I remember some time ago hearing of a rich man who had a large farm. He was the most terribly profane man that had ever been known in the neighborhood. He could hardly speak a word on any subject without mingling it with oaths. It was perfectly shocking to hear him speak. At length he was seized with a stroke of something like paralysis. This left him in good health, only he had lost the use of his limbs. And the remarkable thing about it was, that the power of speech was taken away from him, except that he could still swear. Profane words were all that he could utter. He used to be taken about his farm by his servants in a sort of hand carriage, and the only words that ever fell from his lips were dreadful oaths and curses. How awful this must have been!
What a terrible illustration it affords of that passage of Scripture (Psalm 109;17-19) in which God says: “As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him... As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.” Surely this man was so clothed. What a dreadful garment it must have been to wear!
ML 02/26/1961