[If you have an artist friend, get him to draw a picture of this scene, to illustrate your talk.]
Once there were two cities that were separated from each other by a very deep ravine, filled at the bottom with a very dangerous river. There was a beautiful bridge over the ravine, and this was the only possible way of carrying anything between the two cities. As you may imagine, this bridge was thronged all the time with horses and carts, carrying from one city to the other all kinds of goods.
After a while, however, a terrible pestilence broke out in one city, and in the other city there was a succession of daring robberies. It was not long before the pestilence appeared also in the healthy city, and the robberies broke out in the city that had been at peace.
The people of both cities were frightened. Said one, “The pestilence is bad enough, without these robbers.” Said the other, “The robbers are bad enough without this pestilence.”
So the wise men of both cities met at the centre of the bridge, and this is what they said: “This bridge is the only way things can go from one city to the other, therefore it is this bridge we must watch. You at the pestilence end must see that everything and everybody is disinfected before coming over to us, and we at our end will see that none but honest persons go over to you.”
This was done, and soon the troubles of the two cities were at an end, because each refrained from adding to the other’s ill, and instead sent help to overcome it.
Now, children, think of our lives as cities that are separated the one from the other by deep gulfs, and there is no way of passing from life to life except by one bridge. Do you know what the bridge is? It is conversation.
Over that bridge how many bad things go! There is malice, and anger, and bitterness, and rudeness, and thoughtlessness, and all sorts of evil things, that are worse than robbers or a pestilence. And what noble and beautiful and helpful things Christ sent over this bridge! Oh, let us learn from him. Let us set a watch over our lips, which are the entrance to this unseen bridge, and let us permit to go out upon it nothing except what will cheer and comfort, strengthen and bless.