Greene County herald., 1908-08-28
By CoaoEs Dawson.

| Hl6SkDSSo uHLO OH ii'OA' w h'N
in this chapter that Titus is di-
rected by Paul. both concerning
the things he should teach and not
teach. What is SANDER? S lander,
is uttering false speeches against
our neighbor, how much this is
practiced in everyday life. Some
persons seem to take great delight
and pleasure in speaking evil OF
everyone, and cannot or will not
see any good in their neighhor, just
because they have become preJu-
diced and oftentimcs it is actuated
by jealousy ranklingin their breasts,
they being prompted by Satan the
chief of Slanderers, to utter false
speeches against their neighbors
fame, safety, welfare: and out of
malignity, vanity, rashness lima
ture oc Dad design. The principal
kinds of slander are these: Charg-
ing others with facts they are not
guilty of affixng scandalous names
and odious characters which they
do not deserve; aspersing a man S
action with foul names importing
that they proceed from evil prlpci-
Piles. or tend to bad ends pervert-
ing a mans words or acts disadvan-
tageousIy by affected misconstruc-
tion partial or lame representation
of r:en's discourse or practice,
suppressing some part of the truth,
or concealing some circumstances
which ought to be explained; IN
stiIling sly suggestions whlch
create prejudice in the hearers;
magnifying and agggravating the
faults of others; imputlng to our
neighbors practice, judgment, or
profession, evil consequences which
have no foundation in truth. Of
all the characters in society
sIanderer is the most odious and
the most likely to produce mischief.
"His is a devouring fire, which
furnishes whatever it touches;
which exercises its fury on the
good grain equally as on the chatt !;
on the profane as on the sacred :;
which, wherever it passes, leaves
only desolation and ruin; digs even
into the bowels Of the earth; 1t
turns into vile ashes what only a
moment before had appeared to
us so precious and brilliant; acts
with mere violence and danger
than ever, il the time when it was
apparently smotrered up and al
m st extinct; which blackens what
it cannot consume and sometimes
sparkles and delights before it de-
81. stroys. 1t is an assemblage of an
iniquity, a secret pride, which dis
covers to us the mote in our broth
ers eye, but hides the beam which
is in our own "a mean envy. which,
hurt at the talents or prosperity
of others, makes them the subjects
of its censures, and studies to dim
the spIendour of whatever Outshin-
es itself; disguised hatred,
which, sheds in its speeches the
hidden venom of the heart; and
unworthy duplicity which praises
to the face and tears in pieces be-
hind the back; shameful levity,
which has no command O;er itself
or words, and often sacrifices both
fortune and comfort to the lmpu-
dence of an amusing conservation
deliberate barbarity, which goes
to piece an absent brother; scan
dal where we become subject OF
shame and sin to those who listen
to us; an injustice; where we raw
ish from our brother what is dear
est to him. 1t is a restless evil, I,
which disturbs society; spreads
dissention through cities and coun-
tries disunites the str:ctest friend
ship; is the source of hatred, and
revenge; fills whenever it enters
with disturbances and confusion;
and every where is an enemy to
peace; comfort, aud Christian
good breeding.
We find that it is an express COM
mand of Scripture to speak evil
of one man." By which however,
we are not to understand that there
are occasions on which we are at
liberty to speak of others that
which may be considered as evil.
Persons in the administration of
justice may speak words which in
private intercourse would be re-
Iproachful: Gods Ministers may in
weigh against vice with sharpness
and severity, both privately and
publicly. Private persons may re-
prove others when they commit sin.
Some vehemence of speech may be
used in defense of truth, impugn-
ing errors of bad consequences, it
maybe necessary, upon some en-
ergent occasions, with some heat
of language, to express disapro-
baton of notorious wickedness.
(Yet in all these the greatest equi
ty, moderation, and candor should
be used; and we should take care,
never to speak in severe terms with
out reasonable warrant or apparent
just cause, nor beyond measure,
nor out of bad principles or
wrong ends; for i'll will. con-
tempt. revenge, envy to compass
our own ends, from wantonness, or
negligence, but from pure charity
for the good of those 10 whom or of
whom we speak. This is an evil,
however, which greatly abounds
and which is not sufficiently watch
ed against for it is not when we
openly speak evil of others only
that we are guilty, but even speak
/ ing what is true we are in danger
of speaking evil of others. There
n