Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1906-09-07


that n axes the body an unfit dwell
ing place for the soul? Jesus says
that "whoSoever shall offend one OF
these lite ones, it were better for
that man that a milestone be put
about his neck and that he be cast in
to the bottom of the sea-" What did
Jesus mean by 'offend?" Why he
meant teaching them to do wrong.
The swearer speaks the language OF
the saloon, the brothel, the gambling
table, the thieves retreat, and every
place where crime and sin abounds.
When we hear q man swear we can
not disassociate it in our minds from
these places. These are the hot beds
where profanity iourishes, and sends
ripened pollen forth to take root
everywhere else. Does the decent
young man who has any respect for
himself want to join company with
such people, or even be heard to use
their mode of speech? If he does it
he will surely be classed with them,
no matter how much he may detest
them.
Again, the swearer as rule loves
to tell vile, smutty stories. often to
small boys. | think il there is any
thing more demorulizing than swear
ing itself, it is this practice. With
what relish they weave into these
stories the names of good people.
even deacons and ministers The
listener knows them to be simply
funny stories -lies-and laughs harti-
ly. Yet. after all, there turks in his
mind the possibility that some such
good people might do the things ac-
credited to them in the story, and he
becomes suspicious of all good
people in general The poison seed
has taken root and will flourish.
Would that good seed would take root
as readily, but alas, il does not have
made it my determination for long
time not to listen to a smutty story,
but to rebuke the one who wishes to
tell it to me.
We'll" you say, what can be
done about it? Swearing has been
going on for centuries, and it is i'm
possible to stop it now" Very true;
but did you ever, or do you frequent
iy, speak to persons whom you hear
swearing? Have you made the dis
covery that in many cases this habit
is INDUCED in through sheer thought
lessness or ignorance of its terrible
sin2 If Christians would be more
jealous in this line of duty, they
would be surprised to see what could
be accomplished.
Yes, it is q hard task, will adj
NIT, for a Christian to speak to every
one whom he hears using Gods name
in vain, especially TO strangers. II
have found it exceedingly difficult,
and failed to do my duty time and
time again when l saw it clearly.
So hard did / find it, and so often did
l fail, that finally sought for some
other way to do this work Being a |
a printer / conceived the idea of pre-
pairing pretty little sign, Please
do not Swear on These Premises,
that would be attractive and yet
authoritative, that might be hung
upon the wall of every Office, work
shop, store, or places of business of
all kinds in the United States. This
greatly reduces the territory where
swearing is allowed, and establishes q
sort of quarantine agains it. In many
cases it sets the swearer to thinking
of the folly and wickedness OF il all.
they have met with universal ap-
prevail, and the demand for tnem has
come from unexpected quarters ev-
en- from swearers themselves. Chris
tians would do well to remember
that when they earnestly engage in
any reform work that they are
workers with God," and He does
not leaye them to work alone.
This tract fell in to our hands and
we find it such a good treatise upon
this great evil that we give it space
in full length believing We will be |
amply repaid by the good it may do |
some who viii read it. Ed.
County Election Commissioners Ar