The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-06-27
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"a SERMON X9Ss 9m
BY rAE REV. AXS#
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Subject: Profanity.

Subject: Profanity.
Brooklyn, N. Y.-Preaching at the
Irving Square Presbyterian Church.
Hamburg avenue and VERIFIED
street, on the theme "Profanity,"
the Rev. Ira w. Wemmel Henderson,
pastor, took as his text Exodus 2O:7,
Thou salt not take the name OF the
Lord thy God in vain" He said:
It there is anything that is disgust
ing it is unbridled profanity And
the prevalence Of useless, poihtless,
:unjustifed swearing merits the atten-
ton not alone of the Church but al
so Of the civil authorities whose duty
it is to keep the moral atmosphere
OF this and every other community
, free Of verbal pollution. The COM
mand ought to be obeyed and the
civil law on the point ought to be
enforced. The silly fool who spreads
the germs OF diphtheria or typhoid or
smallpox broadcast throughout the
=, community will soon feel the iron
hand of the law laid heavy on his
shoulders and he ought very properly
be put under lock ard key until san
aty has returned: but any man with
out sense of moral respectatility or
even elementary decelcy may satu-
rate the moral atmosphere, in which
we have to live and to rear our youth.
with all manner OF verbal disease and
the average policeman will but smile
or perhaps add to the sum total Of
uncleanness. The man who has such
poverty CT language and such an ab-
.solute lack of common sense that
profanity is to him the one way to
dignity and emphasize the express
sion Of ideas, should be Jailed with
that other man who endangers our
physical health. The third command
ment has, we know from experience,
a very practical and forcible applica-
tion to this day. Nowhere may we
escape the man of unwholesome
speech. Men with gray locks and boys
Just out Of kits, men who should
know bstter and boys who must learn
the disgrace of profigate language
If they are ever to amount to much in
life, both and all are guilty of the
most shameful depravities of speech.
, AS things stand to-day, no man can
rear child with pure mind. We
walk our streets and curses every
where fill the air and fall upon our
ears. Does a horse balk the Almighty
is invoked to move him. Is the dray-
man delayed moment he curses the
fellow just ahead. 1t is impossible to
sit by an open window on any prom
inent thoroughfare without being
morally poisoned. Does the boss in
the shop wish to hurry up the men
the vilest of language is the means
he uses to set speed to hand and
mind. Not oIce but hundreds OF
times I have seen foul mouthed in
spectors, overseers and gang bosses
invoke the maledictions of heaven
and hell upon poor dumb driven
brutes made in the image Of the
Maker, lest forsooth they straighten
weary toll bent backs to sieze mo-
ment's rest
OF course these very men will tell
you that they have no desire to dis
honor God nor to offend our moral
sensibilities. They lay it to habit.
sfhoughtlessness and a hundred other
causes \ I am convinced myself that
much of the swearing of the day is
due to thoughtlessness rather, than
to wilful sin. And yet have seen
the same men take more liberties
with the name Of Almighty God than
would allow them to take or they
would dare to take with my name
either thoughtlessiy or wilfully.
Tho1ghtlessness is no excuse. GOD
gave US brains and tongues, and 1t
is our duty to exercise our wills and
to use our tongues for the express
sion of worthy thought alone. Or
course men don't think, that is to say,
the most of them DO not, for if they
did swearing would so by the board
to a short and sure death. To plead
thoughtlessness ess in eItenuation OF Sin
is to play the baby-act. Men should
think and cut the cursing out.
The third commandment has solid
sense behind it, as have all Of Gods
commands. The misuse Of the name
Of God, or of the name OF our Lord,
profanity, swearing. cuysing, all
Should be abhorred for several good
ard sufficient reasons.
Profanity is unnecessary, unmanly,
indecent, immoral, ungodly. There
be put aside.
Profanity is unnecessary. A curse
never prove point. 1t rather dem
onstrated the paucity Of thought of
the swearer. Oaths never convince
a person of the validity or. strength
of an argument, but they do show up
the poverty of language of the man
who uses them. Curses never made
any workman Go better work; they
have, however, been the excuse for
many murder. Sense and no swear
words will unravel many perplex-
Ing problem. The name of God is to
be hallowed not hooted on the
streets. The name of Jesus is wor-
thy Of reverence and alteration: its