THE IMPORTANCE OF CONVERSATION.
THE world is governed through the medium of conversation. Every department of life, every accomplishment of mankind, is subject to its moulding influence. Therefore it is a matter that should receive more serious consideration than is commonly accorded to it. As with every other great moral principle, it can be properly considered only from the standpoint of the Word of God. The highly important position of conversation in the welfare of humanity is briefly expressed by the Lord through David, in these words: "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me, and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God." Ps. 50:23. In this text, as in Ps. 37:14, "conversation" stands for the whole conduct of life. This is shown in the marginal rendering; and it also lays additional stress on the thought that the conversation is the life. Also in 1 Peter 1:18 "conversation" is rendered "manner of life" in the margin; and in 2 Peter 3:11, it is "life" in the Revised Version. That a man's life is indicated by his verbal conversation is shown by a comparison of Matt. 12:36, 37 with Rev. 22:12. The first text reads: "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." The second scripture says: "Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Thus the work is so far moulded by the words, the daily conversation, as to affect the acceptance or rejection in the final judgment of God. The inseparable connection between the conversation and the life is also shown in Gal. 1:13 and 1 Peter 2:11, 12. So Paul's exhortation to Timothy is, to be "an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." And James gives this general advice: "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom." Paul's counsel to the Ephesian brethren is also to the point: "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." In this same epistle is a pointed condemnation of a very common habit of conversation. The apostle says: "Fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient [or befitting]; but rather giving of thanks." In harmony with this, we have the counsel to the Philippian church, "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ." But these exhortations for purity and soberness of speech necessitate a condition back of the words we use. Whence do our verbal utterances come? and what gives rise to expression in words? The Saviour answers: "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things." Matt. 12:34, 35. So the words we utter, which compose our conversation, are simply the expression of the thoughts we harbor. "Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart." Hence the wisdom of Solomon, when he says, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." "As he [any man] thinketh in his heart, so is he." Then it is essential that the thoughts have such pure substantial basis as will insure the inspiration of pure conversation; and the Lord does not leave us without a lesson on this point. The lesson is, "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there by any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Phil. 4:8. Now where is the most fruitful source of true and pure things upon which the mind can feed in order to produce pure thoughts and pure, truthful conversation? Let the psalmist5answer: "The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." Ps. 12:6. "The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." Ps. 19:8. "Thy word is very pure; therefore Thy servant loveth it." Ps. 119:140. "Thy Word is true from the beginning; and every one of Thy righteous judgments endure forever." Verse 160. To this testimony we add that of the Lord Jesus: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matt. 4:4; also Deut. 8:3. And this is the word of truth by which we are to be sanctified." John 17:17. Of the present social results of such feeding of the mind, the apostle Paul says: "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Col. 3:16. The sure Word of prophecy shows, after the final indignation against all earthly nations, that the Lord will "turn to the people a pure language [margin, "lip"], that they may call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent." Zeph. 3:9.