sense as the Psalmist says, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Speech is a tremendous power because we usually employ it to express our thoughts. "Is there no one to rid me of this man!" exclaimed the furious Henry II., concerning Thomas a Becket. His thought expressed in these words started four men on the errand of murder, and in a few days the haughty priest was weltering in his blood at the foot of his own altar. The awful campaign of Napoleon to Moscow, killing half a million of men, has been traced by historians to the intemperate words of the Emperors Alexander and Napoleon.

What we see on this grand scale among men in power, is enacted constantly in the common walks of life. The majority of duels may be traced to articulate words, which conveyed the thoughts and feelings of the speaker to those about him. The single word "liar" or "villain" or "scoundrel," or some such epithet, has kindled the person insulted into a fury, and many thousand lives have been sacrificed in consequence.

We have sufficient opportunities to know that even intoxicating liquors, usually do not produce brawls, and low street fights, until they have thrust aside decency, self-respect, conscience, the sentinel of the lips, and then from the door of the lips have issued opprobrious words, to breed fury in the soul.

A very large share of contentions in society come from words which ought not to have been spoken; and in looking at this fact we may realize how divine the wisdom of Christ's precept and example, "who being reviled, reviled not again." -1 Pet. ii. 23.

Articulate words are an agency of prodigious power and our Lord declares, "Whosoever shall say Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire," Matt. v. 22; no doubt including in the sin the apparent fact, that those two words uttered might show an enmity in the speaker and beget an enmity in the hearer capable of putting the souls of both speaker and hearer in danger of hell fire, or at least kindling a fire in both souls like that of hell.

Articulate words are an agency of prodigious power. "What say you, gentlemen of the jury, is the prisoner at the bar guilty or not guilty?" What fatal force is in the one word "Guilty!""

What inconceivably solemn issues hung on these few words, "Lord, remember me, when thou comest into thy kingdom." And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto tle, "To day shalt thon be with me in Paradise!"-Luke xxiii. 42, 43.

That brief prayer, made up of a few words, resulted in the salvation of a sinner just sinking into perdition.

Words are a powerful agency in the world, and Christ says that "every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." -Matt. xii. 36, 37.

Words are to be reckoned among the great motive powers of society, for "therewith bless we God and therewith curse we men."-James iii. 8.

"A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth; and a word spoken in season, how good it is!" Prov. xv. 23; even "like apples of gold in pictures of silver."-Prov. xxv. 11. In contrast with this, the wise man declares that "a continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike," Prov. xxvii. 15; and that "it is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop than with a brawling woman in a wide house," Prov. xxi. 9; a remark which is as applicable to a fretful passionate husband, as to a wife, and in him they are inexcusable. But this state of family wretchedness is usually brought about by words. Could some kind power so guard the lips as to suffer no unkind words to come out, it would prevent more than half of the bitterness which distresses so many families; and well might each member of the family pray, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, keep the door of my lips."

Words are usually the very beginning of difficulties among neighbors, and it does not require a very hard word to start a quarrel or at least estrangement between friends. In almost every community, are persons, who, from thoughtlessness or wickedness, make it a business to keep society in a whirl. To do this requires only, that they should belong to a class called by the apostle "whisperers," Rom. i. 29; and by the wise man," tale bearers." Prov. xviii. "A whisperer separateth chief friends;" "where no wood is, the fire goeth out; so where there is no tale bearer (a whisperer) the strife ceaseth."-Prov. xvi. 28; xxvi. 20. I do protest to you that I am often astonished at the assiduous industry and ingenuity with which even very good people contrive to distress themselves and others, by nothing but words. It would seem as if whole hours were consumed in repeating idle words spoken by others, or in misrepresenting facts, or in dealing out words which gratify nothing but the enormous appetite which human nature has for mere "tittle tattle," idle, trifling talk, which is not seldom slanderous in its nature. The coolness with which character is dissected and mangled, is quite shocking; and so generally is this sort of suffering diffused through society, that it would be as difficult to find one who had not lost a relative by death, as to find one who has not more than one scar on him to show that words, hot as fire, had burnt and tortured him.

Society in this respect is like a company of reckless fellows shooting poisoned arrows at random, and every archer has had the poisoned barb driven into his own flesh.

Nor can we in this charge be looking at this one and the other one, and saying this is a wholesome thought for him; but we are all more or less guilty.

In looking over this illustration of the immense power of articulate words for good and for evil, and seeing what a tendency there is in human nature to use this power for evil, we may apprehend the meaning of these words, "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body."--Jumes iii. 2.

Having thus considered the tremendous power of articulate words, showing how appropriate is the prayer of the text, let us advance another step and mark,

II. Some special times and circumstances when the prayer, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: keep the door of my lips," may be offered with special fitness and with the hope that good will come of it.

1. One of these times is when we are conscious of anger in our own bosoms. "Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce: and their wrath for it was cruel," said the dying Israel of his sons, Simeon and Levi, for deeds done in anger.-Gen. xlix. 7. "Anger resteth in the bosom of fools," says the wise man. -Eccles. vii. 9.

Anger is in one sense a temporary insanity, when we look at things in a very different light from what we do when calm. Injuries of every kind look to an angry man to be of much greater importance than they really are. We are all aware of this fact, and who of us in anger has not said and done things for which we could give no excuse only that we were angry!

If this be so, then there is wisdom in the proverb as applied to words we may be tempted to use when angry, "The discretion of a man, deferreth his anger."-Prov. xix. 11.

Whenever we are angered by insult or injury, before we let out one "winged word" we ought to pray fervently, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: keep the door of my lips." I conceive it to be a dangerous business to speak words when anger is raging in the breast. In such a case silence and time are better, safer, happier than words.

2. When those we address are angry, we have reason to pray, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth."

There are occasions when one entirely calm, comes in contact with one who is angry, and who of course is likely to put a wrong construction on what is said to him. He is like one looking through a colored glass, which imparts its own colors to everything. The angry man hears words to which his excitement imparts a strange coloring.

If so, why risk words at all? or if you must speak, why utter any more than you are compelled to? The object of your speech is to convince, or explain, or conciliate, and you certainly have but a forlorn hope of doing what you wish, and run the risk of making matters worse.

Perhaps silence is wisdom in such a case; but if you must

speak, pray the Lord so to guard the door of your lips that only the soft answer that turneth away wrath may come forth. In such a temptation "the heart of the wise studieth to answer; but the mouth of the wicked poureth forth evil things."Prov. xv. 28.

3. We have reason to utter this prayer when speaking about persons against whom, and things against which, we know our selves to have strong prejudices.

Prejudice like anger is a sad medium through which to look at persons and things. When under its influence we are not unlike a jury packed to bring in a certain verdict without respect to law or evidence, and we inquire "can any good come out of Nazareth?"

But no part of our conduct is more likely to be affected by prejudice than our words. How hard it is to speak justly about those against whom we cherish prejudices! and how often do we see reason to regret words we have spoken under this influence !

This holds good in differences concerning religious and political opinions and in all the works of social life. We are in danger of doing serious injustice in speaking under the influence of prejudice and in all such cases have special reasons to pray, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: keep the door of my lips."

4. When in the presence of those who, wilfully or through ignorance, are likely to misconstrue and wrongly report our words. It is a safe rule and one which would prevent much trouble, never to say any thing about an absent person we should be unwilling to say in his presence. We often speak words about absent persons which we should have no hesitation in speaking before them, because conscious of no ill intentions, and yet some persons hear in such a strange way, and report with such ingenious perversions, that the friendliest words are converted into hostile speech and the kindest feelings into the malice of an enemy! Words reported by such can scarcely be recognized by the one who spoke them, so changed are they by emphasis and look, and in such entirely different circumstances are they placed.

This is done by some with bad intentions, and by others from mere thoughtlessness, but whatever the reason, the perversion rankles like poison, and produces mischief. There is perhaps not a day when some one does not observe this fact. Now if this be a fact, I can see a reason why in promiscuous society and even in the narrower circles of private friendship, each one should say with fervency, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: keep the door of my lips."

This is specially fit when speaking of the moral and religious qualities of others, since human nature is such that by its own instincts it relishes the sins of God's people as the leech does blood. 5. When we have reason to fear that the innocent will be injured by our words. What right has any one to discharge his

weapon at random when there is danger that he will maim or kill a human being? And in like manner what right has any one to utter words which may seriously injure the reputation of the innocent? Yet this is often done by having no sentinel to keep the door of the lips, and the prayer of the text is appropriate whenever we speak about those who may be wronged by what

we say.

6. Whenever we have reason to stand in doubt of our own mo tives in speaking. Motives are what some persons are not accustomed to look at, but the day will come when the Searcher of hearts will examine into our motives whether we do or not. Sometimes the motive from which we speak is the wish to say something entertaining, and which will attract attention. This prevails much among what are known as "good story tellers," who are not apt to be very accurate in their narratives nor careful about their motives: except the one motive to entertain their hearers.

Sometimes the motive from which we speak is the wish to secure some personal end. This is the sin of politicians of every grade and hue, and is the very stuff out of which is woven many a public speech or written article on men and things. I grieve to add that it enters largely and often into the discussions and differences between religious sects and denominations.

The same motive afflicts every grade and condition of society; and one must be quite blind if he can live in society a week without seeing the odious thing. Sometimes the motive is the comparatively innocent one of wanting to say something. It is easier to repeat what one has seen and heard than to engage in intelligent conversation on some profitable theme. The last requires thought, the former only memory. And yet the wish to say something which leads to so much unprofitable conversation, is a very questionable motive, and, I much fear, will not be approved in the day of judgment.

Sometimes we speak to gratify some feeling of pique or prejudice, or anger, and of this motive of speech we need not stand in doubt a moment, for it is, without doubt, a motive of which we shall be ashamed, and the indulgence of which will cause us regret. Let these suffice as illustrations of the kinds of motives from which we may utter words. These motives, and similar ones, when acting on our minds and hearts, ought to lead good people to pray, Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: keep the door of my lips."

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7. To professing Christians let me say, when in the presence of the wicked, silently offer this prayer to God:-" Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: keep the door of my lips."

In another Psalm (xxxix. 1) David says, "I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue:" "I will keep my mouth with a bridle (or muzzle) while the wicked is before me;" and