Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-07-05

| in the evening This had so broken
the fall that it was harmless. We
hustled that chap out of there in a
hurry, and after that | never permit
ted nitro -glycerin to lay around again.
st. Louis Globe-Democrat.
THE SIN OF PROFANITY.
An Ugly Habit That Is Silly and Inex-
cusabIe.
Few sins are more ineXcusable than
that of profane swearing. There is
brutal about it's irreverence as to ex-
cite wonder at it's prevalence.
Drunkenness and lust and gambling
have an explanation, though in no
sense any justification, in the perver-
sion of strong natural appetite. Theft
and murder one can understand in
view of mans love of money or his re-
sentiment of wrongs done by a fellow
man. But what appetite is gratified
by Indulgence in profanity?
The defense usually made that it
springs from a violent temper and is
as uncomfortable as the passion that
lies behind it, neither justiies nor ex-
plains the offense. 1t docs not justify
because it merely alleges one sin as an
excuse for second, for second which
Is worse than the first. 1t does not
explain, for anger against man does
not necessarily or naturally involve in
science toward God Why should
His name be dishonored or His holy
attributes be used in a light and con-
temptuous way, in order to emphasize
our dislike of the character or conduct
Of men? No man would justify his
conduct in striking an innocent and
unoffending child, simply as an Incl
dental way of venting his spleen upon
some neighbor whom he disliked and
was disposed to abuse. What would
be the general judgment upon one who,
when angry at a man, spoke disres-
pectfully of a pure woman or dragged
into the heat of discussion her name
in an insulting way? Far less excuse
can be made for the common, the sadly
and shamefully common sin, of feath-
ering with profane words our shafts
of angry abuse. 1t is an insult to the
purity of God. 1t Is an act of braZen
impudence that scOrns and contemns
and defies His sovereign majesty. Men
guard with their lives the name Of
their wife or mother, yet drag in the
dust of foul speech the name that is
above every name.
And most profane speech has not
even the fimsy and childish excuse of
anger to justify or pallate it's wicked
ness. Too commonly it is indulged in
jest, as a humorous way Of adding
spice and flavor to the conversation.
This is SHINING in cold blood and with
malice aforethought, instead of in the
heat of passion. 1t is murder in the
first degree. the murder of reverence
and loyal regard for God. The man
who DETAINED his wife or daughter in
an outburst of anger could not be held
so low and ineXcusable. basely wicked
as the man who sported in jest with
the purity Of their name and used
them as the back ground or support
of light and base jokes. And swear
ers who garnish their. speech with
oaths, who clothe themselves with
cursing, not as a garment but rather
as an ornament, hold high rank among
the fools who count it as a sport to do
mischief, among the scoffers who have
no fear or respect of God.
The excuse commonly made for pro-
family is that it has become so habit
ual that the offenders swear uncon-
sciously. The plea is false, as is shown
by the fact that profane men rarely
forget themselves and swear in the
presence of lady. 1t is an accepted
rule in good society that no gentle
man will use an oath before lady.
The fact that habitual swearers can
and do remember and apply this rule
shows that they can refrain If they
will And the plea also proves the ag-
gravated character of the offense. No
man is excused for murder or theft
or lying on the ground that it has been
so often indulged in that it has become
a. second nature. Such a plea can
mean only that the more we sin the
less we are guilty, that if we indulge
in sin until we lose all self-contrOl
we may sin with impunity and inno-
cence. The reverse is true. Men are
responsible for their wilful mutiatiOn
of their power of self-contrOl. They
cannot spit out venom, and excuse
themselves on the ground that they
had knowingly swallowed it and could
not refrain. They cannot cultivate an
evil habit and plead the fact in eX-
tenuation of evil acts that result from
the habit To all pleas and excuses
and apologies, there is one clear, COM
plete, and crushing answer: Thou
shalt not take the name of the Lord
thy God in vain, for the Lord will not
hold him guiltless that taketh His
name in Van."-Christir. Observer.