The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-06-06
The PoWer Of the Tongue,
 James Writes of Its Peril

fist fight than to stab a persons fair name.
 The habit of censorious speech is a
 particular peril of good people. The
 Phsrisees fell deeply into this sin in
 the time of Jesus. They assumed that, somehow, their own probity and
 outward conformity to matters of the
 law gave them the privilege of sitting
 in judgment upon all the rest of the
 world. Everybody who has mingled
 with various types of Christian gath
 erings can relate experiences of ai-
 most unthinkable uncharitableness on
 the part or sincerely pious persons.
 The tongue of the Christian. and not
 of the worldling. let it be remembered
 is the particular object of James's let-
 ter. He is moved to write so strongly
 as he does because of the offence of Christians themselves.
 The New Gift of Tongues.
 Certain psychic manifestations in In-
 dia. Los Angeles. and elsewhere, have
 attracted widespread attention because
 they profess to be Q recurrence of the
 apostolic gift of tongues" Is not half
 so important to the mating one at all times. and the investigation of 1t is filled with difficulties. One thing is clear, however. and that Is that the gift the ability to speak in unknown tongues is not half so important to the progress of the Kingdom of Heav- en as the gift of tongues which speak gentle, kindly, comforting. brotheriy words.
 The church can probably get along without new baptism of tongues" but both the church and the world sorely need more of the sort of simple, helpful speech which fell from the lips of Jesus, and which everywhere marks the character of the most Christlike men and women. The Quaker's 'thee'' and thy" set him apart as a nnemb CT Of the Society of Friends. and his plain" speech is refreshing amidst
 the extravagant babbling of our time:
 but more than 1t needs the distinguish ing singular pronouns, the speech of straint and humility and sympathy. which make all hearers think of the gentle Master whose words the conn., mon people heard gladly.
 asay Sop
 Certain nonastic orders have en5otned the rule of silence. Figuratively speak ing. they have cut out the tongues of
 their members. This is a cowardly way of attempting to. avoid the. sins of the tongue. The tongue was given for use. and rightly employed. 1t is a Iululbtcf or DlcbSiH8s WAtHOut thD bsN of speech, which Is the most distinc- tive mark of mankind as compared with the lower animals of creation, the fullest expression of the mind is impossible. The love light in the eyes needs translation into word. The noblest resolution that burns in the
 heart must find utterance. in word or deed, or both. The special truth of which every person Is custodian must
 be delivered through the lips.
 A man seems to be at his nobIest when he Is employing his tongue to in- spire, instruct. and TeAd his fellow men. All the modern devices of print ing and teleeraphy and the phonograph cannot eliminate the work of the plat. form speaker. Only a few days ago
 an oficial of New York City who had
 been widely criticised appeared in a public meeting to make statement con-
 corning his public record. At first he
 was missed and hooted, but such Is the power of speech that before the even ing was over the 1,500 men and women present voted to give an evening wholly to hearing him explain his actions. That sort of thing has happened times without number in the history of public speaking. Citizens demand that theiI candidates for offiee appear before them l in person as witnesees on the stand and with, their own eyofee expresg fh eli lspnrpose sud platfofmssbtA A claaa5 iia1 As such . trifie as the upsetting of e lantern by a COW burned down Chi oafyo, SO a snna1i, idle word has ruined great financial institutions, and pre- cIpftated panics in which many lives have been lost On the other hand. the true. the timely the careful. and the considerate word Is one of Gods
 best agencies for Ieveling up human