Much of our character depends upon what we hear. A person may be saved or
lost by what reaches him through the ear. The ear has no defense. It is
open to every sound. It cannot be deaf. It _must_ hear. We cannot open it
to one person or shut it to another. It is filled with songs of deepest
thoughts or words of ugliest shape without choosing either. It is at the
mercy, and the soul as well, of whatever is uttered. The ear is
falsehood’s, as well as truth’s, servant. It carries what it hears, and is
as faithful to the vilest as to the purest speech. It is temptation’s
peculiar channel. The eyes may be shut, the lips may be closed, but the
ear is always open. We may decide what we will say, what we will see, but
not what we shall hear.
We perceive how important it is that none but pure, true, brave and
sincere words be spoken. If a person never heard a bad word he would never
utter one. The character of everyone born into the world is determined
largely by the world. Men do pretty much what they are taught to do. The
heart at birth is pure, and were it not taught impurity, would remain so.
We regard the ear as the chief door of the assault against the human
heart. Guard the ear and you save the boy and girl.