Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-12-29
MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gill;
THE PREVALENCE OF PROFANITY

The PREVALENCE OF PROFANITY
His Lordship. Bishop Worrell. of
Nova Scotia. recently delivered an
address at Halifax on profanity, which
has been attracting great attention.
In the course of his remarks he said:
''The growth of profanity is one of
the greatest evils of the present day.
The vain use Of Gods name, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit is shockingly
common, Such thing could not be
if the people knew God as He is and
Jesus Christ. whom He sent to re-
deem us. Some evils have a certain
material result which at first may be
gratifying to the perpetrator The
drunkard. the impure man, the thief,
the liar. the Sabbath breaker-all
these may for a time have some per
sonal enjoyment in their sin. before
Che inevitable result has followed.
But the ,profane man has nothing of
the kind. He fouls the air, he fouls
his tongue, he fouls society and has
gained nothing by it. He shows no
respect for himself or for others
Ii I. How can anyone who has learned
and known that the goodness of God
endureth daily take His name and
use 1t lightly and thoughtlessly?
Would a man handy about among
fewd companions the name Of his wife
pr sister or child or dearest friend?
Would he joke or yarn about them
in such a way as to bring ridicule or
contempt upon them? Then why
should the name Of God, who stands
TO, us in all these relations be treated
so?" If man has helped his friend
out of debt or difficulty and stood by
him in the day of need would it not be
the basest ingrahtude for that friend
TO fail to show respect for hi NOR
to heap scorn upon his name? Then
why should he do so with the sacred
name of Jesus, at whose name We are
told every knee should bow and ey-
tongue confess that He is God?" He
did give Himself up for us and He
endured the agony of the cross to
help US.
Surely a conception Of this is bet
ter shown by che who humbly and
reFerently signs himself with the
sign of the cross than by one who in
moment of petulence, or anger, or
Trivolity tcsses about the sacred name
as lightly as tennis ball to furnish
sport, as yiciously as a bit of vermin
to be kicked aside or as bitterly as
a poisoned arrow with which to wound
an enemy.
And do you know the meaning OF
your oath? When you damn this OF
damn that or damn your enemy O,
damn your friend or damn yourself
have you ever thought what it means
to be damned? If you do not believe
in future reward or punishment yol
are using an idle and meaningless
expression and marking yourself as al
insincere and witless man. IL you d.
belisTa that there is some time whel
you must answer for your deeds,
you have listened to experience an,
seen how true it is that your sin vii
\ find you out, you surely could nc
mean you wish such fate for anyone
The raying maniac, or the helpless il
valid, the ruined gambler or the fe
tered prisoner, these are some VIII
4 Nave been damned here and nov
whatever may be the future for then
81 Would you go to the hospital, tn
asylum or the prison and jeer at then
3 Then fellow sinner, let us with flu
sense OF the responsibility of lii
avoid such words. They condem
n Gheir users. They injure all and ben
iii none.
"A right conception of God and Ell
word and due reverence for the
would make perjury absolutely u
known The growth of perjury is
terrible thing, and there can be !
doubt that IT Is growing. The 9th
!. day Judge Riddle, of Toronto, statt
tdiat It was becoming most serio,
problem In the conduct of the court
and I have heard well known 2
lice magistrate of a large city in o
fario declare that II is iInpossib
I'd believe people on their oaths. II
statement made by a witness in
recent celebrated election trial TIL
y he adYtsed his agents, when sWor
60 kiss their thumbs instead Of Il
Isopk ard tiien they would not