Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-07-10
ABOUT GOSSIPING IN COURT

I don't thing much of gossip in court
or out of It. Scandal
back-biting, malicious insinuation,
wholesale condemnation-all are no
more manly on the witness stand than
at an afternoon tea.
notice that women are not the
only gOssips.
And | want to tell you, Sir, that
when we set ourselves up to judge
a brother man In order to give him
"a bad character in the eyes of the
public. we are in damnable business,
no matter who we are. We're not
half so good as we ought to be.
And whether this contemplate de-
famation of character is Matched In
a neighbours parlor or In lawyers
said. law offices which levy a form
of blackmail ought to be death will
according to law"
What does anyone really know OF
the intimate life or character of n
neighbOr-whether he is intrinsically
moral or not?
How do we know that even oui
visual and auditory impressions arc
absolutely true?
Are we sure we are not mistaken :
Must we ALWAYS accept the de
rogatOry conclusion? Why not Civ,
people and things the benefit OF the
doubt? Why be cock-sure it's the
dark side of the shield, and not .
mere fitting shadown upon It?
wouldn't testify In court that | knew
anybody was drunkard or immOra
or otherwise blameable, unless | hat
lived with him for years and haG
indubitable evidence to corroboratt
my statements-andt then I'd keep the
dirty matter to myself and go to jai'
for contempt of court, II necessary.
Because such evidence given in pub.
lie does no good, but great deal o.
harm to the party involved, and to tn,
party tattling.
Ito self damaging.
No. I'd not lie about II, but woult
say that | didn't back-bite In cour
or anywhere else, so help me God.
To be called expressly to hurt I;
mans character by my talk, to know
that | am called for that purpose b,
IA partizan side who wishes to gair
by the derogation, and to stand up a
their witness. and to say what wa
expected of me- is small enough I,
make me subject to microscopical eX.
animation.
TO speak good of neighbor harm
no one. II II isn't so, or 1t is ex
aggerated, no one will suffer. 1t
an error on the right side. But t.
err on the other side, to give evi
dence against your neighbOr, is a dan
gerous thing to do.
should hate to be judged upon tho
evidence of some persons who though
so and SO about me, particularly I
they didn't like Inc. and had had bug
mess MISUNDERSTANDING with me.
Besides, it's so hard to be positive
even about what you see, and. as t.
hearing-what is more uncertain?
heard IA caterwauling one nigh
which for all the world sounded Xix,
one of Deason Jones prayers after he
got warmed up to the subject. Anf
once when ! was coming home on m.
horse. feeling like boy for few
moments In the clear. sweet night,
fell to singing a comic song Git wa
very dreadful. no doubt, and the mex
day some japanese along the roa(
said that ] came home drunk!
Some men get drunk on deep sor
row and keen grief as well as on Joy
However, suppOsing a man wa
drunk-is that any reason why hi
neighbor should be summoned two
hundred miles to say so? Ga
Isn't 1t thing to pity a man TO-
that he drinks-to love him the better
for? ! feel that way. =
Some of the dearest. most gener.
Gus, best intentioned men ever knew
got drunk-Gold help them!
knew Baptist minister who
went on spree every few months
He struggled hard to give up the habi
but simply could not. He was worthy
he was good and kind and honest
but he got drunk, and after one o.
his sprees he sat down in his sorrow
and wrote, HE Leadeth Me Oh Bless.
ed Thought"
Yes sir, he was a drunkard!
Sins are relative, and don't you foI
moment believe that this man will
not be considered better Christian
than nine-tenths of those cold, ex.
am ll.I. - I..