Yet the Bible pronounces its woe upon those who merely call things by wrong names. Why? 1. _Names are not mere words: they are the representatives of ideas; and hence, they have a force of meaning which makes them powerful instruments._ There are opprobrious epithets that wound more severely than a blow. Slander has slain more than the dagger. The name of a place or person suggests to us all that we know, or have conceived, about it or him. Paul, Jesus--what a power there is in these names! How suggestive are the phrases, "an upright man," "a transparent character!" Because words are representatives of ideas, to use the wrong names is to convey false ideas. 2. _The wrong use of names confounds moral distinctions, and perplexes and misleads men in regard to duty._ Right must not be called wrong, or wrong right. This is to sweep away all the landmarks of duty; or, rather, it is shifting all the buoys and beacons by which we navigate the sea of life, so that instead of warning us of danger, they shall rather draw us upon shoals and rocks. The skill of every successful errorist consists in a dexterous jugglery of names. 3. _By giving decent names to gross sins, the standard of public morals is lowered, and the community is corrupted._ One of the things that blinded America to the evil of slavery was, the term that used to be applied to it--"our domestic institution," &c. Be on your guard, then, against wrong names. Do not try to deceive yourself by means of them. Pure covetousness is sin, even though you do call it economy, &c. Do not try to deceive others (Matt. v. 19; Mark ix. 42).--_S. G. Buckingham, American National Preacher,_ xxv. 269-278. SELF-CONCEIT. v. 21. _Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight._ Self-conceit. +I. Its signs:+ dogmatism; contempt of others; scepticism. +II. Its causes:+ ignorance,[1] vanity. +III. Its folly:+ it makes a man ridiculous; leads him into error. +IV. Its offensiveness to God;+ in spirit--principle--action. +V.+ Its certain humiliation.--_J. Lyth, D.D._ FOOTNOTES: [1] The truest characters of ignorance Are vanity, and pride, and arrogance; As blind men used to bear their noses higher Than those that have their eyes and sight entire. --_Butler._ By ignorance is pride increased; Those most assume who know the least; Their own self-balance gives them weight, But every other finds them light.--_Gay._ INTELLECTUAL PRIDE. v. 21. _Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight._