The Poisoned Tongue.-

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 31, 1871

The Poisoned Tongue.—

It is a custom in Africa for hunters, when they have killed a poisonous snake, to cut off its head and carefully bury it deep in the ground. A naked foot stepping on one of these fangs would be fatally wounded. The poison would spread in a very short time all through the system. This venom lasts a long time, and is as deadly after the snake is dead as before. Our cruel Indians used to dip the points of their arrows in this poison—so, if they made the least wound, their victim would be sure to die. The snake's poison is in its teeth; but there is something quite as dangerous, and much more common in communities, which has its poison on its tongue. Indeed, your chances of escape from a serpent are greater. The worst snakes usually glide away in fear at the approach of man, unless disturbed or attacked. But this creature, whose poison lurks in his tongue, attacks without provocation, and follows up its victim with untiring perseverance. I will tell you his name, so you will always be able to shun him. He is called Slanderer. He poisons worse than a serpent. Often his venom strikes to the life of a whole family or neighborhood, destroying all peace and confidence.