Governing the Tongue

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 19, 1865

Governing the Tongue

THE Editor of the Earnest Christian in an article on "Governing the Tongue," has the following pertinent remarks on evil speaking. It may help some who hope hereafter to be found "without guile in their mouths." G.

"Evil speaking is a crying sin. Professing saints are not free from it. You meet with it everywhere. There is your blunt slanderer. He is open in his accusations. Everybody knows what he thinks of his acquaintances. He seeks to quiet his convictions that he is doing wrong, by quoting that maxim of the devil first uttered in hell, "you may as well say it as think it." Then there is your accomplished, sanctimonious slanderer. His manners are easy, and his words unctuous. He deals chiefly in insinuations. They are so artfully framed and accompanied with so many expressions of regret, that before you are aware of it the virus of jealousy, and distrust is rankling in your veins. His words are smoother than oil, but sharper than a drawn sword. Ye accusers of the brethren, do not ye know that God hath said, SPEAK EVIL OF NO MAN. Is it not one characteristic of the man who shall gain Heaven, that he taketh not up a reproach against his neighbor? He may find this reproach going the rounds. Some one may leave it at his very door; but he will not take it up. It may lie there till it perishes, but he will not touch it."

Then let this evil speaking forever cease among those who call themselves the disciples of Christ. Do permit us to have confidence in good men. It is better to be deceived a dozen times a day, than to look upon everybody with suspicion. When you detect yourself about to say anything to the injury of another, hold in your tongue with bit and bridle. Keep it in subjection. Our words have quite as great an effect upon our own feelings as upon those of others. Talk wrong, even in sport, and you will soon feel wrong.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you with all malice; and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.