GOVERNMENT OF THE TONGUE.
The apostle James says, the _tongue_ is an unruly member, and that it
is easier to control a horse or a ship, or even to tame wild beasts and
serpents, than to govern the tongue. And, though a very little member,
it is capable of doing immense mischief. He even likens it to a fire.
A very small spark, thrown into a heap of dry shavings, in a wooden
house, in a great city, will make a terrible fire. It may burn up the
whole city. So a very few words, carelessly spoken by an ungoverned
tongue, may set a whole neighborhood on fire. You cannot, therefore, be
too careful how you employ your tongue. It is of the highest importance
to your character and usefulness, that you early acquire the habit of
controlling this unruly member. For the purpose of aiding you in this,
I shall give a few simple rules.
RULES FOR GOVERNING THE TONGUE.
I. _Think before you speak._--Many persons open their mouths, and set
their tongues a-going like the clapper of a wind-mill, as though the
object was, to see how many words could be uttered in a given time,
without any regard to their _quality_,--whether _sense_ or _nonsense_,
whether good, bad, or indifferent. A tongue, trained up in this way,
will never be governed, and must become a source of great mischief. But
accustom yourself, before you speak, to consider whether what you are
going to say is worth speaking, or whether it can do any mischief. If
you cultivate this habit, your mind will speedily acquire an activity,
that will enable you to make this consideration without waiting so
long before answering your companions as to be observed; and it will
impose a salutary restraint upon your loquacity; for you will find
others often taking the lead of conversation instead of yourself, by
seizing upon the pause that is made by your consideration. This will
be an advantage to you, in two ways. It will give you something better
to say, and will diminish the _quantity_. You will soon perceive that,
though you say less than some of your companions, your words have more
weight.
II. _Never allow yourself to talk nonsense._--The habit of careless,
nonsensical talking, is greatly averse to the government of the tongue.
It accustoms it to speak at random, without regard to consequences.
It often leads to the utterance of what is not strictly true, and thus
insensibly diminishes the regard for truth. It hardens the heart, and
cherishes a trifling, careless spirit. Moreover, if you indulge this
habit, your conversation will soon become silly and insipid.
III. _Do not allow yourself in the habit of_ JOKING _with your
companions._--This tends to cultivate severe sarcasm, which is a bad
habit of the tongue. And, if you indulge it, your strokes will be too
keen for your companions to bear; and you will lose their friendship.
IV. _Always speak the truth._--There is no evil habit, which the
tongue can acquire, more wicked and mischievous than that of speaking
falsehood. It is in itself very wicked; but it is not more wicked than
mischievous. If all were liars, there could be no happiness; because
all confidence would be destroyed, and no one would trust another. It
is very offensive to God, who is a _God of truth_, and who has declared
that all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire
and brimstone. It is a great affront and injury to the person that is
deceived by it. Many young persons think nothing of deceiving their
companions, in sport; but they will find that the habit of speaking
what is not true, even in sport, besides being intrinsically wrong,
will so accustom them to the utterance of falsehood, that they will
soon lose that dread of a lie which used to fortify them against it.
The habit of exaggeration, too, is a great enemy to truth. Where this
is indulged, the practice of uttering falsehood, without thought or
consideration, will steal on insensibly. It is necessary, therefore, in
detailing circumstances, to state them accurately, precisely as they
occurred, in order to cultivate the habit of truth-telling. Be very
particular on this head. Do not allow yourself so little an inaccuracy,
even, as to say you laid a book on the table, when you put it on the
mantel, or on the window-seat. In relating a story, it is not necessary
that you should state every minute particular, but that what you do
state should be exactly and circumstantially true. If you acquire this
habit of accuracy, it will not only guard you against the indulgence of
falsehood, but it will raise your character for truth. When people come
to learn that they can depend upon the critical accuracy of whatever
you say, it will greatly increase their confidence in you. But if you
grow up with the habit of speaking falsehood, there will be very little
hope of your reformation, as long as you live. The character that has
acquired an habitual disregard of truth is most thoroughly vitiated.
This one habit, if indulged and cherished, and carried with you from
childhood to youth, and from youth upwards, will prove your ruin.
V. Remember that _all truth is not to be spoken at all times_.--The
habit of uttering all that you know, at random, without regard to times
and circumstances, is productive of great mischief. If you accustom
your tongue to this habit, it will lead you into great difficulties.
There are many of our own thoughts, and many facts that come to our
knowledge, that prudence would require us to keep in our own bosom,
because the utterance of them would do mischief.
VI. _Never, if you can possibly avoid it, speak any thing to the
disadvantage of another._--The claims of justice or friendship may
sometimes require you to speak what you know against others. You may
be called to testify against their evil conduct in school, or before a
court of justice; or you may be called to warn a friend against an evil
or designing person. But, where no such motive exists, it is far better
to leave them to the judgment of others and of God, and say nothing
against them yourself.
VII. _Keep your tongue from tale-bearing._--There is much said in
the Scriptures against tattling. “Thou shalt not go up and down as
a tale-bearer, among the children of thy people.” “A tale-bearer
revealeth secrets.” “Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where
there is no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth.” Young people are apt to
imbibe a taste for neighborhood gossip, and to delight in possessing
family secrets, and in repeating personal matters, neighborhood
scandal, &c. But the habit is a bad one. It depraves the taste and
vitiates the character, and often is the means of forming for life the
vicious habit of tale-bearing. And tale-bearers, besides the great
mischief they do, are always despised, as mean, mischievous, and
contemptible characters.
If you will attentively observe and follow the foregoing rules, you
will acquire such a habit of governing the tongue, that it will be an
easy matter; and it will give dignity and value to your character, and
make you beloved and esteemed, as worthy the confidence of all.