The miracles of Jesus - Classical Christian Literature by Athleo.net

296 THE HEALING OF
their speech, and none but Christ, and the sense
of His nearness and touch, can arouse these to
hearing and speech.
I . // is somewhat suggestive that these faailties are
mutually dependent.
he could not
speak articulately, so that it is said afterwards, " He
This man was not absolutely dumb
;
spake plain," as if he made a weird noise before. It
was a perversion of speech—the necessary accompaniment
of total deafness, because of which the
sufferer could not perceive a mistake. There is a
connection between similar faculties in the soul.
Our ears must be opened before our mouths can
speak plainly for God. If we teach others, we must
ourselves be taught. We must hear in darkness,
before we can speak in the light, or else, in God's
judgment, we shall be stammerers, although physically
we are fluent. Right speaking is conditioned
by right hearing. I knew a child whose father was
so anxious that he should learn to speak French
like a native, that he engaged a nurse from Alsace,
and both parents resolved never to speak a word
of English in the child's hearing. The result was
that when the little fellow was five years old, he
had the greatest difficult)- in learning his mothertongue.
Because he had only heard French, he
could speak it only. This has its application to
one's higher life, therefore, Jesus says, " Take heed
what ye hear." If we hear nothing but evil, and
keep clear from religious influences, we are apt to
speak evil, so that young Christians especially should
read and listen to what will inspire noble thought and
pure ideas, avoiding companions whose talk is vain