The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-04-10
haye|aIright3to repeat everything that
you hear. It is!a mistake TO Think;
that you have a right yto tell ;a;thingi

tnough you KNOW IL TO be true. $ Few
people. pass their lives without CON.
mittiDg some act or acts, Of which
they have reason to be ashamed, that
they would not like to be known. "A
man may have turned from his fault
with sincerest repentance, what right
then have you to throw stumbling
block in the way of your brother for
whom Christ died2
There are people who can never be
satisfied unless they can say something
disagreeable. They deal in ffattery, and
mix ostensible kisses with a lew private
thrusts underline fifth rib. Or like the
| mosquito, when they have lulled their
victim with their siren song. they insert
their sting, and leave poisoned wound.
There Is a kind Of gossip that arises from
mere idleness, and vacuity of mind. You
can generally measure the culture Of any
society by their topics ol conversation.
There are many who can never get be-
yond merely personal talk, and It takes
any extraordinary person to talk about
people all the time and not say some
| thing that had tar better been lett unsaid.
An atmosphere OF gossip appreciates
all moral earnestness. 1t throws blanket
over the fire OF enthusiasm, and nips
like an untimely frost, all high and noble
endeavor. A society ;ot takers, eager TO
learn about every one else's lille, Is Slug
gish In the correction OF its own. No
one yet. who set their standard according
to the common conversation and con,
science, led noble and christian life.
am astounded and discouraged at the
utter lack ot knowledge among people
who imagine that they are christians oi
what constitutes christianity. You think
you are as good as the average. Doyou
think that will save you You will not
be judged by the lie OF your fellow sim
ners. but by the life OF our Lord Jesus
Christ. You belong to a respectable
family you are not drunkard you do
not swear you :have never murdered
| any one you are Tree from the grosser
sins Of the flesh. You do not do these
things however. because the temptation
IS not strong enough. because the world
ly Inconvenience that you would meet
| with is much stronger motive than the
| pleasure 10 be derived from them. There
are no men who would turn in disgust
from any Of these sins enumerated, vet
with the poison OF their unbridled ton
CUES they continue TO blast the happiness
OF lite around them aud still imagine
themselves to be followers Of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Yes, such may be very
sure that judgment will be not according
to the opinion OF the world, but in spirit
and in truth. 1t is not our outward an.
pearance that God sees, but the thought
Of our inmost soul.
But, personalities are Objectionable
from merely a standpoint OF manners.
Good society repudiates them. Of all
Doors also that iniest the world the most
Objectionable is the would be wit; the
person who always feels called on 10
raise a laugh. Nothing is more genial
than humor and the wit that is spontan
eous and bright, and brightens while it
does not wound is good. But ior one
genuinely witty person there are hum
dred who mistake rudeness and imper-
tinence for the true quality. '.As iol
JEST says Lord Bacon. there be cere
tain things which ought to be privileged
from it; namely religion. matters OF state.
great persons. any mans present bust :
ness ol Importance. and any case tha /
deserveth pity; YET there be some that
think their wits have been asleep, except
they dart out some what that is piquant,
and to the quick that is a vein that
should be bridled. and generally men
ought to find the difference between
t.saltness and bitterness. Certainly. he
that hath 2 sa.:r;ca' vlin, as he uii.et'i
| o!hera afraid ui his vii. 50 he lad necti
70 be afraid OF other's memory"
Fina loybifls ne 10 d41il on the mans
itc,t. sins THAI the tongue is guilty OF,
thai we see excmpliijed ia or daily lives
Ett since they are all but universal Iet
Is 9Flthy Sec no.. sc la christians may
struggle to escape them.
First let us try to cure ourselves oil
all fondness torexclusively personal talk.
This arises primarily from lack OF cui-
ture. There are hosts OF varied and
interesting subjects. The word OF ma.
ture. OF history, Of literature, OF current
political events. is at the disposal OF
whomsoever will inform himself. Why
then should men and women drown their
minds and souls in what James Russell
Lowell called "The stagnant goose pond
of village gossip
Secondly. let us try to realize the awful
force OF words, and our responsibility for
them. Words are not mere pulsalions
OF the air, words are things We should
perhaps feel deeper sense OF our res,
possibility il we bore in mind our Lords
warning, "By thy words thou shalt be
justified. and by thy words thou Shalt be
condemned.
Thirdly. humility would do much to
save US. II we realized our own short
comings we would be less prompt to cen
sure our neighbor. Therefore thou art
inexcusible oh. man, whosoever thou art
that judgest'' says st Paul, "ior Wherein
thou judgest another thou condemncst
thyselt.
Then let US avoid. whether in church
or politics. or ordinary society, all dis,
torting and narrowing partnerships.
Nothing is SO censoriously uncharitabIe,
nothing SO meanly;and violently ,preju.
diced as headlohg part. taking Some
people seem to select the church Of God,
that which is intended to be the society
OF Goh's elect on earth, and the temple
of His Holy Spirit as the place TO vent
their prejudice and i'll 'hlmor, The
slightest cause serves to set them at log.
gerheads with their brethren. If some
prominent member or the minister does
not please them they will stop going.
My Brethren. charity is the one SOW.
ereign remedy and antidote ior the sins
we have enumerated. Let your heart
be right toward God and man, and your
tongue will not stray-''ior out OF the
abundance OF the heart the mouth speak
eth" Would you know what charity is?