Twenty-Four Short Sermons On The Doctrine Of Universal Salvation | Page 3

extreme,
must be very injurious to health, and long life, when indulged
frequently and even moderately.
There being then such an intimate connexion between the mind and
body, and so many thousands of ways in which one alternately acts
upon, and effects the other, and brings millions to an untimely grave,
we see at once the propriety of not only guarding our health by
temperance in eating and drinking, but more particularly by avoiding
troubles of a mental character. These are generally brought upon
individuals, families and neighborhoods, by the bad use of the tongue.
Would you live long that you may see good days? Then keep thy
tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile, seek peace and
pursue it. Avoid every species of iniquity that would have a tendency to
blast your own or the peace of others. Avoid it as you would the
poisonous exhalations of the Bohon Upas, and fly it as you would the
dreadful Samiel of the Arabian desert.
SERMON II
"What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may
see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile;
depart from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it." Psalm
xxxiv:12-14.
We have shown in our last number that the truth of this text is based
upon philosophy, and verified by experience and observation: that
nothing is more destructive to health and longevity than to indulge in
the revengeful passions of our nature; and that constant fear, grief and
melancholy are also destructive to the human constitution, and
withering to the dearest joys of life. We have shown that violent anger,
revenge and most of the malignant passions originate from the bad use
of the tongue; and that if we would live long and see good, we must
give heed to our ways by following the injunctions of the text. We now
propose a further discussion of this subject, addressed particularly to
the young.

A single spark of fire has often wrapped a city in conflagration. Great
effects not unfrequently flow from small causes. The apostle James
says, see chap. iii--"Behold also the ships, which though they be so
great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet they are turned about with a
very small helm whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue
is a little member and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter
a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity; so is
the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and
setteth on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire of hell. For every
kind of beasts and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea is
tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind. But the tongue can no man
tame; it is an unruly member full of deadly poison." The apostle, in the
above quotation, has reference to those who have so long indulged in
evil speaking that it has become, as it were, an incurable habit. If any
man makes a practice of slandering his neighbors, and disturbing the
peace of the community, it is immaterial to what church he may belong,
or what os-tentatious professions he may make, he is, notwithstanding
all this, destitute of christianity.
It is a painful fact that the religion of the present day is too much
accommodated to the fashions and customs of the world. Let a man, for
instance, use profane language, or get intoxicated, and he will readily
be suspended from the communion of the church. But let him slander
his neighbors, and little or no notice is taken of his conduct. And let
him slander other denominations; and it becomes, as it were, a virtue;
whereas the fact is that the latter, according to the book of God, is
much the greatest crime. It is therefore wise to lay, in early youth, a
foundation for a tranquil, virtuous and long life.
Thus you see my young friends that virtue and happiness, temperance,
prosperity and longevity are inseparably connected by the Author of
our being, who has made them to depend in a great measure upon our
conduct. You have also seen that sin and misery, intemperance in body,
and also intemperance in mind, such as evil speaking, violent anger,
commotions, griefs and troubles, and a premature grave, are likewise
inseparably and wisely connected.

And now, my young friends, which will you choose? If you love life
and desire to see many days, let me exhort you to choose the former,
and to drink freely out of that golden cup in which every earthly joy of
unbroken felicity is mingled by the unerring hand of divine mercy; and
let me warn you to reject the