HOW TO REPLY TO ACCUSATIONS
THE way to reply to accusations depends somewhat, of course, on the accusations themselves, and the grounds for them. Many of them are like the spatters of mud upon the clothing, spoken of in the item below, which, in any attempt to remove them when fresh, will be apt to more deeply stain, and perhaps permanently injure, the garment to which they adhere; but if we allow them to dry, unmolested, they will, with a little agitation, drop off of their own accord, or can be easily brushed off; and then the trouble is remedied. All false accusations are properly treated in the manner indicated in the following paragraph:— It is oftentimes a mistake to answer back to an accusation. A wise man once said that if mud is flung upon your cloak, you should let it dry, and then it will fall off; whereas, to be overeager in getting rid of it may smear the garment. There is a story told of a man who was called a donkey by some opponent, and who came before an audience and attempted seriously and elaborately to prove that he was not; and the people said, “So then he is a donkey after all.” It is impossible to argue with ignorance. If a man, for instance, opens his Bible and reads about four angels “standing on the four corners of the earth,” and insists that the earth is square because four corners have thus been mentioned, and if he will listen to no other argument, it would be a waste of words to attempt to convince him. The best answer to a false accusation is true, honest, and upright character. False accusation is like a changeable wind which may blow the dust from any direction, whereas character is like a stone-built tower upon which the blown dust makes no impression.