The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-06-23

ate most fully
this difficulty. II will be worth while
20 follow the discussion OF the tongue
which is found in the succeeding
verses OF the third chapter of James.
First OF all. James speaks of the
power OF this little member which
boasteth great things" (vv. 3, ~. Like
tho bit I'm the horses mouth which en-
ables us To turn tho whole body. or
the tiny rudder OF tho ship, which d.
rects its course through the stormy
deep. 80 the tongue is great power
in the guidance OF life. We marvel
when We see the multitude swayed
by the speech OF the preacher or the
voice OF the singer. We need only
to mention Magma Charta. the Declar'
alton OF Independence, the Emancipa'
ton proclamation or Luther's Theses.
TO be impressed with the power OF
even written words.
But James goes on Co speak OF the
mischief which may be wrought by
the tongue (vv e. 6). II Is like a lit
tic fire kindling great forest.
venomous tongue hurts not only 9TH
ers, but oneself; James says: 1T do
fleth the whole body" and we may
be certain that so long as an evil
thought Injuries the spirit. wo cannot
escape from our evil words.
Hedges About the Tongue.
An old writer says: I'VE may SEQ
the cunning and curious work OF ma
ture which hath barred and hedged
! nothing I'm go strongly as the tongue,
with two rows OF teeth and Herewith
two lips; besides. she hath placed II
far from the heart that II should not
utter that which tho heart conceived"
James goes on TO speak OF the un'
| tamableness OF tho tongue (vv. Z. 81.
Every kind OF beasts and birds, OF
creeping things and things In tho
sea. has been tanned by man. but tho
tongue can no man tame. although
God can do even this thing
Even after regeneration, wrong hab-
| its OF speech will assert their sway.
How easily the oath springs To tho
| lips OF the aforetime blasphcmer!
Finally. James speaks OF the In
consistency OF the tongue wv. e-l2).
Herewith we bless God and yet curse
men, made I'm his image; as one has
put Il. such abusive railing against
men Ia like splitting on the statue OF
the emperor whom we profess TO
| honor Even nature rebukes us for
such Inconsistency, for no fountain
| A.. anH hit.
ter.
Aesop. the writer OF fables. was n
slave. He was once ordered by his
master 20 procure tho best things In
the market for dinner, and served
course after course Of tongues. Ho
argued: rs there anything better
than a tongue7 Is not the tongue the
bond OF civil society. the organ or
truth and reason and the organ or
our praise and tho alteration OF the
gods?" The slaves master directed
that the next day he should buy the
worst things he could find. and again
he brought tongues. This time he
reasoned: Tho tongue In surely the
worst thing In the world. II In tho
instrument OF all strife and conten-
tlon, the inventor OF lawsuits. and the
source OF divisions and wars; II is
the organ Of error, OF lies, OF calumny
and blasphemies,"
Skimminp the Milk.
This inconsistency OF the tongue
appears In the lives OF thoso who
even do many deeds OF Kindness.
This was quantity set forth by an old
lady who said 20 her grandchildren:
IF you're going 20 give me a pan OF
milk, don't skim II first" They found
sho meant that when n favor was
done for her, she dlsliked TO have II
spoiled by an ungracious word. An
other errand7 7 never go downtown
without half a dozen commissions"
The boy gets the book and really
doesn't mind, but he has skinned tho
milk. These gloves ripped again.
II seems they always need mending
when 7 am I'm a hurry" She really
wants 10 keep the gloves neat, but sho
SKINS tho milk
what solemn word James speaks
IN the first chapter of his epistle ".
26D: n any man among you seemeth
10 be religious and brldleth not his
tongue. but deceiyeth his own heart.
this mans religion IL vain" How
glad we should be that we have our
Helper. One Of whom II Is said that
''he opened not hls mouth" when Il
vss a time for silence. but ~ whom
10 IL said also that the people won