The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-11


space and time to print it in full and
because the omissions were not essen
tial to an accurate though incomplete
report. What was printed yesterday was
in the exact language and words used
by Dean Sykes from the pulpit and was
also taken from his own manuscript.
In order that the charge of distortion
and pervertion of the truth may be set
aside completely. this paper herewith
publishes the sermon in full showing by
stars preceding. all Of the paragraphs
which were omitted.
The sermon follows:
THE COMPLETE MANUSCRIPT.
''St. James was the apostle of a prac-
teal Christianity. It was his Office to
speak strongly against a. class of people
who made loud professions but whose
whole lives gave the lie to their cry.
. Be We doors of the word and not
hearers: What doth it profit If a man
say I have faith, and have not works.
the religious world of his day. But his
strongest denuncfations were reserved
for those who gave unbridled liberty to
their tongue.
" If any man seem to be religious
and bridleth not his tongue; this means
religion in vain
Let me speak to you this morning
about the unbrid1ed tongue and its ef-
fects.
First, let US talk about Islander. I do
not refer to that form for which the law
fully provides, but to that which is too
subtitle for human law. This form of
evil speaking is declared by an inspired
apostle to be poison. The deadliest
poisons are those for which no test is
known. There are poisons so powerful
that one drop injected into the veins
produces death in three seconds. and yet
It is so insidious that no chemical sci
ence can detect its presence.
Now there are persons in this city
and in all cities, who pass from man to
man and from Won an to woman. re-
peatlng evil words which are deadly in
their results, and yet you can not evap-
crate the truth from the falsehood and
point out the SANDER that turks therein.
Perhaps words were not used. for
words are not necessary to the destruc-
ton of some brother or sister. A drop
of the lip. an arched eyebrow, the shrug
of the shoulder, even an emphatic
silence may do the deadly work.
1T was with deep pathOs that
David said: 'Adders poison is I'M
der their tongue This evil speaking
according to st. James, takes the form
Of fixing q curse upon our brethren.
Herewith curse we men who are made
after the similitude of God We-men
who bear the name of Christ-curse our
brethren; fix upon them a mark by
some evil word, made or repeated,
which lasts forever.
gu congratulate yourselves, my
friends, that the days of persecution
are over; and so they are as to crucifix-
ions of the flesh You never burned a
human being alive; you never reJoiced
over the death Shrek of some one who
was suffering the quick or slow process
Of physical death. No, but did you
never rob some man or woman of
friends, or take from them their good
name. or gleefully repeat some naiser-
able gossip. or purposely misinterpret
their acts and words.
rs persecution only fire and sword?
Know you not that there are sensitive
natures who die g. thousand deaths at
the hands of those who take up their
characters and handle them with all the
wanton recklessness of a brute. But I
must tell you something Of the harm
that this unbridled tongue brings to
those who use it.
THE apostle says: 1T defileth the
whole body
I'VE live by that on which we feed. If
we feed on gossip we become SANDER
ars. If we feed on evil speaking, we
become vicious. The man who speaks
An unkind word against his brother is
taking the first step toward the pit of
destruction which has no bottom and
ere long he will understand what the
Saviour meant when he spoke of the
outer darkness and the fire that is not
luenched.'
Those men of the French revolu-
.ino who worked overtime for the des-
of their fellows were them
selves soon brought to the guillotine.
The hate we sow finds Judgment in our
1wn hearts and the crop is nettles.''
In the next place 1t IS well to re-
member that the effect of your evil word,
)r slanderous report, false though they
nay be, are infinite in their conse-
Iuences.
You may prove 1t false, you may
explain and annihilate it. and yet years
after it may work an injury to the per-
ION against whom you spoke, Like the
Greek fire used in ancient warfare
which burned under the water. the
houghtless, unkind word goes on for
ever.
THE tongue. says st. James. sets
IN fire the whole course (wheeD of
nature. His figure is that of a wheel,
With jets of fire from every side, revolv-
ng through the world Boys flying kites
ian pull them in like birds: you can't
10 that when you are flying words.
- These things ought not to be- says
he Apostle That is, they are unnatural
\ fountain cannot, at the same time,
send forth sweet water and bitter
"A Christian cannot speak evil or re-
peat evil of any soul without renouncing
lis birthright. The thing is against
nature. 1t is against the spirit of Christ,
md to do 1t renders one a monster. The
Sffice of the tongue Is blessing. How
lare we use it to curse2 How dare you as |
iume the part of the devil whose very
lame means traducer or evil accuser?
Il need not remind you that this |
spirit mas entered INTO our pOHllCdA ne
and national life and church life. One |
political party abusing the other One !
newspaper trying to prosper at the ex- |
oense of another and one church trying /
10 build upon the ruins of others These /
things ought not to be.
when Mr.. Zangwill the poet, Wis
ted Chicago, a pert young miss sitting |
aext to him at luncheon said: How do /
you like Chicago ham?' The Dreamer (
IF the Ghetto with sorrowful and up /
5urned face said quietly: ] like it; I
ike it-much better than Chicago
.ongue.' He had evidently been suf-
'erer at the hands of his fellowman VINO /
1ad used his tongue to curse.
: Let this be your life motto: 7 will
speak well of my kind, or not speak at
ALL
eff the angel Gabriel were to come to
ne in that confidential and whispered
which Won know SO well. and