January 7
Speak evil of no man — Titus 3:2.
If once the soldiers of the cross would get the proper thought, that slander and evil-speaking are assassinations of the character of another, and that defamation is robbery of another's good name, the sooner they will see this matter in its truly awful light, as it must appear in the Lord's sight; and once seeing the matter from this true, Divine standpoint, it must awaken the new heart, mind and will to the greatest activity possible in the overcoming of such works of the flesh and of the devil. Each will seek to purge out the old leaven of malice and envy and strife and crookedness and evil-speaking, that he may be pure in heart, a copy of the Lord—Z '03, 425 (R 3272). Each one of us has so many failings and others have so many good qualities, that it is unbecoming in any of us to speak ill of anyone. Our own floors should be cleanly swept before we attempt to sweep the floors of others, and the sweeping will help us better to sympathize with others. Only then may we say uncomplimentary things of others when their telling is prompted by the Golden Rule to prevent sure injury, if they are not told—P '31, 191. Parallel passages: Ex. 22:28; Psa. 10:7, 8; 34:13; 41:5-9; 64:2-5; Prov. 4:24; 10:11, 19, 31, 32; 12:5, 6, 13, 17-19; 15:1, 4, 28; 16:27, 28; 26:20-23, 28; Eccles. 10:11, 20; Isa. 32:6, 7; Matt. 12:34-37; Eph. 4:25, 29, 31; Jas. 3:5-10; 4:11. Hymns: 116, 32, 70, 151, 223, 260, 272. Poems of Dawn, 273: Three Gates of Gold. Tower Reading: Z '14, 264 (R 5528). Questions: Did I this week speak good or evil? Why? What were the circumstances, hindrances and results? |
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"THREE GATES OF GOLD"
LET every thought thy lips would utter pass three
gates of gold, —
But, if through these it fails to pass, then let it not
be told;
And o'er each gate in silver letters written thou wilt
find,
Above the first one, "Is it true?" the second, "Is it kind?"
And "Is it necessary?" o'er the third one and the
last.
Then guard thy thoughts, let none escape, save those
these gates have passed!
LET every thought thy lips would utter pass three
gates of gold, —
But, if through these it fails to pass, then let it not
be told;
And o'er each gate in silver letters written thou wilt
find,
Above the first one, "Is it true?" the second, "Is it kind?"
And "Is it necessary?" o'er the third one and the
last.
Then guard thy thoughts, let none escape, save those
these gates have passed!
