The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1911-02-04
For The Echo.
EVIL SPEAKING.

| Miss Frances Willard, that ln1mltaole
apostle of love and home, in some OF her
various writing recounts little story
which is fit to be pinned in every chris
tian memory. A lady confessed to one
/ of the fathers of the church her propen-
sity to speak harmful words concerning
those about her, and for penance told
her to take chicken newly killed and
walk certain distance, plucking OF its
| feathers as she went, after which she
was to return to him. Upon her doing
this he said, "And now, to complete
your penance, retrace your steps, gath
er up every feather, one by one, and
bring them here" "Ah, holy father" "
she replied, "I cast the feathers care
lessly from side to side, and the wind
has scattered them!" "Remember, here
after, when you speak careless words OF
those about you, that the breath of gos-
sip carries them far more widely and
harmfully," was the good mans reply.
Now, who likes to be thought or called
gossip? Who but would deny the
charge and repel the accusation? Never
theless, there is an under-current Of this
kind in society, the velocity OF whose
flow is sometimes strong enough to
bring sorrow and indignation to the
honest hearts of the most exalted. The
habit cannot be relegated and confined
\
upon the low planes of ill-bredding and
ignorance, for malice, alas, often wears
the shining raiment of luxury and can
be soft voiced and accomplished; the
varnish of sin is so insinuating and
sparkling, but it is with the dazzle OF an
Inferno In the faithful watch we are
bound to set and keep on this rebellious
human nature, we are oftenest threat
ened with rout and ruin, by the unsanc-
titled energies of the tongue that is not
attuned to ''the law of kindness" II,
in close self-searching, we find that ma
lignity animates the activity of that
"unruly MEMBER" only the strength
drawn from spirit-sources, the mysteri-
Gus help that comes through prayer, can
work perfect cure; else the only secur-
ity for our kind, is that we go live amid
primeval Businesses and speechless soli-
tude, like the anchorites of fold. Ifmere
emptiness gives the license to unbridled
and dangerous gatherings, the cure of
christian culture will graft into neglected
nature prolific flow of pleasant themes
and thoughts, that will expand and puri-
fly all the realms of speech and fancy;
and this is in the direct and blessed line
of the work that goes on in all best edu-
cational training. That gossip is de-
generate business, that it tears apart
neighbors, that it splits up churches, be-
comes chronic and incurable, and settles
into slander, facts illustrate.
A great deal of evil speaking grows
out of morbid and Improbable curiosity,
which needs to be disciplined and better
directed. Our grand old Quak er Poet
gives us whole sermon on the subject,
in the concluding verse of his "P rayer
Seeker" let us try to remember it:
"ae prayeth best who leaves unguessed
The mystery of anothers breast;
Why cheeks grow pale, why eyes o'er
flow,
Or heads are white, thou needs't not
know.
Enough to note by many sign
That every heart hath needs like thine
If this baneful habit has spread its
terrible tentacles, its blistering antenae
over better qualities, why issue and exc
cute the divine mandate, sect thee
hence, Satan!"
Tennyson created line which easily
fastens itself into memory without one
listening effort; how many times and
in how many ways it is suggested; think
of it:
"God's great gift of speech abused!"
Some essayist has written most appre-
ciatively of "being born into the riches
of the English tongue" and when we
reflect upon the wonderful capabilities,
the magnificent possibilities of language,
we realize some of the undeveloped
| power and resource which in US lie and
are inspired to enlist in the ministry of
ssbeautfful words"
| Here is sweet little aftermath to all
this in Christian mothers precious
monition to the dear progeny of that
indulgent Father, who, the old Rabbi
said, could not be everywhere, add ther-
fore, made mothers;-it fits tunefully
into this:
"Keep watch on your words, my dar-
/ lings,
For words are wonderful things;
| They are sweet, like the bees fresh
honey
Like the bees, they have terrible stings;
They can bless, like the worm, glad sun
shine,
And brighten lonely life;
They can cut in the strife of anger, -
Like an open two-eged knife.
Let them pass through your lips un.