or one day. Now, God does hear every word spoken throughout the
world. All that men say, good or bad, wise or foolish, is known to
that God to whom all hearts are open, and from whom no secrets are hid.
And more than this, these words of ours are noted in God's Book of
Remembrance, from which we shall one day be judged. When a man is
taken into custody on suspicion of having committed some crime, he is
always warned that whatever he may say will be used in evidence against
him. Such a man is very careful to keep a curb upon his tongue. My
brothers, we have all need to remember that for every idle word we must
give account, and that what we say every day of our life will be used
as evidence against us, since "by our words we shall be justified, and
by our words we shall be condemned."

I have read of one of old time who, being unable to read, came to a
Priest, and asked to be taught a Psalm. Having learnt the verse, "I
said I will take heed to my ways, that I offend not with my tongue," he
went away, saying that was enough if it were carried out practically.
Six months later he was asked why he had not come to learn another
Psalm, and he answered simply that he had not yet been able to master
what he had learned already.

Most important, then, and most necessary among Christian duties, is
control of the tongue, and yet it is much neglected. Many, who would
hesitate to do a foolish or wicked thing, do not scruple to say what is
both unwise and wrong. There are men living respectable and clean
lives who yet love to tell an unclean story. There are those who sing
God's praises in Church, and pray earnestly, and with the same tongue
swear and use bad language when their temper is ruffled. Out of the
same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. There are some good mothers,
perhaps, who would shudder at a bad word, or an immodest story, who yet
habitually sin with their tongue. They shoot out their arrows, even
bitter words, which wound a sister's reputation, and leave scars which
never pass away. Truly says a well-known writer, "Heaven keep us from
the destroying power of words. There are words which sever hearts more
than sharp swords do; there are words, the points of which sting the
heart through the course of a whole life."

My brothers, we all, like a deadly serpent, carry a fearful weapon in
our tongue, and woe unto our happiness, and that of others, if the
poison of asps is under our lips. No one has learn