Let me no wrong or idle word, Unthinking say; Set Thou a seal upon my lips— Just for today.

Keep still! When trouble is brewing, keep still! When slander is getting on its legs, keep still! When your feelings are hurt, keep still till you recover from your excitement at any rate! Things look different through an unagitated eye.

In a commotion once I wrote a letter and sent it, and wished I had not. In my later years I had another commotion and wrote another long letter; my life had rubbed a little sense into me, and I kept that letter in my pocket until I could look it over without agitation, and without tears, and I was glad I did—less and less it seemed necessary to send it. I was not sure it would do any harm, but in my doubtfulness I learned reticence, and eventually it was destroyed.

Time works wonders! Wait till you can speak calmly and then perhaps you will not need to speak. Silence is the most powerful thing conceivable, sometimes. It is strength in its grandeur; it is like a regiment ordered to stand still in the mad fury of battle. To plunge in were twice as easy.

Nothing is lost by learning to keep still. HANNAH WHITALL SMITH

Lord, keep me still, Though stormy winds may blow , And waves my little bark may overflow , Or even if in darkness I must go, Yet keep me still, yet keep me still.

Lord, keep me still, The waves are in Thy hand, The roughest winds subside at Thy command. Steer Thou my bark in safety to the land, And keep me still, and keep me still.

Lord, keep me still, And may I ever hear Thy still small voice To comfort and to cheer; So shall I know and feel Thee ever near . And keep me still, and keep me still.

SELECTED Silence is a great peacemaker . HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

My beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty: and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able to bridle the whole body.

By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.

Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?—They provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

A whisperer separateth chief friends.—There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.—The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Put off . . . anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.—This is the will of God, even your sanctification.—In their mouth was found no guile.