Smyrna times., 1855-05-09
Written for the Smyrna Times.
The influence of Sinful Amusement

| l KNEW youth whose early childhood days
were blest with the care and love of an affec-
tionate mother, whom he has reason to believe
was striving to serve God, and endeavored to
train her children up in the fear of the Lord.
But the heart of this youth early showed igEs
OF depravity; however,, through the instruc
ton and under the admonition of his mother,
he was restrained from contracting the practice
of swearing. At the early age of ten years,
he lost his kind and affectionate mother. This
almost helpless orphan boy was removed to
another place. True, he was surrounded by
kind relatives, who showed signs of deep affec-
tion and tender love for him; yet he had not
the kind sympathies and earnest yearnings of
tond mother, to brood over him. Being allow
ed TO attend every " show" or exhibition that
came to the town in which he lived, this youth
acquired a love for. worldly amusements, in
which he soon began to take great interest,"
Tasting, and the taste seeming pleasant, he
was wont to dive even into the vortex of world
! ly folly, while, in the meantime, his heart,
though with an unyielding spirit, was often
convicted of error, and he exhorted to turn
from the ways of sin. A few years passed, and
he was removed to one of our large cities,
where, being unrestrained, he resumed the in
dulglng in public amusements, as we'll as the
reading of light and frivolous novels. The
latter teemng with interest unprecedent to
him, even supplied the place of the blessed
Book of Books, he having, then, an utter dis
taste for all religious reading. For hours
he could peruse the ligat literature found
ia many family newspapers. Reading of
the daring adventures of murderers, pirates,
4 &C., he seemed to drink in their very spirit
/ For, so highly colOred were these novels, and
written in such attractive style, they kindled
up the natural and corrupt passions of his heart
to such an extent that he admired the conduct
and bravery of the most bloodthirsty pirates,
and often desired to be free and independent as
they. He frequented circuses, and might be
found IN the threatre gazing with all the inter-
est of his soul upon the scene enacted upon the
stage. These also aroused his corrupt and
natural passions and extinguished almostevery
good desire for his heart was absorbed in these
2 gay yanities. He would often think of Heaven
!, but, alas! his hope was faint indeed. Deatf
. was often presented to his mind, but it was &
s fearful and frightful subject. lie was unpre
. pared to meet it. There was no room for Goo
!; within his heart, it was allured by folly AM
/, would often rise in secret rebellion against hi
Creator. The words of Wesley were very ap
" propriate to him at this period of his life,
e ..., God only knows the utmost hell 20 +.
y , OF the deceltful .heart,oi . q .a.,19 o,
:. He was, however, through the providence O
!, God remove from these scenes Of wickedAes
u and vice, and returned to his former frieuds,-
N but still the influence of vicious scenes followe
Of him. But God, in his infinite mercy, sti
70 watched DER him. Al few months passed, All
:. this wayward boy was found among the humbI
!, penitents around the altar of mercyAfor tire
,. - days he wandered about with heavy. heart
!. he felt that he was sinner, and his sins mao
:, him very sorrowful. He felt no desire for h
- former amusements-his heart revolted again
j theni God was still dmercifGl and changed h
=. heart, and the spirit Of these words were his
,stE .,s",My God is reconciled--,sf-a . uBt
r. ...,,.,.a, His pardonlng voice hear, .-5,y 2
: .,..,.f' He owns me for His child t1y
- y s,es l. can no longer fear.''5e~slspg pal
: From this time, his'desire for worldly anus
's' ments began to decrease, and now he has Il
,' all desire for them, and often does his you
~ heart melt with sympathy aad tender loVe't
VI his young associates He often speaks to III,
me about attending circuses,' &C., but they he
&C. hm not. Heqendavors to warn them Of
!. immoral tendencies of such places--of the
igs ample they set by, going; but they appear
= believe him, not And now, he hambly'.
0"' earnestly, refers them to the effect they OF
e. produceds on his heart, by rendering, i hl
and careless--and to the einfuence whichiit
: - had upon thousands of souls. He sometin
~ says; $500
'me 4,,sg9If it were all of life to live; zesg
thets ,s..ssala Or all Of death to die, ,"inos1ls
gstef fAhe mghtawithl but little simpropriety att
ect. such scenes of sinful pleasure and mirth.
Iise,D he remembers that he is immortal, and that
Dtus prosssses, as a christian, to deny himself Of
,an- pleaslrey and to set his affections on hig
like land holer pleasure than that which earth
a4