Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-11-09
THE GREATEST SIN IN PINE BLI]FF
 Sermon Delivered by the Rev. J. | Norris at the First N Presbyterian Church, November l.

habit, I want you to break voursel , of it row. Tale bearers, news car rlers, the Bible condemns.
 Tn Leviticus, Moses said: 'Thor shalt not go up and down among the people as a tale bearer
 Solomon said: "A tale bearer re vealeth secrets, but he that is of 6 faithful spirit concealeth the mat ter He also said:-
 | Where no wod is the fire goeth out, so where there is no tale bearer the strife ceaseth.'
 The words Of tale bearer are as wounds, and they go down in1o the innermost parts of the bellv.'
 Its a despicable horrible, unholv habit. Hurtful to men and odius t, God
 "I would hate to be poor. defense less working girl in Pine Bluff. es- peciallv if l were in any wise attrac- tive. l would not so much fear the insinuations, insults, or assaults of wicked men, but I would dread the claws of the cats that would be ready to scratch me.
 "A good name is the most valued thing you can give to your children 1t is better than precious ointment It is rather to be chosen than great riches
 Right now, since it is the first of the month, you might go down to the Merchants and Planters Bank and find few dollars to my credit and recklessly scatter them at your own Wanton pleasure, and it wouldn't hurt very much But if you should take that which I have been building up day and night through the years, and tear to pieces and scatter broad cast the tattered remnants of a good name, it would matter much. can't quite quote Shakespeare lines but they run something like this Who steals my purse, steals trash-'tis something; twas mine, is his, and has been slave to thousands But he that filches from me my good name, robs me of that which not en- riches him, but makes me poor in |deed.'
 'No lock, no key, no strong box, TO life of usefulness and solid worth can secure a good name from tat tiers and slanderers. Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their ton- que have they used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips.
 "A Spartan was asked if his sword was sharp. His answer: Sharper than calumny.'
 "Some people have sting to their tongues.
 "One wasp. one yellow jacket, one honeybee, and one hornet, have stung me Only one of each variety I found out what they were, and I have avoided them, but some people have a sting worse than that hornet that popped me right between the eyes, and you cannot avoid them They will get you in a jam somewhere and sting and sting, and cannot be avoided. So many people come tG me whose sensitive souls have been hurt by people who have stung them with their short and cruel words.
 "The law of the tongue should be the law of kindness, not the law of meanness and cruelty.
 Profanity.
 "I go much among men. Men of all sorts, and men do not swear in my presence. I go months without hearing profane or vulgar word, and I am grateful: but men tell me that they swear. l am sorry. Don't use the name of the great God ire erently. We are all guilty of it. l use the great name of the Diety too often in my preaching and sometimes without the proper emphasis, and the sweet and holy name of Jesus. Don't swear, 'tis great sin to swear. God will not hold him guiltless that talk eth His name in vain.
 Liars.
 "What shall I say of liars? They are almost hopeless. The Bible dis tinctly and repeatedly says they shall be cast into he'll Liars seldom re- form-the Indians say: Flying is sign of rottenness of character. There is nothing to build on.' Lying lips are an abomination unto the Lord' One may tell the truth, word for word, so far as words go, and still tell an abominable lie.
 Quarreling.
 "Husbands-this is Gods word please hear it. Husbands love your wives even as Christ loves His Church. Be careful that your words bespeak that love-"
 "Wives-please hear this-it IS Gods word. Wives reverence your husbands Don't nag and quarrel and scold. Do you want to honor Gods word? Then reverence your husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.'
 "But I must stop. Only, let ~me say again, the sins of the tongue are many, and the sins of the tongues are Pine Bluffs greatest sins.
 "No confession is made for them. Men confess to me every form of sin from murder up. Not often do i they confess the sin of pride, and rarely is the sin of wicked tongue ever confessed.
 "Men drink because the nerves of the body cry out for stimulant, and ,,yIop +ho, drink +o drunkenness theV