JOHN WESLEY ON EVIL SPEAKING

John Wesley, Sermons On Several Occasions (Vol. I)

(New York: Carlton & Lanahan; 1825), p. 433.

‘Speak evil of no man,’ says the great apostle:- as plain a command as, ‘Thou shalt do no murder.’

But who, even among Christians, regards this command?

Yea, how few are there, that so much as understand it?

What is evil speaking?

It is not, as some suppose, the same with lying or slandering.

All a man says may be as true as the Bible; and yet the saying of it is evil speaking.

For evil speaking is neither more nor less than speaking evil of an absent person; relating something evil, which was really done or said by one that is not present when it is related.

Suppose having seen a man drunk, or heard him curse or swear, I tell this when he is absent; it is evil speaking.

In our language, this is also by an extremely proper name, termed backbiting.

Nor is there any material difference between this and what we usually style tale bearing.

If the tale be delivered in a soft and quiet manner, (perhaps with expressions of good will to the person, and of hope that things may not be quite so bad,) then we call it whispering.

But in whatever manner it be done, the thing is the same; the same in substance, if not in circumstance.

Still it is evil speaking; still this command, ‘Speak evil of no man,’ is trampled under foot; if we relate to another the fault of a third person, when he is not present to answer for himself.

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