The Prescott daily news., 1914-01-23

story, prefacing his words by the
remark that he could tell it freely be-
cause there were no ladies present,
the great soldier said, "But you must
remember that we have gentlemen
present" The story was not told.
This is noble sentiment expressed
in notable uttenrance.
1t is a sentiment that should be
borne in the mind of every speker in
Lodge room or in the presence of Odd
Fellows everywhere. We should Ell
Their discard our ritual or at least
strive to lead lives in keeping with its
sublime teachings.
No live Odd Fellow, true in his
coul to the principle of the order, will
feel any desire to listen to words de-
grading in their tendency. Next to
the church there is no organization,
the underlying principle of which
stands for purer thought or higher
ideals, than our order. Anyone who
persists in SCATTERING them by the
use of improper language, should be
judged guilty of conduct unbecoming
in an Odd Fellow. The unbridled use
of the tongue is as great vice as
the Incorporate use of alcohol and
other drugs that kill. The good
Book tells us that it is not that which
goeth into the mouth but that which
cometh out of the mouth that defileth
man.
The vicious tongue is indeed worse
than the vicious appetite, because
while the latter poisons the individual
offender, the former cuts and wounds
and sometimes blasts the regulations
of many.
Language is the outlet of the souls
longing, hopes, ambitions and concep
tions. 1t ought to be the case in
everything. 1t should refine, streng
then, and elevate the lives of those
about US as we'll as our own. A whole
some tongue is a tree of life. Each
man has his influence over some one
placed in the circle. Let it be wide or
narrow. Yet it is still there. If we
lead lives of purity we will influence
others to do the same. If we frame
pure thoughts in words that are re-
fined, we will influence others to do
likewise The power of the individ-
ual life is not understood. Certainly
not to those who do not stop to think
of life as merely the sun of trif1es.
Our word and our examples win an
impression upon characters that are
! lust forming. We cannot be too care
full in our speech, too circumspect in
our thoughts. GAS a man thinketh
so he is" and may say that as man
so speaketh so is he. Words are the
only things that live for ever. Words
will not fall, but return to us with
compound interest, oftentimes to bless
sometimes to disgrace.
The Holy Bible is well spring of
wisdom and inspiration. Words are as
heavy with portent as they were
written thousands of years ago. Keep
your hearts on purity in words; puri-
ty in thoughts; purity in deed. These
words should burn deep into our
souls; energize our higher selves and
crystalline the weeds of humanity.
Blessed are the pure in heart for they
shall see God.
Odd Fellowship is one of the great
est agencies that teaches lessons of
mans duty to man and that is the
business of Odd Fellows. To provide
for the life of our brother man. To
provide for him physically, mentally
and socially, and thus advance him to
higher manhood. We are parts and
particles of one another. To injure
another is to injure ourselves.
! Let us thank God that we have such