Book-09-That Tongue of Mine

That Tongue of Mine

Text.—“If any man thinketh himself to be relig­ious, while he bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his heart, this man’s religion is vain.”—Jas 1:26.

’T’HIS sermon is a personal one, and is designed to hit close home to all of us. It is for you, and not your neighbor. A man sent his slave to the meat-market and instructed him to bring back with him a piece of the best meat in the market. The man brought a piece of tongue. He told him to go again and bring a piece of the worst meat in the market. He came this time with another piece of tongue. The master said: “How can it be the best, and at the same time the worst?” The slave replied: “If it is good, it is the best, but if it is bad, it is the worst.” That which gives more trouble in the home, in society and in the church than anything else, is the tongue. Some wo­men can sit in their homes and stab their neighbors hundreds of miles away. We have been amazed at the power of a gun to carry a ball eighty miles—the tongue can carry a deadly discharge across the continent.

It is hard to tame. It is a fire, and can start a conflagration that will consume all of the good will in the community. It is a world of iniquity, and defiles the whole church. It is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. It gets its supplies from hell. The members of this hell-bent organization are known as the “They Say Company.” They are an irresponsible set and are accountable to no one. They are social hyenas, and are not satisfied with feeding on the living, but will rob the graves and feed on the things that have long ago begun to decompose.

If it were a law to place in quarantine all who have this mouth disease, there would be but few now at large. They carry with them a bundle of personalities and persuade you to let them unload. Be­ware of the one who comes to you with a secret—one who tells you that he is going to tell you something, and that you must promise never to tell it to any one. You will be a thousand times better off if you do not hear it. I am ready to confess that I do not believe there is a woman on the earth that can keep a secret. Do not get excited—I shall go further, and state that I do not believe there is a man on the earth who can keep a secret. We must tell it to someone. I give you a bit of experience. I had, in a congregation where I was pastor, an old woman—a good old soul, but she would talk. She would make it a business to hear all of the mean things some of my enemies had said about me, and she would come to my wife and tell her and then tell her not to tell anyone but me. She kept me in a peck of trouble all the time. At last I announced from my pulpit that I wanted the women who heard mean things about me to keep it from us, and that I did not appreciate their kindness (?). A physician came to me one day and told me a secret, and made me promise I’d never tell it to any one. My! This burden was more than I could carry! I’d find myself dreaming about it. I was trying to keep a secret! Then I’d talk to my wife and say: “I heard something the other day that is simply awful.” She would get excited and ask: “What is it?” Then I’d say: “I cannot tell it.” At last I said a word here and another there and left her to guess, and she did, and said: “I know it now.” Then I said: “I did not say so.” I got relief, however. I made myself the promise then and there never to let any one burden me with a secret again. I mean’, a lot of slander and gos­sip.

We learn to tattle in childhood. We get it often from the parents too. When parents gossip in the presence of their children they are giving them lessons in this devilish art. Children are frank and honest and will speak what they hear. One day a man came to my home in my absence and asked to see me. When I came home my wife told me he had been there. I knew the man to be a bad man, and said: “I do not want to see him.” He came again, and my little child met him at the door and blurted out as soon as lie saw him: “My father says he does not want to see you.” He was learning the business. Often church-members turn their children away from the church by their criticisms of the minister and the church. The family is disrupted by the tongue. Take the example of Miriam, Aaron and Moses. The brother and sister had be­come offended at Moses because he had married an Ethiopian woman. When be­hind his back, they said some mean things about him. Let every woman and every man here who has never said anything mean about a brother or a sister stand up: God heard what they said. Miriam con­tracted the leprosy for this act. It is not so fatal to talk today; if it were, there would not be enough outside the camp to look after those inside.

“Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles” (Pro 21:23). While holding a meeting in one of our cities, the minister pointed to a woman who was passing, and said: “There goes the woman that whipped her husband.” We were invited out to supper. When at the table the name of this woman was mentioned, and, without think­ing, I asked: "Is she the one who whipped her husband?" Mark you, I did not say she did—I only asked a question. The woman who was entertaining us slipped out at the back door and told the woman that the evangelist said she whipped her husband. When I got to my home in Virginia I received a letter from this place, and, being anxious to see what good thing someone had written me, I opened the letter and began to read: “I understand that you said I whipped my husband. You may have to prove this.” I could see myself going back to that city under the direction of an officer, and I fancied I could see great crowds at the station ready to see me get off of the train. I tried to explain, and I apolo­gized, but I could never fix it. I had not said she whipped her husband, but I had let my mouth go off half-cocked, and it got me into a lot of trouble. One ounce of keep your mouth shut is worth a whole bushel of apology after you have made the mistake.

We are exhorted not to go up and down the earth as a talebearer. A talebearer will get you into trouble. How would you like to have your degree from the school of tattlers, M.T.? If all who have merited this degree should be made to publish it, the world would be better off. A talebearer is like the man who curses the deaf or puts a stumbling-block in the way of the helpless blind. He in­jures those who are not present to take their part. He is a coward. He is a traitor. He is a son of his father, the devil.

“He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; but he that is of a faith­ful spirit concealeth the matter.” Never repeat what you have heard until you have asked three questions: Is it true? Can it do me any good to tell it? Can it do the party any good for me to repeat it?

“A whisperer separates chief friends” (Pro 16:28). When Paul wrote to the Corinthians he said: “I fear lest by any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found of you as you would not; lest by any means there should be strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults’’ (2Co 12:20). The whisperer is a dangerous character. Did you ever attend a gathering when the members began to discuss those who had not yet arrived, and witnessed them pick them to pieces, each new arrival joining the group and helping to pick the one who was yet to come? Have you seen them begin again on the one who left first, and so on until all were gone? I have been places where I was afraid to leave, and remained for my own protection.

“He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; therefore company not with him that flattereth with his lips” (Pro 20:19). On one occasion a good woman of my congregation came to me with a profound secret and wanted my advice. She said: “You are the only one that knows this, with the exception of my brother.” I felt highly honored. She had flattered me. In a little while another woman came to me and told me the story. I never let on. She said: “You know it, for you and I are the only ones who know it.” Do not get puffed up with the idea that you are the only one who knows the secret. There are others. If there is slander in the congregation or in the com­munity, remember that “for lack of wood the fire goeth out; and where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth” (Pro 26:20).

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God also in Christ forgave you” (Eph 4:31-32). “Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings” (1Pe 2:1).

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good re­port: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Php 4:8). Have you ever heard of Gossip Town, On the shores of Falsehood Bay, Where old Dame Rumor, with rustling gown, Is going the livelong day?

It isn’t far to Gossip Town For people who want to go; The Idleness train will take you down In just an hour or so. The Thoughtless road is the popular route, And most people go that way; But it’s steep downgrade; if you don’t look out, You will land in Falsehood Bay.

You glide through the valley of Vicious Talk, And into the tunnel of Hate;

Then, crossing the Add-to Bridge, you walk Right into the city gate. The principal street is called “They Say,” And “I’ve Heard” is the public well, And the breezes that blow from Falsehood Bay Are laden with Don’t You Tell. In the midst of the town is Tell-Tale Park;

You are never quite safe while there, For its owner is Madam Suspicious Remark, Who lives on the street Don’t Care.

Just back of the park is Slanderers’ Row;

’Twas there that Good Name died, Pierced by a shaft from Jealousy’s bow, In the hands of envious Pride. From Gossip Town, Peace long since fled; But Trouble and Grief and Woe And Sorrow and Care you’ll meet instead, If ever you chance to go. .

—Earvey M. Barr. When you are discussing a neighbor, Or a friend who is far away, Or an absent one of the family, With the caller of today, Just speak of their wisdom or kindness, ’Tis all you Should care to recall;

Pray do not allude to their failings—

Don’t speak of their faults at all. When you go to church on Sunday, It is not the place to display The knowledge you have of another’s sin—

’Tis the holy Lord’s Day.

You should go there only to worship The God who created all, And not to pick flaws in the sermon—

Don’t speak of the failures at all. When a fellow-creature has fallen, And society stares with a frown, Just stretch out your hand in assistance;

Don’t strike a man when he’s down.

Condemn not; in like provocation Perhaps you also might fall, And then it would be quite different—

Don’t speak of his faults at all. ’

—Baltimore Sun.