When and What to Speak.
By H. Clay Trumbull
"I HAVE not refrained my lips, O Lord. . . I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth." Sometimes it is to a man's credit that he keeps his mouth shut, and again it is not. There is a time to keep silence, and again, there is a time to speak. A man does well to refrain his lips from scandals and gossip, from false speaking, from impurity, from irreverence, and from harsh judgments and uncharitable criticisms. But it is a man's duty to speak out lovingly and gratefully in behalf of those who have befriended him; and, above all, in praise of God's lovingkindness and truth. Silence is a sin where outspokenness is a duty. Silence concerning God's dealings with us, and with the world at large, is not to the credit of any child of God. It were better for us all to be continually ascribing praise to God, in ordinary speech, as do the Orientals, than for us to refrain from the meed of praise which is God's due, when the occasion calls for an expression of our feelings with reference to him. If, when others speak complainingly of the weather in our presence, we should speak out frankly to say that God alone controls the weather, and that just that weather which he has sent to us is the best we could have had, because it was chosen by him, we should so far honor God, set an example to others, and gain in the practice of right speaking—which ought to be the practice of all for always.—H. Clay Trumbull.