Slander is one of the blackest and most deadly sins. It gives to evil in the aggregate its fearful names, and expresses in one word Δίαβολος (Diabolos), the Slanderer, Satan, the Spiteful Adversary, the Old Snake, or Serpent, or Dragon; venting his lies, spitting forth the venom of calumnious accusation; the Accuser of the Brethren, a murderous, envious, malicious Calumniator, the Father of Lies, the grand Defamer of God to man, of man to God, and of one man to another. In short, slander is a complication and collection of all the degrees of wickedness which exist. It is opposed to veracity, to sincerity, and justice, to every principle of virtue, violating alike the sacred duty we owe both to God and our neighbour. By slander, the greatest mischief is perpetrated, because it pursues its course so insidiously as to be hidden from the observer.
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow" (Prov. xxv. 18); that is, he is a complicated instrument of mischief, too frequently unsuspected, so that the innocent, through their very innocence become his victims.
Yet, of the many revengeful, false, covetous, and ill-natured persons whom we complain of in the world, what man amongst us singles out himself as a criminal, or even thinks that he adds to the number? or where is the man so bad, who would not think it the hardest and most unfair imputation to have any of the particular vices just named laid to his charge? But, as there is no vice that more hermetically closes the avenues to the soul against the introduction of the Divine influences than slander, let us look to the Lord for help to struggle against it.
