One of the first things the doctor does when he comes to see you, is to
ask to look at your tongue, and one glance will tell him how much
difficulty he has to contend with. If the tongue is foul, he knows that
there is inward mischief, and he must lose no time in cleansing that of
which the tongue is but an indicator.
As we pass along our streets our ears are assailed with language of the
most horrid description. If one needed any information as to the state
of public morals, the foul-mouthed men and boys, aye, and we regret to
say, too often, women and girls, would tell of the state of heart into
which many thousands of our country people have been corrupted. And in
many cases, this has become habitual, and what might be termed natural.
Can nothing be done? Is the name of the Divine Being and that of our
Saviour to be profaned constantly without any check? If so, it will grow
worse and worse, until we may expect national sin to bring down national
punishment, and we shall have to say, "Because of swearing the land
mourneth."
Those who have charge of the education of our children might help, by
constantly speaking against bad language, and by punishing those who
continue to offend. Parents, also, should check the slightest tendency
in this direction. We have heard of a good woman, who, overhearing one
of her boys using what she called "dirty words," took him to the sink,
and washed out his mouth, not sparing the soap! Sometimes when we have
heard men defiling their tongues with filthy talk, we have wished their
mothers had served them the same.
Nor is this offence against God and good taste always confined to the
ignorant. There are those who have been well taught--men of ability, and
some who make a profession of religion, who indulge in unseemly language,
and delight in stories which are termed "smutty." We know how farmers
dislike the "smut" in their wheat, how an otherwise good crop will be
lowered in value, because the black grain will, when ground, darken the
flour. Is it not so with these men of unclean lips? The filthy
allusions and improper stories which pollute their conversation make
their life infectious, and their companionship dangerous. Let us reprove
them, or at least avoid them, as we would the plague.
If we would keep a clean tongue, we must pray "Create in me a clean
heart, O God!" This can be done, and the Lord, who has told us that He
will not admit into His heaven that which worketh abomination, will
gladly cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of His holy
Spirit, then shall our tongue glorify Him continually.
Should this fall into the hands of one of those whose foul tongue shews
that his heart is corrupt, we would ask him how he would like to have his
conversation reported by a short-hand writer, and printed in the
"Standard," or "Daily News," with his name attached? But is it not a
fact, that his words are being taken down, and when the books are opened
before an assembled universe at the last day, will not his soul tremble,
as he finds that God has listened all the time, and the language used
years ago, is to control his destiny, for He who will come to be our
Judge has said to the swearer and filthy speaker--
"BY THY WORD THOU SHALT BE CONDEMNED."