p. 223 | The Thistle-Seed Lesson

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 3, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 14.

The Thistle-Seed Lesson

The story is told of a woman who freely used her tongue to the scandal of others, and confessed to the priest what she had done. He gave her a ripe thistle-top, and told her to go out into various directions and scatter the seeds, one by one. Wondering at the penance, she obeyed, and then returned and told her confessor. To her amazement, he bade her go back and pick up the seeds she had scattered; she objected that it would be impossible, he replied that it would be still more difficult to gather up and destroy all evil reports which she had circulated about others. Any thoughtless, careless child can scatter a handful of thistle-seed before the wind in a moment; but the strongest and wisest man cannot gather them again.