Year: 1874

vacy Of domestic life is. unfortu nate
ly, very common, and is always dis
honorable The appetite for such
knowledge is to be regarded as NOR
bid, and the indulgence disgraceful.
A family have sacred right to pri
vacy; In guarding tue delicate rola-
tions Of the household secrecy. be.
comes virtue Even il by chance
the private affairs are laid open to a
stranger, honor would require him to
turn from them. and il q knowledge
of them were forced upon him, they
should be locked in sacred silence
a double obligation of silence and
secrecy rests upon one who is guest
in family. The turpitude of a be
trayal of family history by n visitor
is far greater than theft could be- II
is thing 80 scandalous that it should
degrade person aud put him out of
society. To betny the secrets Of
the household is not only an odious
immortality, but it is a sin and n
shame to be on good terms with
those who are known to commit such
outrages, They put themselves out
Of the pale of decent society. They
should be treated as moral outlaws.


These hungry eyed wretches, who
sit in the unsuspicious circle Of par.
1nts and children, troasuring their
words, spying their weakness, misin
terpreting the innocent liberties of
tho household, aud then run from
house to house with their shameless
news, are worse than poisoncrs of
wells, or burners OF houses They
poison the faith of man in man.
Make no terms with such people.
Tale bearers have no rights. They
are common enemies of good men
Hunt, harry, and hound them out of
society. They are the worst pests
save one. and that is the listener of
the tale bearer There could be no
tattling if there were no one to hear.
1t takes an ear and n tongue to make
scandal. Greedy listening is as dis,
honorable as nimblo tattling. The
ear is the open market where the
tongue sets its i'll gotten wares. Some
there are that will not repeat again
what they hear, but they are willing
to listen to it, Thoy will not trade
in contraband goods, but they will
buy enough Of the smuggler for fam.
lily use. These respectable listeners
are the patrons of tattlers. It's the
ready market that keeps tale-bearing
brisk. 1t is II shame to listen to i'll
of your neighbor. Christian benevo
lence demands that you do not love
ill news. A clean heart and true
honor rejoice in kindly things. 1t
should be q pain and a sorrow to
know of anything that dogrades your
neighbor in your eyes, even if he is
your enemy and how much more if
he is your friendt


The scripture says Thou shalt
not go up and down AZ tale bearer
among thy people" a tale. bearer
revealeth secrets but he that is OF
II faithful (honorable) spirit conceal,
eth the matter. The words of the
tale bearer, are as words that GO
down into the innermost parts of the
belly" The Hebrews thought that
the affections had their seat in the
bowels; and by the phrase, ''go
down into the innermost part of the
belly" they signify how sharp and
exasperating to the deepest feelings
of our nature are the cruel Offices OF
Of common tattler. "Where no
wood is the fire goeth out 30 where
no tale-bearing the strife ceaseth "
AS is he had said that so much oi
the strife OF society arises from tat
tling that, if that were cured, there
would hardly bo any cause of quar-
rel left. Commend us to that reli'
gion which makes a man humane
with his tongue, and honorable with
his ear.