Penalty of Evil-speaking.
The awkward predicaments into which persons are liable to be brought by being thrown into the society of those whom they have at some time abused, was illustrated in the case of a young man who had acted rudely toward a certain minister and his wife under circumstances peculiarly delicate, and a few months afterwards, being about to marry a young lady of that minister's congregation, was obliged to call upon him to solemnize the marriage, though he had made no reparation for the injury, not anticipating that he should ever be brought in contact with the person he had wronged. He confessed afterwards to a friend, that while he stood by his bride on the floor, and was taking from the lips of the minister the vows of conjugal fidelity, his mind was agitated by the recollection of what he had done, at a time when he little expected he should ever stand face to face with that minister. When the sinner shall stand face to face before God in the great day, how noisy will memory be and how upbraiding will conscience be? The man who now, in the midst of life, neglects Christ and does despite to the Spirit, little thinks what a meeting he will have with the injured Saviour—then his Judge.—Sel.