​September 10

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers — Eph. 4:29.
 
The depraved taste hedges itself behind conscience, and declares that it is always right to speak the truth, and hence God cannot have meant that speaking the truth would be slander; but that in condemning evil-speaking and slander, as works of the flesh and the devil, He must have meant the speaking of that which is false, untrue. This is a great mistake; a slander is equally a slander, whether it be true or whether it be false, and is so regarded, not only in the law of God but also in the laws of civilized men. A slander is anything which is uttered with the intention of injury to another, whether true or false, and the laws of men agree with the law of God, that such injury to another is wrong—Z '99, 70 (R 2442).
 
Corrupt communications consist of all language which tends to deprave others physically, mentally, morally or religiously. So much of such language is spoken that by contrast we should be on the alert to counteract its influence. As the salt of the earth, we should express only such thoughts as have a seasoning, nourishing and preserving effect on people's bodies, minds and hearts. Words are the most potent things in the world; and the most potent words are those that express God's thoughts. So far as possible let us use our language to express God's thoughts only, and thereby we will prove a blessing to all rightly disposed hearts—P '36, 110.
 
Parallel passages: Psa. 5:9; 52:2; 73:7-9; 1 Cor. 15:33; Eph. 5:3, 4; Col. 3:8; 4:6; 1 Thes. 5:11; Col. 3:16; Deut. 6:6, 7; Mal. 3:16, 17; Prov. 15:7; Matt. 12:36, 37; Titus 3:2; Jas. 3:2-8; 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:1.

Hymns: 116, 154, 275, 122, 49, 44, 296.
Poems of Dawn, 106: What a Friend We Have in Jesus.
Tower Reading: Z '11, 62 (R 4770).

Questions: What was the character of this week's speech? Why was it so? What were its effects?

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WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

"WHAT a friend we have in Jesus,"
Sang a little child one day;
And a weary woman listened
To the darling's happy lay.

All her life seemed dark and gloomy,
All her heart was sad with care;
Sweetly rang out baby's treble,— ​
"All our sins and griefs to bear."

She was pointing out the Savior
Who could carry every woe;
And the one who sadly listened
Needed that dear Helper so!

Sin and grief were heavy burdens
For a fainting soul to bear;
But the baby singer bade her
"Take it to the Lord in prayer."

With a simple, trusting spirit,
Weak and worn, she turned to God,
Asking Christ to take her burden,
Owning Him as her dear Lord.

Jesus was her only refuge,
He could take her sin and care,
And He blessed the weary woman
When she came to Him in prayer.

And the happy child, still singing,
Little knew she had a part
In God's wondrous work of bringing
Peace unto a troubled heart.

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