256 THE BKASOX WHY. 



"Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these 

 things ought not so to be." JAMES in. 



neglected dwellings. The Mouth which thirsts for morbid gratification of 

 taste, is more worthless than one which is contented with wholesome viands, 

 aud ruled by the proper instincts of its duty. Who that can understand tho 

 wonderful structure of the tongue, and the complicated mechanism of tho 

 organs of speech and of hearing, could be fouid to take pleasure in the utter- 

 ance of oaths, and of words of vulgar meaning? Were those beautiful cords 

 that like threads of silk are woven into the muscular texture of the mouth, and 

 along which the essence of life travels with the quickness of thought, to do the 

 bidding of the will were they given for no higher use than to sin against the 

 God who gave them, and upon whose mercy their existence every mon.ent 

 depends ? 



The actions of the senses must necessarily affect the mind, which is the head 

 steward of the Soul; and the Soul becomes rich in goodness, or poor in sin, iu 

 proportion as the stewardship, held by his many servants, is rightly or wrong- 

 fully fulfilled. As in an establishment where the servants are not properly 

 directed and ruled, they often gain the ascendancy, and the master has no power 

 over them, so with man, when he gives himself up to sensual indulgences. The 

 Soul becomes the slave of the senses the master is controlled by the servants. 



With regard to the mechanism of motion, let us take the case of a man who 

 is walking a crowded thoroughfare, and we shall see how active are all the 

 servants of the Soul, under the influence of the mind. He walks along in a 

 given direction. But for the at of volition in the mind, not a muscle would 

 stir. The eye is watching his footsteps. There is a stone in his path, the eye 

 informs the mind, the mind communicates with the brain, and the nerves 

 stimulate the muscles of the leg to lift the foot a little higher, or turn it 

 on one side, and the stone is avoided. The eye alights on a familiar face, 

 and the mind remembers that the eye has seen that face before. The man 

 goes on thinking of the circumstance under which he saw that person, and 

 partially forgets his walk, and the direction of his steps. But the nerves of 

 volition and motion unite to keep the muscles up to their work, and he walks 

 on without having occasion to think continually, " I must continue walking." 

 He has not to make an effort to lift his leg alorg between each interval of medi- 

 tation : he walks and meditates the while. Presently a danger approaches him 

 from behind. The eye sees it not knows no more, in fact, than if it were dead. 

 But the ear sounds the alarm, tells the man, by the rumbling of a wheel, and tho 

 tramp of horses' feet, that he is in danger; and then the nerves, putting forth 

 their utmost strength, whip the muscles up to the quick performance of their 

 duty ; the man steps out of the vay of danger, and is saved. He draws iu-.ar to 

 a sewer, which is vomiting forth its poisonous exhalations. The eye is again 

 unconscious it cannot see tho poison lurking in the air. The ear, too, is 

 helpless ; it cannot bear witness to the presence of that enemy to life. Hut the 

 nose detcx5'.s the noxious agent, and then the eye points out the direction of 

 the sewer, and guides his footsteps to a path where he may escape the injurious 

 consequences. A clock strikes, the ear informs him that it is the hour of an 

 appointment; the nerves stimulate the muscles again, and he is hastened 

 nward. He does not know the residence of his friend, but his tongue asks for 

 him, and his ear makes known the reply. He reaches the spot sits rests. 

 Tho action of the muscles is stayed ; the nerves are for a time time at rest. Tho 

 blood which had flown freely to feed the muscles while they were working; 



