"Tis slander Whose edge is sharper than the sword; whose tongue All corners of the world: Kings, Queens, and States, This viperous slander enters." Its general practice has blunted our sensibilities to its fearful hideousness. So long as it attacks our neighbor, we accept its utterances and repeat them again in solemn measure. But when its poisonous fangs are thrust into our life blood, we are aroused to view it, as it more justly deserves. Suffering character pleads for virtuous self-defence. The agents of slander are not always conscious ones. Perhaps but few of us regard it what it is, nor recognize it in all its forms. Permit me to state some of these forms without attempting to discuss them. Dr. Barrow says, " slander is uttering false speeches against our neighbor, to the prejudice of his reputation-his personal safety and welfare. That man is a slanderer who charges others with facts, of which they are not guilty-who affixes scandalous names and hateful characters where they are not deserved-who dares to asperse another man's actions with foul names, intimating that these actions proceed from corrupt principles, or that their ultimate tendency is evil when it is not true. He is a slanderer, who perverts your words, or your acts to your disadvantage, and does it by evident or secret misconstruction-who represents your conduct or your sayings but partially and indifferently, by which he suppresses some part of the truth, or conceals some circumstance which ought to be explained-who instils sly suggestions which will create prejudice against you-who magnifies your imperfections and faults-who imputes to your practices, judgment or profession, evil consequences which have no foundation in truth." This catalogue is not full as here presented, neither is there a statement over-drawn. Examine the subject. View it in the face of these facts, and how many are busied in this soul-destroying vice! How few are free from its practice! Of all characters in society the slanderer is the most odious and the most likely to produce mischief. Hear the God of all the earth say, "Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I cut off." A specimen of the slanderer's art and the manner of procedure is furnished in this passage:-"It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel; for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king according to these words." Neh. vi. 6. These words were addressed to Nehemiah by letter. Nehemiah was a Jew-the cup-bearer to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. He heard of the great distress of his countrymen and in great affliction, he petitions Artaxerxes for permission to go up to Jerusalem, as governor, with a commission to rebuild the walls around the city, which had been destroyed by the Chaldeans. He asks further to be permitted to provide for the security and prosperity of his people. The request is granted. He starts to fulfil his new mission in the fear of God and in reliance on His strength. Nehemiah meets with much and serious opposition in the accomplishment of his pur pose, but nothing daunted he labors on. His enemies tried to frighten him-then to deceive him, and now they resort to the foulest methodthat of slander. I. Notice the sphere in which this evil report was circulated. It was among the heathen. Sanballet and his confederates not daring to openly attack the Jews, were yet zealous to prevent the completion of the fortifications. They attemped by strategy to draw Nehemiah from his station and get him into their wicked hands. Therefore on some plausible pretence they invited him to an interview; but he being aware of their intentions came not. As they were baffled in this design, they now devise a still more subtle and dangerous stratagem. Sanballet sent, under pretence of friendship, to inform Nehemiah of a report in circulation, that the Jews were preparing to revolt from the king of Persia and place him on the throne. He further adds, that he had employed prophets to preach this to them as the will of God. This Gashmu said was a fact, and he was prepared to prove it. The report was circulated among the surrounding nations, who had no sympathy with the Jews, but rather looked on them with hatred and contempt. Sanballet and his friends, hoped this report would soon come to the ear of Artaxerxes and bring upon the Jews the whole weight of his indignation. Had it been true, had such a report been circulated, there would have been just causes for alarm. Those despotic kings often, upon the least suspicion, drove their subjects into rebellion as their only hope of self-preservation. But there was no truth in this report. It was a base falsehood, conceived maliciously and circulated in the most artful manner. The whole design was to alarm Nehemiah, and thus render him incapable of proceeding further in his work. Notice the wily proceedings of this infamous slanderer. This letter was sent open. The design of this was, to make known its contents to the people, hoping thereby to excite them to mutiny; or, if this should fail, to inspire them with such fear of the Persians as would induce them to forsake their work. Then too, Sanballet proposes to counsel with Nehemiah, as if he and his friends were desirous of concerting measures for their common safety. All this was an artful device prompted by the Father of lies-based upon a vile slander, to get Nehemiah in their power, that they might do him harm. It is a melancholy truth, and one you should know, that men every where are very ready to believe and circulate injurious reports respecting those, with whom they are at enmity, or for whom, at least, they feel no sympathy and affection. Let a report injurious to one political organization be started, and how soon it is caught up by the opposite party-how magnified and with what fearful rapidity published! The press, the passive agent, is worked with impetuous haste. The base report is printed and scattered far and wide, increasing in venom as it circulates. The Press! what an instrument of saving power, as from its cylinder drop the leaves of truth, which shall be for the healing of the nations; becomes in the service of the slanderer a potent agency for evil. Through it thousands of receptive hearts are more and more deeply poisoned and the innocent subject is doomed in their minds to living infamy. Is it not a solemn truth that the watchful parent sees with trembling the party organ enter his house, filled criminations and recriminations of baser sort? He may, to some degree, resist the power for evil upon himself, but it is not so with his little ones of mobile character and receptive minds. In What is true in matters politic, is no less so in matters social. family difficulties, how humiliating, how awfully criminal, and yet how true it is, that vile assertions, wicked representations are made and circulated with no foundation in truth. What baseness of soul it portrays, and yet the public is greedy to hear and cherish just such infamy! In difficulties in neighborhoods, how the watchful gossiper catches up the first note of discord, and with powers of exaggeration, out-done only by him in whose service he is, rehearses in plaintive strains, the wrongs which he should strive to conceal and silence. No condition, or state of the individual or society, is exempt from his attack, neither is the Church. The people of God-his visible Church— constitute a body, with which the world, lying in wickedness, cannot sympathize. The people of God are liable to grievous, misrepresentations on the part of those, who are not of them and do not regard them with favor and love. Upon this all professing Christians must calculate. Keeping this in view, they should be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves." A thousand slanders will die away one after another; while the malice of their authors will be exposed. But one real crime leaves an indelible stain upon a man's character and often seriously interferes with his future usefulness. We as Christians have no right to take a defiant, any more than a time-serving attitude towards the unconverted. We are bound to take heed that our good be not evil spoken of. Nehemiah was conscious of his innocence, and hence he simply denied the charge, and so continued to labor on as he had done. Instead of weakening, it rather strengthened his hands. II. Notice the report itself. It was, as all slanders are, a lie, and in this instance was based on a pretence. "Thou and the Jew, think to rebel." The ground of this accusation was based upon the fact, that Nehemiah, and his associates were rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. The slanderer is as ingenious as he is malicious. Almost any thing will do as the foundation for his scandalous reports. A seeming indication is improved for evil to his neighbor. His ingenuity outvies that of all other inventors. It is sharpened by all the subtlety, craftiness and wisdom of the spirit of lies. He has an instinctive apprehension of the fact, that men love evil reports concerning those whom they hate. He knows they will not be particular in investigating the foundation of his statements. For us to believe evil of those whom we dislike is an infirmity. We need to be ever watchful of ourselves with increasing vigilance and prayer. This disposition needs not to be fostered, but crucified. But for us to speak evil of those whom we dislike is a sin, which cries for vengeance. Evil speaking attacks character which is dearer to man than life. Character is worth more than possession of gold, or silver, or estates. Rob a man of his character-his good name-by false reports, and he walks the earth a living spectre-a lifeless body. The slanderer will at length awake to the sound of words such as startled the fratricidal murderer Cain. "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth to me from the ground." So will the voice of ruined character cry to Heaven for vengeance. Fearful as is this evil every where, it is still more dreadful when found amongst those who are the professed followers of Jesus Christ. There was a time when the Church held in horror the exhibition of gladiators and denied that believers, brought up in the tenderness and benignity of Jesus Christ, could innocently feast their eyes with the blood and death of these unfortunate slaves. No harmless recreation could be found in so inhuman a pleasure. But these slanderers renew more detestable shows. They bring upon the stage, not wretches devoted to death-but members of the same congregation-members of Jesus Christ-their brethren. They entertain the spectator with wounds, which they inflicton persons, who have devoted themselves to the service of God, and are, in every sense, their betters. From taking part in, or even looking upon such iniquity, we beseech you to abstain. III. Notice who is the chief agent of this slanderous report, "Gashmu saith it." This Gashmu was an Arabian and the companion of Sanballet. He was altogether like his associates, full of envy and hatred against the Jews, and especially against Nehemiah. He was a decided enemy of God's people. He probably had plenty of leisure (as most busy-bodies and slanderers have) to go around among the heathen and circulate his calumnies. One such tale-bearer is enough to keep a whole community in constant commotion with his lies. In truth, we generally find some Gashmu, or Gashmu's wife-for she is often quite as efficient as he,-acting the part of chief agent in every scandalous report. Unless we can get rid of him or her, there is but little hope of peace. He rides a swift horse. He circulates his calumniations and scandalous reports faster than honest men can contradict them. At this the wise man hints, when he says, "where no wood is, there the fire goeth out; so where there is no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth." Again: "Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.' One Gashmu with his tongue "set on fire of hell," will for years destroy the peace of any community. All ye who love peace and truth, avoid him-look upon him as a walking pestilence. Avoid the famous, or rather infamous "they say," he reports no good. Take, if you choose, a venemous reptile into the bosom of your family-make it the companion of your leisure moments-take the deadly infection of some loathsome disease-nestle closer to it, but take not Gashmu nor his wife as your associates. He will harm you a thousand fold more than either reptile or infectious disease can. Be on your guard and when you meet any of their progeny-slimy crawling, venomous lies-crush them as you would the deadly adder in your path. "Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, The whole power and policy of Satan and his servants, have always been directed against those, who zealously seek the welfare of the Church of Christ. They may be often baffled, yet they seem not to weary in their projects. The minister of the Gospel is often the butt of their infamy. The holier the calling and the higher the position attained, the keener the shafts of envy and slander. You have no more dangerous enemy than he, who is concealed behind the mask of professed friendship. Of all such be wary. Be not overcome by their importunities. Better offend men by refusal, than sin against God by compliance. Be always usefully employed, and in the fear of God. There will be invitations and proposals which you cannot profitably accept, and which you can scarcely refuse. Answer as did Nehemiah, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. You always come down when you enter circles where no good is done. Stand to your work. The deceitful smiles of the world often form a temptation. Withstand them. Do your duty. Because you do this, you may expect reproaches, slanders. Your firmness will be called obstinacy, your zeal, rashness, your activity, ambition. You will be told how you affront your friends. The faithful servants of God have in all ages thus been traduced. The blessed Jesus, was reviled and evil spoken of and surely the servant is not above his Master. "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake; for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Keep a clear conscience, a lively faith, and continue in duty. Simply deny all calumnies, but waste no time in altercations or self-vindications. You have no time for that. Your work is urgent. Pray God for Christ's sake to strengthen your hands and encourage your heart, and he will carry you above the discouragements of earth, and at last translate you to the glories of heaven. THE TRAVELLERS. BY THE EDITOR. Yes, there are grades and classes in human society. We must accept the facts in the case. There is no getting round it. The venerable paper which says all men are born "free and equal," also says that they have certain "inalienable rights;" hence some men claim the right of not being like others. Though all may be born equal, they do not long stay equal. Among the classes of society, there is one that always peculiarly interests us. It is the fraternity of travellers. We do not refer to that now extinct class, that used to travel, with regular knapsack, on business, before rail-roads were built. Travelling on business is a selfish exercise; and hence those who pursued the vocation in earlier and simpler times, gave it up as soon as a more convenient way of bodily transportation presented itself. The class we refer to, are the genuine travellers, who travel without business, from a pure love to the profession, and who therefore keep it up in spite of rail-roads. Have you never seen one of them as the cars, in which you were borne along, crossed some turnpike or public road. There he goes. He never looks up at the cars. He has a perfect contempt for such-like innovations. The Indians, who, in early times, came out of the far off forests to the cities along the Western Lakes to sell skins, never expressed any surprise at the white man's steamboats, which puffed so proudly and powerfully along the |