WORDS THAT STAIN.
A SMALL brush of camel's hair had been dipped into a fluid in which was some nitrate of silver, or "caustic" as it is sometimes called. The brush was wiped upon a white sheet. Pretty soon there appeared a black stain upon the white surface. It did not look very dark at first; but the action of the light seemed to deepen the color until it was an ugly spot that could not be washed out nor bleached out in a whole summer.
A bright lad heard a vile word and an impure story. He thought them over. They became fixed in his memory; and they left a stain, which could not be washed out by all the waters of this great round earth.
Do not allow yourself to listen to vile, "smutty" stories, or unclean words. There are persons who seem to take an evil delight in repeating such things. And those who willingly listen to them receive a stain upon their memory. To give ear to filthy talkers is to share their sin. Do not lend your ears to be filled or defiled with shameful words and vile stories. In these days of evil speech and of bad books it is our duty to care what we listen to and what we read. A vile story smirches and defiles the heart, pollutes the memory, and inflames the fancy.
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”
1Corinthians 3:16,17