The Right Use of the Tongue.
In Bunyan's account of his conversion is a paragraph or two which illustrates the profit of the right use of the tongue. Bunyan had become uneasy about himself, had left off swearing, and had nearly made up his mind to leave off dancing. His neighbors took him for a very godly man; and, “To relate it in my way,” he says, “I thought no man in England could please God better than I. But poor wretch that I was, I was all this while ignorant of Jesus Christ, and going about to establish my own righteousness.” “But upon a day the good providence of God called me to Bedford to work at my calling; and in one of the streets of the town I came where there were three or four poor women sitting at the door in the sun, talking about the things of God; and being now willing to hear their discourse, I drew near to hear what they said, for I was now a brisk talker of myself in the matters of religion; but I may say I heard, but understood not, for they were above, out of my reach. Their talk was about a new birth, the work of God in their hearts. “And methought they spoke as if joy did make them speak; they spoke with such pleasantness of Scripture language, and with such appearance of grace in all they said, that they were to me as if they had found a new world.” What a beautiful picture! women, three or four of them—poor—sitting at a door—in the sun—talking not about their hard lot, but about the things of God—close by them John Bunyan, still an unpardoned sinner, listening with all his might to what they are saying! We wonder if any artist has thrown that scene upon canvas.—Sel.