SLANG by E. L. Draper

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 23, 1879

SLANG

By E. L. Draper

Is the use of slang and by-words a characteristic of a Christian? You will all say, No; yet I know of several of our own members who use by-words. When they took upon themselves the Christian profession they laid aside swearing, but in its stead, substituted any by-words that were not exactly taking the name of God in vain. When I was a child I supposed that such words were swearing, and they do not yet sound right to me from any one, much less from a professed Christian. Is their use by a Christian setting a good example before the world? If we are to give an account for every idle word we speak, can we ask God to bless us in the use of such language? Its use is neither lady-like nor gentlemanly, nor will it have a tendency to make us better Christians

. If we consecrate our whole hearts to God, I am sure there will be no room for slang. Christ was given us for an example, and who ever heard of his using idle words?

This is a subject that has long troubled me, and if this little article serves to arouse some, and help them to abstain from the use of such language, my object will be accomplished. Let us do nothing upon which we cannot ask God's blessing. E. L. DRAPER.