and spreads among the higher social strata.
In rare cases, ministers ol the gospel have
exposed themselves To the charge of i'm
purity of language, provoking censure in.
furious to influence and the cause they rep
resent. Forgetting that they that bear the
vessels of the Lord must be clean. lgnor'
| ing their position as leaders OF religious
thought, expositors of revelation, OXIDES to
the understanding of duty, examples to the
flock. Other Christian people seem not TO
perceive the sacrilege in making the ordi'
nances of the gospel the subject OF JOKE.
No one suspects them of Intentional irrever
ence; but to God it Is blasphemy. Next to
| your minister, you demand cleanliness in
your physician. There should be potent
causes for his abstention from forms OF ex'
pressions that are vehicles for low ideas
| II rightly understood, he would esteem his
| noble profession as ranking closely with the
spiritual ministry. His knowledge OF anat
omy should keep before him vision OF the
Creator, in whose image man was made,
and excite admiration and reverence. Con
SANITY face to face with human suffering,
his words of tenderness, piety, and pity
| should have healing in them. Often stand
ing in the awful presence OF death, solemn
consideration of mortality and its issue
should forever Danish ribaldry, unclean'
ness, profanity from his lips. Happy they
who have q physician who is as ready to
pray with as to administer physic to his
patientsl Alas, that physician should not
be gentleman These are only two Of the
influential calings. In others we are con
stantly reminded of that saying OF Prentice :
"There are many men whose tongues might
govern multitudes, if they could govern
their tongues"
There Is such thing as affected delicacy,
|
more vulgar than that natural plainness OF
speech which it essays TO conceal. MOdesty
in either ser is highly priced by all the pure /;
prudery Is universally despised. IL is no
guarantee of virtue, but rather raises the
question. TO blush or Singer over the
| names God through Adam, has given the
animals, or the Anglo-Saxon terms for
parts of the body, stamps the idiot. The
female who in male society refers To prop
erty beaueathed as "lmbacy" needs close
watching, and will appear at the theatre or
in the ball room attired as was Tennyson 8
| Vivien, in
OF samite without price, that more exprest
Than hid her
She is no better than the fin de steele girl,
the peculiar product of depraved period,
who sings slang like mud dauber, and
with assurance obtrudes the face and tiex
bility of hoyden No language is so ca
pable of doubles enteRdres as the English
In the ancient tongues there is word Tor
every sense, rendering facile the expression
of single, fixed meaning. In our own, he-
side the primary and natural Specification,
there may be hidden possible construction
often fancilu or ridiculous, from which in-
noceuce may be wrested and coarse In
tention substituted This is the fault OF the
reader or speaker. In this, as in everything,
ITO the pure all things are pure" Even in
the Bible, and the service of the Episcopal
church, that utterly Incompatible literary
production of human genius, culture, and
devotion, filthy minds, searching for i'm.
| proper illusions, have been able 10 nnd
them Such persons are TO be avoided as
the breath OF pestilence, and companions
sought and cherished 10 whom this quota
ton from Mrs. Browning will apply:
For none of all your words will let me go,
Like sweet verbena, which, being brushed
against,
Will hold US there hours after by the smell
In spite Of long walks upon windy hills.
A little reflection would show the folly of
abusing noble language and degrading
self. We spend labOrious years 10 study Of
the Latin and the Greek, as an absolute ne
cessity TO competent knowledge Of En-
glish, and then, when we should become
teachers and models Of purity, descend 10
the level of the fish market in the adoption
of style OF speech which Is considered
Smart" but which really sinks the self
| respect Of every one who has had 30 much
a. taste OF the fruits Ol education, and the
benefits Of scholarly training. Words are
pictures of the mind, which holds the
thought before II takes form In utterance
Who thinks meanly speaks 30. Habitual
use OF slang tends TO cripple the pure
energy Of the strongest mental powers, re.
curing converse with the classics and per-
sons OF refined taste " correct the stand
ard aud restore the loss. In cases oil ordl
nary intellect il Is paralysis OF whatever
better faculty may exist Beside the folly,
there is the danger The depths OF degra-
dalton 10 which we have fallen as people,
the viciousness 10 disposition. the disregard
Of the rights OF others, the concealment OF
scandalOus national sin under sentiment Ia
words outraged for purpose, where spoil
alton and plumber proceed under the soft
pretext OF humanity" are due in no small
measure TO the causes Indicated. The hypo-
critical bully has been 50 often styled hero,
evil Is 20 constantly called good, and good
evil, the devil has been such successful
preacher OF righteousness, that base thought
adopts the corresponding phrase. Schlegeil
; ! g.k.H n