Page:Sermons preached in the African Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Thomas', Philadelphia.djvu/87

Rh our Lord, "the mouth speaketh." The faults uncharitably conceived of our neighbor, are now ungenerously exposed; exposed, too, while he has no opportunity of explaining, or of defending himself, for it is now done in his absence. These faults are exposed, not to secure themselves from injury, but to injure their neighbor, to lower the esteem that others may have towards him, and thus gratify that malignant spirit which is far below the Christian character. The tongue now is set in operation, and when that is the case, soon a great fire is kindled from a little matter. The tale-bearer now has his legitimate work to do. He listens attentively, occasionally smiles, with his ears wide open as he smiles, and when he gets as much as he can conveniently carry, he shoulders his burden, away he goes and lodges it at his neighbor's door. By adding a little, and saying with a significant nod,—I would not take it if I