The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1909-06-03
THE POWER OF
THE TONGUE
Sunday School Lesson for June 6, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TEXT.-James s:1-12. Mem
)ry verses $40
GOLDEN TEXT.-whoso keepeth his
mouth and his tongue. keepeth his soul
rom troubles. prov. 2l:23
TLME-It is believed the eplstle was
written between A. -. 40 and 80.
PLACE.-Believed to be at Jerusalem.
Suggestion and Practical Thought
Philosophers have striven to discov-
pr what faculty most clearly separates
man from. the brute; as, that man is
the only animal that laughs, or the
)nly animal that cooks, or the only an.
imal that stands upright. Most think
srs, however, agree that the power o.
speech, with all that has grown out OF
It, is the clearest and most important
distinction of mankind, and the surest
indication OF the superiority that God
has conferred upon the human race.
The passage we are to study is one of
the finest in the Bible, and Is the
crown Of all writings upon the sub
iect.
| VS.. 1, "a. Why did James urge his
readers not to be many masters
|
| Because the young church met that
danger continually (see Acts 1924;
Cor. 1:12; 14:26; Gal. 2:12). In the
Jewish church the function OF the rab.
bi was jealously guarded, but the lib
erty of prophesying (teaching) In
Christianity was liable to become Ii.
cense. And "the more the idea pre-.
vailed that faith. without correspond.
ing obedience, was all that is needful.
the more men would eagerly press for.
ward to teach. Afford. This thought
joins our present lesson with the last.
To illustrate perfect speech, to
what does James compare the tongue?
To horses bit or bride which,
though small, turns and governs the
whole body of the great animal; and.
similarly, to a ships helm or rudder.
which, though so small In comparison
with the great ship, and so weak in
comparison with the fierce winds, yet
turns the ship, In the face OF the
winds, whithersoever the governor
(R. V. "steersman"O listeth (R. "
"willeth"). Even so (like the bride
4
member, and boasteth great things,
"vaunts great words, which bring
about great acts OF mischief. Afford.
What is the point of the compari-
son? The power of the tongue in the
guidance and direction OF llfe-our
own lives and those of others And
I'VE are never to forget that the
tongue includes the pen '"-Deems.
What is the next comparison used
by James? The tongue-that world
of of iniquity-is fre, sprung from
the fires of Gehenna. 1t is little fire,
to the eye; but little fire can kindle
great forest. So the tongue can ruin
the whole body-nay, the whole life.
in its revolving course from the cradle
to the grave" The tongue is called a
world of iniquity because "all kinds of
evil that are in the world are exhibited
there in miniature. barnes
What is the point OF this compari-
, son? 1t pictures the destructive power
Of the tongue. as the first two compari.
sons pictured the tongues guiding
power. Little words, mere. puffs OF
air, are Insignificant as small sparks /;
bat as the flame and smoke may
spread everywhere, so the baneful eff
feet of evil speech may penetrate all
life.
What Is James next comparison OF
? the tongue7 To an untamed beast; all
other living things have been mastered
by mankind-the four divisions OF ami
mails, according to James rough
zoology, namely, Quadrupeds, birds
reptiles and fishes. But the tongue Is
4 an exception. No man can tame II;
only God, who made 1t, can keep II
under control. 1T is an unruly (rest
less) evil, full Of deadly poison" and
/. 80 to be classed with the animals mos
4 hated and feared, the serpents.
t What is the point of this compari
y son? AS the first emphasized the
5 guiding power of the tongue and tn,
a second its destructive power, so thli
comparison emphasizes its unre
strained power.
If the tongue cannot be tanned, ar,
/ we to blame for our ungoverneC
speech? Yes, as James himself say
w. 100. These things ought not so t,
| be-" III we be truly Christ's, though
| 'reviled by the unruly tongues O
others, we shall. like him, 'revile no
again Il Peter 1929. And as tn,
! whole body is the Lords to be sancti
fed to him q Cor. 6:19, 2O), so partiC
ularly must the tongue be kept iron
= 'evil-speaking. lying and slandering
: and used rightly for the service o
God. Thus may We truly OFFER tn
!, calves of our lips (Hos, 14;2), NOR
= acceptable than the blood OF victim
slain on thousand altArs. ."-Ellicott.