The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-03-19


mouth; keep the door of my lips
Psalms cxxxxi, 8.
1t was Jesus who taught that men are de-
filed by not what goeth into their mouth, but
by that which cometh out of it, and it was
James the apostle, in a later writing, who
gave US the most perfect Characterization
of the unruliness of the tongue. Jesus more
than once emphasized the truth that tree
is known by its fruit, and that as "out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh"
so both evil and good proceed from the
heart, according as the heart of man is con-
stituted. 'Those things which proceed out
of the mouth come forth from the heart"
In truth, how like a sharp sword is a bit
ter tongue, and how like poisoned arrows
are bitter words. What wretchedness and
suffering have been caused in time by evil
speaking no one can tell. What love has
been chilled, what friendships have been sun
dered by hastily spoken words is beyond all
calculation. How minds have been poisoned
and the milk of human kindness curdled by
sharp tongues it is appalling to contem-
plate. The wounds caused by the arrows of
bitter words are not like the wounds of the
fesh for the wounds of the flesh will heal,
often leaving no scar, while the wounds
of the heart much Of the time are beyond
all healing. In them the arrows which are
bitter words remain to irritate and to make
sore, and the inevitable harvest, if it is not
bitterness, is sorrow and unhappiness.
"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for
Of +ba
many of the unkind things we say to the
hurt of our fellows are said in thoughtless-
ness The moment the poisoned arrow has
flown from our lips we are sorry, and wish
we might recall it; but, alas it has found
its mark and is beyond recall The hurt has
been done, and it cannot be undone, though
the pain of it may be forgiven in magnan-
unity and generosity. But now needless is
suffering thus inflicted How we need to
pray that God shall keep the door of our
lips, to the end that nothing shall proceed
from our mouths to add to the sum of the
worlds unhappiness.
Perhaps if we were to school ourselves to
realize the impossibility of recalling the
word once spoken we would have greater
success in bridling the unruly tongue
There is no way of recalling word once
winged on its mission to be good or evil !
There is no way of overtaking it, for it only
gains momentum as it flies. 1t is appalling
to contemplate the evil forces which may
be set in motion, the evil influence which
may be stimulated into activity in this man.
ner. It will be well for all of us to enforce
upon ourselves the rule "Think all YOU
speak; but speak not all you think" The
wise and prudent person sets a watch be-
fore his or her mouth, and keeps the door
of the lips continually.
''He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his |
lips" 1t is sad to contemplate at times the |
evil that is in mems hearts, as it is revealed |
by that which cometh from their mouths. |
We do not stop to think how easily we are
betrayed by the spoken word; we do not
realize how character is revealed and read
by the thoughts to which we give utterance.
Few of US there are who do not make reve-
lation of what is in our hearts in our speech |
from day to day. Some of us are more free
in self revelation than others Some, in
deed, carry about with them, unsupported .
by their fellows hearts which are but fes-
tering masses of corruption but, inevitably, |
as darkness follows the daylight, day comes
when all is made known How are such as
these to be cleansed? How are they to |
learn to keep their minds and hearts as
scrupulously clean as they keep their bodies
outwardly? By supplication to the throne |
of grace, by self-dscipiline, by clean living, |
clean thinking, by devotion to high ideals |
and exalted purposes. So doing, in due time
they will find their hearts, out of their good
bringing forth good things