The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-02
OUR TALK OF OTHERS.
DR.. TALMAGE P0RTRAYS TWO KINDS OF
BUSYB0DlES.

Some People Seem to Have the Gift OF
Evil Speech-How We May Have a
Benevolent interest In the Affairs OF
Others.
Copyright, Louis klopsch, 1907
In this discourse DIR. Talmage shows
how we should interest ourselves in the
affairs of others for their benefit, out
never for their damage; text, L Peter.
iv, Is, "A busybody in other mems
matters"
Human nature is the same in all
ages. In the second century Of the
worlds existence people had the same
characteristics as people in the nine
teenth century, the only difference be-
ing that they had the characteristics
for a long time. 1t was 500 years of
goodness or 500 years of in
stead OF goodness or for 40 or
so years Well, Simon Peter, who was
a keen observer of what was going on
around him one day caught sight OF a
man whose characteristics were severe
inspection and blatant criticism of the
affairs belonging to people for whom
he had no responsibility and with the
hand Once Drowned and hardened by
fishing tackle drew this portrait for all
subsequent ages: "A ~busybody in other
mems matters"
That kin of person has been a
trouble maker in every country since
the world TODD. Appointing himself to
the work Of exploration and detection,
he goes forth mischief making. He
generally begins by reporting the infe-
licity discovered. He is the advertis-
ing agent of infirmities and domestic
inharmony and occurrences that but
for him would never have come to the
public eye or ear. He feels that secret
ought to be hauled out into light and
heralded. If he can get one line OF 1t
into the newspapers, that he feels to be
a noble achievement to start with. But
he must not let it stop. He whispers
it to his neighbors, and they, in turn,
whisper il to their ~neighbors until the
whole town is a-buZZ and agog. You
can no more catch it or put it down
than you can a malaria. It is in the
air and on the wing and af1oat. Taken
by itself il seems of little Importance,
but after a 100 people have handled
it and each has given it an additional
twist ii becomes a story in size and
shape marvellous. If it can be kept
going. after Will it will be large
enough to call the attention of the
courts OF the p~resbyteries or confer
ences or associations. The most OF the
scandals abroad are the work of the
one whom Peter in the text styles "a
busybody in other mems matters"
First. notice that such a mission is
most undesirable, because we all re-
quire all the time We can get to take
care of our own affairs. To carry our
selves through the ~treacherOus straits
OF this life demands that we all the
time keep u hand on the wheel of
our own craft. While, as 1 shall show
you before I get through, We all have
a mission OF kindness to others we have
no time to waste in doing that which
is damaging to others
WINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS.
There is orr worldly calling which
M be looked after or 1t will become
q failure. Who succeeds in anything
without concentrating all his energies
upon that one thing? All those who
try TO do many things go to pieces,
either as to their health or their for
tune. They go on until they pay 10
cents on the dollar. or pay their body
into the grave. We cannot manag
the affairs of others and keep our own
affairs prosperous While We are in
Quiring how ~precariOus is the business
OF another merchant n finding out
how many notes he has unpaid and
how soon he will probably be wound
Up VI AAAGlhS III 0oA u hSCA NAAS
sheTiff's hammer smfte his counter our
own affairs are getting mixed up and
endangered While We are criticiSing
our neighbOr for his poor crops We are
neglecting the fertilization of our own
fields allowing the weeds to choke our
own corn While we are trying ITO ex-
tract the mote from cur neighbor'S eye
We fail under the weight of the beam
in our own eye. Those men disturbed
by the faults Of others are themselves
the depot at which whole trains of
faults arrive and from which whole
trains of faults start. The men who
have succeeded in secular things or re-
ligfous things will tell you that they
have no time for hunting out the de-
f1cits Of others. On the way to their
counting room they may have heard
than a firm in the same line of business
was in trouble. and they say Sorry,
very sorry" but they went in and sat
down At their table and opened the
book containing a full statement of
their affairs to see il they were in
peril Of being caught in a similar cy-
clone
Gadders about town, with hands in
pockets and hats set far back on the
head. waiting to hear baleful news,
are failures now or will be failures.
Christian men and women who go
round with mouth n looks full of in
OAIIo W IsAIo Jul ~"
some other church member is given to
~exaggerafion or drinks too much or
neglects his home for greater outside
attractions have themselves so little
grace in their hearts that no one sus-
poets they have any. In proportion
as people are consecrated and holy and
useful they are lenient with others and
disposed to say: Wait until We hear
the other side OF that matter. 1 can
not believe that charge made against
that man or woman until we have some
better testimony than that given by
these scandal mongers. 1 guess it is
a lie"
NO TINE FOR JUDGING OTHER
PEOPLE.
If God a given us wholeweeks and
months ard Gays, with nothing to do
bit gauge and measur and scrutinize
the affairs Of others, there might be
some excuse for such employment, but
/ do not know anyone who has a sur
plus OF time and energy and Qualifica-
ton that he can afford much of the
time to sit as q coroner upon the dead