"THE POWER OF SPEECH IS DISTINCTLY HUMAN"- BY: LESLIE G. THOMAS

                             "THE POWER OFSPEECH IS DISTINCTLY HUMAN"

                    1. As far as it is known, man is the only earthly creature who has

                           a highly developed system of communication.

                        The power of speech is a fundamental mark of the superiority

                            of man over the lower animal world.

                    2. The quality of one's speech, therefore, indicates the width of

                            the chasm which separates him from the brute creation.

                    3. There are two outstanding tragedies  in this connection,

                            which have caused untold sorrows and heartaches---viz:

                                (1). The tragedy of the open mouth.

                                      a. It's owner protests that talk is cheap; and indeed,  

                                          it is about the only kind he usually produces.

                                      b. When one listens at length to a seige

                                          of idle gossip, profanity, or unclean jokes,

                                          he is reminded of nothing quite so much

                                          as a leaky faucet or a running sore. Cf. Matt. 12: 33-37

                                     c. The intellectual and spiritual gulf which seperates

                                         such a man from his dog is not very great. 

                              (2). The tragedy of the closed lips.

                                     a. No words of praise or thanksgiving and no

                                         expression of sympathy or appreciation ever escape.

                                     b. It is a pitiful sight to see a man who has lived

                                         three score and ten years, being blessed by a Heavenly

                                         Father ,  but whose eyes  have never been lifted in

                                        gratitude and whose lips have never learned to pray.

                                     c. Parents neglect to counsel and encourage their 

                                         children;

                                          friends let the hour of sorrow pass without

                                          a word of comfort;

                                          and Christians allow the years to go by without

                                          any attempt to win a soul to Christ, by

                                          speaking the word of the Lord to him. Cf. James 4:17 

May God give us the courage to use our speech to teach others His will.

Byrl Brockman