Tax on Words | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 21, 1875

Tax on Words.

WHAT a pity there is not a tax upon words! what an income would result from it! but, alas! talking pays no toll. And if lies paid double, the government might pay off the national debt; but who could collect the money? Common fame is a common liar. Hearsay is half lies. A tale never loses in telling. As a snow-ball grows by rolling, so does a story. They who talk much generally lie much. If men only said what was true, what a peaceful world we should see! Silence seldom makes mischief, but talking is a plague to the parish. Silence is wisdom, and, by this rule, wise men and women are scarce. Still waters are the deepest; but the shallowest brooks brawl the most; this shows how plentiful fools must be. An open mouth shows an empty head. If the chest had gold or silver in it, it would not always stand wide open. Talking comes by nature, but it needs a good deal of training to learn to be quiet; yet regard for truth should put a bit in every honest man's mouth, and a bridle upon every good woman's tongue.

If we must talk, let us be free from slander; let us not blister our tongues with backbiting. Slander may be sport to tale-bearers, but it is death to those whom they abuse. We can commit murder with the tongue as well as with the hand. The worst evil you can do a man is to injure his reputation. The Quaker said to his dog, “I'll not beat thee nor abuse thee, but I'll give thee an ill name.” All are not thieves that dogs bark at, but they are generally treated as if they were; for most people believe that where there is smoke there is fire, and what every body says must be true. Let us then be careful that we do not hurt our neighbor in so tender a point as his reputation; for it is hard to get dirt off if it is once thrown on; and when a man is once in people's bad books, he is hardly ever quite out of them. If we would be sure not to speak amiss, it might be as well to speak as little as possible; for if all men's sins were divided into two bundles, half of them would be sins of the tongue. “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”

Gossips of both genders, give up the shameful trade of tale-bearing. Don't be the devil's bellows any longer to blow up the fire of strife. Leave off setting people by the ears. If you do not cut a bit off your tongues, at least, season them with the salt of grace. Praise God more and blame neighbors less. Any goose can cackle, any fly can find out a sore place, any empty barrel can give forth sound, any brier can tear a man's flesh. No flies will go down your throat if you keep your mouth shut, and no evil speaking will come up. Think much, but say little; be quick at work and slow at thought; and, above all, ask the great Lord to set a watch over your lips.—Sel.