1907
The Penitent Scotsman Found His Load a Heavy One
A clergyman In Scotland observed with much perturbation that a member of his congregation was greatly given to the use of strong language. Over and over again he remonstrated with the man to give up the bad habit. In time the man himself came to see the error of his ways, and desired no less earnestly to break himself of the use of bad language. The difficulty, however, was to find a method of doing so. One day the clergyman hit upon a happy thought.
"Get a bag," he said to the man. "and every time you swear put a pebble into it. At the end of the month you will bring that bag to me. I will count the pebbles and see what the effect has been."
The man accepted the idea with alacrity. He got a bag, and, religiously, every time he swore what Mr. Gilbert in the "Pinafore" calls a "big, big D," he duly put a pebble into it. At the end of the month he went to the clergyman, taking the bag with him. It was not an easy task, for, as any one might see, the bag was very full and very heavy. He went into the clergyman's study and put the bag on the table.
The minister looked up with a serious expression. "This is very serious, my friend. I am sorry to see you have so many pebbles in the bag."
"Hoot, minister!" exclaimed the man cheerfully; "this is only the 'devil's' — the 'damns' are all at the dikeside in another bag. They were over heavy to bring up!" — Excelsior.
Showing posts with label cursing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cursing. Show all posts
Sunday, May 27, 2007
There's No Vice Quite Like Profanity
1828
PROFANITY
There is no vice committed, which promises so little profit and gratification as Profanity — few vices have a more powerful effect in lessening our reverence to the Supreme Being — weakening the bands of civil society — and degrading us in the estimation of the good and the wise. — Almost every other crime has a tolerable pretext for the commission — Swearing stands unprotected, either by mental or sensual enjoyments — it may emphatically be called an absurd and an inconsistent vice, as the moment gives no gratification, and promises us no advantage or profit in future.
The Drunkard receives immediate pleasure from the intoxicating draught — the Thief expects to gain profit by his infamous employment — the Murderer gratifies his vengeance for a real or supposed injury — and even the Traitor has in view the advancement of himself in the destruction of his country. Weak and impotent is the gratification of the Profane Swearer — he tosses from his tongue irreverently the name of that ALMIGHTY BEING; 'in whom he lives, moves and has his being.' He on every slight occasion calls on his creator to damn his soul to the regions of despair and misery — and was not our God a merciful and benevolent Being, 'who delighteth not in the death of a sinner,' his situation would be too dreadful to paint — too wretched to imagine. Separate from the dread and fear of the indignation of the ALMIGHTY in the other world, the effect produced on society, by profane swearing, in this world, has a direct tendency to destroy the moral and religious institutions of our country — and in some instances would prostrate the property, blast the reputation, and endanger the lives of our citizens. What confidence, follow citizens, can you have in the oath of that man, in a court of justice, although he calls the SUPREME BEING to the truth of his testimony, when in every circle he enters, with every man he meets, he uses the name of that God, who is the author of every good and every perfect gift, with irreverence. The obligation and the solemnity of an oath are destroyed — and the idea of perjury being a crime has no effect on the mind. See a man trembling on the verge of the grave — see his head whitened with age, his limbs feeble and inactive — and his soul just ready to leave his decayed body to appear at the bar of his God — bear this man, who instead of saying, 'God be merciful to me a sinner,' hear him using expressions of profanity, which palsey the feelings of the soul. Language would fail to express our sentiments of such a man — we only regret that he possesses no other mark of humanity than the form of a man.
—The Delaware Weekly Advertiser and Farmers Journal, Wilmington, Delaware, July 31, 1828, p. 1.
PROFANITY
There is no vice committed, which promises so little profit and gratification as Profanity — few vices have a more powerful effect in lessening our reverence to the Supreme Being — weakening the bands of civil society — and degrading us in the estimation of the good and the wise. — Almost every other crime has a tolerable pretext for the commission — Swearing stands unprotected, either by mental or sensual enjoyments — it may emphatically be called an absurd and an inconsistent vice, as the moment gives no gratification, and promises us no advantage or profit in future.
The Drunkard receives immediate pleasure from the intoxicating draught — the Thief expects to gain profit by his infamous employment — the Murderer gratifies his vengeance for a real or supposed injury — and even the Traitor has in view the advancement of himself in the destruction of his country. Weak and impotent is the gratification of the Profane Swearer — he tosses from his tongue irreverently the name of that ALMIGHTY BEING; 'in whom he lives, moves and has his being.' He on every slight occasion calls on his creator to damn his soul to the regions of despair and misery — and was not our God a merciful and benevolent Being, 'who delighteth not in the death of a sinner,' his situation would be too dreadful to paint — too wretched to imagine. Separate from the dread and fear of the indignation of the ALMIGHTY in the other world, the effect produced on society, by profane swearing, in this world, has a direct tendency to destroy the moral and religious institutions of our country — and in some instances would prostrate the property, blast the reputation, and endanger the lives of our citizens. What confidence, follow citizens, can you have in the oath of that man, in a court of justice, although he calls the SUPREME BEING to the truth of his testimony, when in every circle he enters, with every man he meets, he uses the name of that God, who is the author of every good and every perfect gift, with irreverence. The obligation and the solemnity of an oath are destroyed — and the idea of perjury being a crime has no effect on the mind. See a man trembling on the verge of the grave — see his head whitened with age, his limbs feeble and inactive — and his soul just ready to leave his decayed body to appear at the bar of his God — bear this man, who instead of saying, 'God be merciful to me a sinner,' hear him using expressions of profanity, which palsey the feelings of the soul. Language would fail to express our sentiments of such a man — we only regret that he possesses no other mark of humanity than the form of a man.
—The Delaware Weekly Advertiser and Farmers Journal, Wilmington, Delaware, July 31, 1828, p. 1.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
He Died as He Lived
1915
"Begone!" cried a young skeptic to a clergyman; "I want none of your cant," when he showed him the great need of repentance. "I am not going to die, and, if I were, I would die as I have lived."
The physician came, to whom he said, "O tell me I'm not dying; I will not die!" "My poor friend, I cannot speak falsely to you; your soul will, ere long, be with your God." "My God!" he said. "I have no God save the world; I have stifled conviction, I have fought against God. I have resisted my mother's pleadings; and now you tell me that I must die. Do you know," he added in an awful whisper, "all that means? If I die today I shall go to hell! Take it back; tell me I'm not going to die. Father," he said," 'twas you who taught me this, you who led me on in this way; and now you say I'm going to die Stand back!" he shrieked; "I will not die!"
And a torrent of invective issued from his fever-parched lips, so terrible in their madness that it seemed like a wail from the sea of woe. No wonder the poor mother was borne, fainting from the room, and the father's brow was corrugated, while great drops of agony rested there. Oh, that infidel father! How must his heart have bled in that dreadful hour, when, in the midst of dire cursings, his gifted son fell back a corpse!
"Begone!" cried a young skeptic to a clergyman; "I want none of your cant," when he showed him the great need of repentance. "I am not going to die, and, if I were, I would die as I have lived."
The physician came, to whom he said, "O tell me I'm not dying; I will not die!" "My poor friend, I cannot speak falsely to you; your soul will, ere long, be with your God." "My God!" he said. "I have no God save the world; I have stifled conviction, I have fought against God. I have resisted my mother's pleadings; and now you tell me that I must die. Do you know," he added in an awful whisper, "all that means? If I die today I shall go to hell! Take it back; tell me I'm not going to die. Father," he said," 'twas you who taught me this, you who led me on in this way; and now you say I'm going to die Stand back!" he shrieked; "I will not die!"
And a torrent of invective issued from his fever-parched lips, so terrible in their madness that it seemed like a wail from the sea of woe. No wonder the poor mother was borne, fainting from the room, and the father's brow was corrugated, while great drops of agony rested there. Oh, that infidel father! How must his heart have bled in that dreadful hour, when, in the midst of dire cursings, his gifted son fell back a corpse!
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