Morning Star

Profanity. Perhaps there are but very few profane swearers that read a religious paper, yet it is possible that this article may meet the eye of some one who almost constantly takes the awful name of God in vain. The third commandment in the decalogue is, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain," and yet in this Christian land, this land of bibles and bible knowledge, thousands are daily and almost momentarily trampling on the authority of that God whose voice when he uttered this command shook the earth, and whose voice will ere long shake not the earth only, but also heaven. "It is here," as one of old expressed it, "by reason of swearing that the land mourneth." How would the swearer feel should God speak to him as he did on Sinai's mount? But He has not only prohibited profanity, but has said "he will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain." For this crime there can possibly no palliating circumstance be summoned. Should the man plead that the cause of his profanity was because he was angry with his neighbor or brother, then we have another enormous crime with which he is trying to cover his former sin. He that is angry with his brother without a cause is in danger of hell fire, and he that hates his brother is a murderer. But suppose a man is angry with his fellow, is that any reason he should abuse his Maker? If then a man will attack his Maker without any cause, he will probably be angry with his neighbor or brother without a cause, and expose himself to eternal damnation without a cause!! Profanity is a sin of no ordinary dye in the sight of the heart-searching Jehovah. The destined period when the swearer will stand before the sparkling bar of justice, is rolling fast along, when the secrets of his heart will be made known by our Lord Jesus Christ. How dreadful the account! Profanity is an immediate attack upon the holiness and dignity of the character of the Almighty. It is rushing upon him in open hostility, against the clearest, purest light imaginable. How the countenance of an angel might gather blackness, with horror, to hear the name of that God before whom he bows in reverential posture, assaulted by blasphemous tongues. How utterly should Christians detest this daily abuse of that God whom they love and by whose name they are called. Let me then exhort the swearer by all the alarming terror of an incensed God not to take his name in vain, but to most heartily repent of all these heinous offences against the Great God, before he takes him away and places him where he will feel the wrath of that God which burns even to the lowest hell.

M. W. A.