The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1845-05-15
O PATENT LECTURE.
BY DOW,JR.

He know not OF the power
With which the dark temptation came,
In some ungarded hour.
Ye may not know how earnestly
They struggled, or how we'll,
Until the hour of weakness came,
And sadly thus they fell.
My hearers-how liable we are to go as
tray, like sheep without a shepherd, TO be
devoured by those ravenous wolves in human
array, who prey upon fallen virtue!-
and, when a brother mortal has once care
|lessly wandered outside the moral Eden,
how prone we are TO shut the gates andkeep
him out foreYer!--to throw stones and brick
bats at him ifhe ever attempts to getin again!
We pour out pretended pity for him by the
demiiohn--blame and blow upon one anoth-
er for not rendering him assistance; but far
ther than this we do nothing. Oh! what a
pity il is, we say, that SO fine a fellow is thus
thrown awayi-(then We give him a kick, by
way of assitance)-that he should be suffer-
ed TO 60 10 perdition without a hand to help
~him!--(and than we favor him with another
kick.) We wonder why he doesn't reform
and gain admittance into good society; and,
at the same time, we standa at every entrance
and avenue, ready TO tell him, very politely,
to sspass on" for he s'can't come in HERE."--
II DOM want my doorway dirtied with your
pretty footsteps" The ia 1T is, we don't
care about taking him inland assisting him 10 a
new coat and character, for fear that such a
reformation might produce a contrast
anything but pleasing TO our pride
and vanity, and we are not sure but he may
manifest his gratitude with a snarl and growl,
like an eleenosynary dog with a bone. We
would all be ready quick enough TO assist the
unfortunate, did we but think we could raise
ourselves by the actin proportion and there
by preserve our relative distances. 1t isn't
in the nature of man to use strong exertions
to lift a being blow him TO his level--to say
nothing of hosting him TO higher eminence.
In short, we are all such a pack of rogues,
and can have so little confidence in each
other, that we don't know but a kindness
bestowed may be a death-blow returned.
My friends--as a philanthropists--not as
money-making, gain-seeking beings-think
gentle of the erring! You don't know how
strong was the temptation that beset them in
their unguarded hour. You don't know how
the spirit of evil wreslled with the spirit of
good--what a tussle they had together--and
how unfortunately the latter fell undermost.
You don't know how the tempter threw dust
in the eyes of their judgement and palmed
upon them a few gold-washed trinklets of
pleasure forthe genuine jewels ~ofhappiness;
and, when they found out their mistake, you
have no idea how bad they felt. Oh, think
gently ofthe erripg? They may by a little
stained with sin, but, washed with the tears
Of repentance, and wiped with the towel of
reformation, they are just as good as new
Remember they are your b~relhren--with
you heirs of the same heritage-chldren of
1.-THE same God-smell of the same stuff, and
filled with the samG infirmities; only perhaps
some of their moral timber may be a little
weaker and not SO durable as yours. fthat
however is at fault of theirs, then "a
frog is for being born a tadpole; or
am answerable for a prediction in favor
of corned beef and pretty women. They
have committed no crime, but only erred
stumbled j in the path wherein you all in weak
ness tread. Then why not help them upon
their feet again, and travel by your side like
beloved companions? Because it isn't in ac-
cordance with your ungenerous natures. II
then, as you will not assist others, your feet
happen TO slip, and you fall into a dilemma
or duck pond, you may call on the devil
for help-you won't get assistance from any
other quarter.
My worthy hearers-speak gently 10 the
erringi Ii is enough for them to know, with
out being chided about it, that dove-eyed
Innocence and white-winged peace have
, flown from their native bowers, and left the
heart cherries and sad. 1t is enough fol
them that muddy disgrace has been cast up
on them without having itrubbed with a scorn'
ful brick bat, 1t is enough for themrto know
that they have a heavy load TO bear without
each passer-by clapping on a budget of re-
proaches. 1t isenough for them to know
that the door of the worlds great and respec.
table vehicle is closed against them, without
your popping your head out of the window
, and asking him how he likes an outside pas.
e senger, in the storm? If you enjoy a hap.
pier lot, and can't afford to spare your child
: ings, there surely must be something sadly
wrong in the general making up OF mankind
| don't know how il is, but it does seem tc
me whenI look uponthe prosperous, and theI
upon the unfortunate, that decent society
is comparatively destitute of good man
ners.
Speak kindly TO the erring, my friends
talk 10 them with words of comfort, looks, o
love. and in tones of tenderness-and yor
may induce them to quit their thorn-coverec
ways, and walk in the paths of peace and vir
: tue. You have all sinned in your time, ant
Heaven, perchance, has intentionally over
lookedit. Deal gently, then, with all WHIT
err; ay, gently, gently as God has dealt witt
= you. II you happen 10 meet with a misera