ven the land of his master, he
keeps his word to him, though he knows he is doing an injustice to
Mephibosheth.

There you have a pretty example of an obstinate man sticking to what he
has said, after he is convinced that he has been misled, and doing a
great wrong rather than acknowledge that he had judged rashly, and
condemned on no good grounds.

II. I can give you another example. King Herod was pleased with the
dancing of the daughter of Herodias one evening at a supper, and he
swore to her, when he was half tipsy, that he would give her what she
liked in reward for her display. Then she asked him to cut off the
head of S. John the Baptist, and give it her in a dish. Now, as soon
as she asked this, the king was sorry, for he knew that S. John was a
good man, and he knew also that he had no right to have a man murdered
in prison to please the whim of a wicked woman; however, because he had
passed his word, he was too proud and cowardly to go back from it, and
refuse her what she had no right to ask. Then he sent an executioner,
and he cut off the head of the saint, and put it in a dish, and it was
brought thus to the girl, and she carried it to her mother.

III. A man is right to stick to his word, if his word be right. He is
right to stick to his promise, if he have promised that over which he
has a just right. He is right to stick to his opinion if his opinion
be founded on good grounds, and if he have heard nothing that ought to
cause him to alter it.

But--no man has any right to stick to his opinion simply because it is
his opinion. He has no right to hold a promise which he had no right
to make. He has no right to adhere to a harsh judgment simply because
he has formed that judgment.

When our Lord bids us not judge, He bids us be very cautious in forming
a decided opinion, and in sticking to it through thick and thin. We
know so little here, and so imperfectly, that our opinions must be
formed on uncertain grounds, and therefore we have no right to be
tenacious about them. Yet many persons are as touchy about their
opinions as though it were a sacrilege to dispute them. Some of the
greatest injustices have been done through obstinacy, in clinging to
opinions that have become untenable.

CONCLUSION.--Remember then the lessons taught you by our Lord in this
day's Gospel, and also by the conduct of David. Be very cautious of
forming a judgment, and when you have formed one, do not allow Prid