HOW THE MOUTH REVEALS CHARACTER.
MEN often draw their own pictures, portray their own characters, without being conscious of the fact. And, strange as it may seem, they do the work with their mouths. Men who give way to anger are prone to give vent to their feelings by expressing sinister opinions of others. They fling opprobrious epithets at those whom they dislike, quite unconscious that they are actually describing themselves. Feeling it a natural privilege, even an innate virtue, to express the mind freely, they seem unaware that the expression of the mind is the expression of the character. The Scripture says of man, "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he." It is also true that the unreserved utterances of his lips are the reflection of the thoughts of the heart. This is especially true of words spoken in anger; for on such occasion no time is taken for second thought, or to cover the real sentiment of the mind. When in a guarded frame of mind, most persons are somewhat politic, have some idea of expediency, some desire to keep back disagreeable characteristics, and to present a favorable appearance, at least. But in anger all policy is cast aside, the real man is portrayed in bold relief, and the light is thrown upon the character as under no other condition. It is a mistake to say, Such an one is a good man, but he is given to fits of anger; he has a terrible temper, which at times gets the upper hand of him. The reverse is the true condition. The character is manifest when there is no reserve; the impulse of the moment displays the man, and the words uttered under sudden provocation or any sudden impulse are the index to the privacy of the mind. The veneering of restraint drawn over the thoughts and desires of the heart can pass current as character only before the dim visage of the human eye. The outbursts of temper and the indulgence of angry words are but the protrusion of character through the gauzy veil of deceitful appearance. When a man assails another with vile epithets, he is but telling—what he is himself. According to the Scripture before cited, the quite common retort, "You are another," aptly applies. It states the exact truth; altho the spirit behind the retort may be the same as that which actuated the accusation. The apostle Paul sets forth this principle in his epistle to the Romans: "Thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest; for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things." The human understanding finds it difficult to see how that can be; but it is truth, for it is the Word of God, and that Word "is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." It knows the character of man without his words, or in spite of them; and it says that the person who presumes to condemn another is adjudged guilty of the same things for which he passes condemnation upon his fellow-man. Again, the Word says, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." The result is that "the heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips." So the inspired counsel is, "Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee," which can be done only by the acquirement of a new heart. Then the spontaneous utterance of the mouth, under any7circumstance, will be the expression of a pure heart and of a character that will stand the judgment test. For "by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."