Editorial February 6, 1937 Issue

Speech That Is Kindly

Duncan Sinclair

Much time and thought are given nowadays to ensure correctness of speech. It is well that it should be so, for one who can express himself grammatically and clearly is much more likely to catch the ear of his audience, and hold its attention, than one who has a meager vocabulary and a poor delivery. Whoever has listened to an orator is aware of that.

Knowing the value of correct expression, parents with their children's interest at heart seek to have the latter educated along this line. What an asset it is to a youth to be able to speak properly, to clothe his thoughts in language which has the stamp of culture upon it! But this necessitates study, study of language to obtain a varied vocabulary, study of literature to become acquainted with the best in style, study of the art of expression.

It is not enough, however, that one's speech should be cultured. One might be able to talk properly from the point of view of the grammarian and the stylist, and yet his speech might be highly undesirable. He might even have the eloquence of a Demosthenes, and yet possess a heart loveless and compassionless. What then would be the value of his eloquence? Paul states the Christianly attitude of thought on this theme in the thirteenth chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians (13:1): "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity [love], I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." Speech, to be truly worthy, must flow from a heart inspired by love. If it lack this inspiration, it may amount to little more than meaningless sound.

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