Fault-Finding and Tattling
Zion's Advocate, Vol. 38, No. 6, June 1899
We can endure the painful ordeal of hearing one speak in continual praise of himself, we can risk running the dangerous gauntlet of severe criticism, we can bear the crushing burdens heaped upon us by those who would not touch the same with their own fingers, we can overlook the mistakes of the weak minded and the freaks of the insane, but save us and spare us when it comes to listening to the incessant talk of the fault-finder and tattler. Such approach most nearly to the unendurable of all the company that insist upon occupying our time and trying our patience. Why it is that they do not keep their misery to themselves, or tell it to a policeman, is what we cannot understand. It must be because misery likes company, and so they seek to render their own misery contagious. By such a pest an otherwise quiet neighborhood may be stirred up to a continual broil. A church may be kept in a state of perpetual confusion by one member infested with this disease. Come, let us reason together. It may be that most of us are too much given to the improper use of our tongue, and have not been able to discover it, for it is characteristic of this great fault that those who are troubled with it are disposed to think others more guilty of it than themselves.Solomon says, "Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding." Prov. xvii. 28. This suggest the folly of habitually telling all we know about others, especially of recounting their faults and mistakes. Besides if we form the habit of telling all we know, we will be likely to tell more than we know sometimes. In this way a matter becomes exaggerated as it passes from one to another until we are brought to see "how great a matter a little fire kindleth." Before we talk of the faults of another, it would be well for us to pause and think how little profit it will be to us to do so, and what harm it might do him. If he is our friend it is a very bad way to treat him, and if he is our enemy it is a poor way to heap coals on his head. None are entirely perfect, and if we allow ourselves to study about the imperfections of our fellow beings and talk about them, we might employ our time altogether in that way. Such a course would render our company and conversation unpleasant and unprofitable, and would render us a disadvantage rather than a blessing to society. The habitual tattler and but fault-finder, while he comments on the faults of others, never mentions his own faults because he does not seem to know he has any. On the contrary he seeks to justify his own course, and manifests surprise that others do not agree with his notions and whims. In his own estimation he is all right while so many others are all wrong. What a pity this is! The beam in his own eye is left undisturbed while he probing after the mote in the eye of his brother.
Dear readers, let us all reform if there be any room for it, remembering that "in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise." Prov. x. 19. "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt." Col. iv. 6. That is, let your conversation be in meekness and love, seasoned with wisdom from on high. Satan exults when he succeeds in causing the Lord's children to speak evil of each other or even of their worldly-minded neighbors. Of course it is not right for a church to countenance gross crimes, nor is it right to encourage immoral conduct by an indifferent an careless course in regard to it. That is another matter. The scriptures prescribes a proper course to be pursued in all such cases, and if we follow its instructions carefully good results will be sure to follow. But to act the part of a gossip and hold up these irregularities of conduct as a topic of conversation, is disgusting to the sober-minded and breeds confusion.
J. R. D.
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