of Christ are warned to beware of this evil thing (Col. 3: 19). Anger too must be

carefully watched. We know that it is possible for anger to exist without sin, for such is

the testimony of Mark 3: 5, and all the passages where orge is translated "wrath" when

used of God. Nevertheless it is true wisdom to shun anger, to class it with bitterness and

wrath and clamour and blasphemy and malice (Eph. 4: 31), for it requires a perfect and

sinless being to be angry and sin not. If anger is ever entertained let us hasten to finish

with it; let not the sun go down before the difference is settled. Plutarch tells us it was a

maxim among the Pythagoreans, that whenever one had given way to anger, the

difference was made up before sunset. Would that this same spirit were more common

among the Lord's people.

Not only may truth be expressed in words, it must come out in deeds. Stealing is the

lie in practice. This in all its shapes and forms must be put away. In its place let there be

labour, working with the hands that which is good. This labour is with the object:--

Labour merely that one may have may be selfishness, and industry of itself may not

express "the truth", but labour that one may have something to give is an entire reversal

of the lie, that steals from another, and is a manifestation of the truth.

Closely associated with the lie is the devil, and with the truth the Holy Spirit of God.

It must be kept well in memory that to fail to put off the lie and to put on the new man

may "give place to the devil", and when this takes place we may be sure that there is also

another equally sad result, viz., the grieving of the Holy Spirit of God whereby we are

sealed unto the day of redemption.

Among the many ways whereby truth may be hindered and a place given to the devil

is revealed in such a strange word as "clamour". That man who, when he gives a

command must "shout"; who, when he argues a point of truth must "raise his voice"

does not give an outward expression of that lowliness and meekness which commends

the truth.

"Evil speaking" is in the original "blasphemy", and is probably derived from blaptein

ten phemen = "Blasting the reputation or credit" of any one. We may sincerely believe

that to take a "text" from Shakespeare or the Poets is to belittle the Scriptures, but we

sometimes wonder whether Tennyson's Knights of King Arthur, who vowed "to speak no

slander, nor listen to it" do not put many a believer to shame. "Love thinketh no evil."

The remedy for this and all kindred manifestations of the flesh is found in the next

three verses:--