PERILS OF COMMUNICATION

This story is told: There was a woman whose husband was a sailor, and he had gone to sea. After the preacher was already up in the pulpit, the wife sent a note up to him which read, “William Smith having gone to sea, his wife requests the prayers of the congregation for his safety.” He didn’t have time to think of it; so he just started reading the note to the congregation. He said, “William Smith, having gone to see his wife, requests the prayers of the congregation for his safety.”

The preacher used identically the same words, so far as sound was concerned. He only paused at different places, as indicated by the commas. But this gave an altogether different meaning. Moral: Exercise caution to read and hear correctly, and then to represent accurately what we pass on ot others. Try to avoid misrepresentation.