Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-06-18
T1V PLEASURES OF SENSE.

AAnnRAAY
TIE Pleasures OF SENSE
There are none, however strongly
welded to the pleasures Of sense, who
attempt to defend their excessive ill.,
diligence by any system Of law or
morals. The internal voice of con-
science, and the external voice of pub
lie sentiment, alike condemn every
form of sensuality as violations of the
first principles of duty. This class OF
sins, therefore, is never practiced
through any mistaken sense OF right.
but simply for the sake of gratiieation.
The desire for pleasure Is the only mo-
tive that can prompt to their commis-
sion, and 1t may therefore be supposed
that were the idea Of physical enjoy
ment associated from s~ensibility, 1t
would In all its phases soon a to
exist. It seems strange that these
pleasure seekers do not pause to CON
slider whether they are actually obtain
ing the only possible recompense they
expect In return for the violation of
moral laws and their own better ma
lures. In other words, do those who
indulge In sensual vices receive even
the low quality Of physical happiness
they anticipate? If this question be
considered on the broad scale Of 4 life
time, whether Of long or short dura-
ton, the answer will unquestionably
be in the negative. The body and the
mind are so constituted that they act
and react upon each other, and each Is
dependent on the other for much of its
happiness. The senses which convey
to the mind all 1t knows Of material
things are formed by a beneficent hand
to produce pleasure. The eye rejoices
In the beauties Of nature and art ; the
eur in harmonious sounds the taste Is
gratified by the food which imparts
vitality to the system; and every ave-
nue. Of physical nature is designed to
lead not only to %sustenance but delight.
So long as the senses r used for their
lawful purposes and act In their own
proper sphere, the pleasure they con-
vey will be unmixed. But a spirit Is
higher than matter, so in each indivi-
dual the SOULS higher than the body.
1t Is only where the enses Interfere in
. region which does not belong to
them that they cease to confer the
pleasure which always follows their
rightful exercise. There r joys tar
higher than those Of sense that are the
just heritage Of every human being,
and when these are lost sight Of and
unsppreciated, and the man turns to
his senses for his highest happi-
ness his whole being deteriorates.
and he not only loses the higher
spiritual joys, but gradually becomes
incapable Of enjoying even the
physical happiness which he has sought
so ardently. The truth Is exemplitied,
not only by tho life Of every sensual
ist, but also by the results which follow
to every one who allows physical
pleasures to absorb in any degree the
highest joys of which he is capable.
There are thousands who would scorn
the name Of glutton, who yet indulge
In the pleasure Of eating to an extent
which renders the brain less clear and
the mental power less vigorous. Stim-
ulating drinks, though not taken to in
~toxication, yet prove their banefulness
BY the reaction which follows the tenn
porary excitement. And those who
begin in slight excuses gradually in
crease them, until the etfects-at first
hardly noticeable threaten to ruin,
not only the mental and moral natures,
but also the physical powers. When
these are gone, the pleasure they af-
forded by their healthy exercise must
cease. The drunkard seeks his..cup,
and the glutton his viands, no longer
to please an epicurean taste, but to sat-
isfy the Unsuitable craving which has
rendered them slaves. The old proverb
says scent per cent, do we pay for ev-
cry vicious indulgence" Every sue
cessive Indulgence In sensual pleasures
brings with 1t increasing penalties and
decreasing enjoyment. Languor, pain,
f~eebleness, disease, loss Of character
and remorse will be augmented in
ratio, while the capacity of deriving
pleasure will be lessencd by the de
creasing vitality. 1t would thus ap-
pear that the only prospect open to the
pure pleasure seeker closes gradually
around him, and is finally shut out
from his view. He has staked all, and
has lost. To the young especially is
this subject an important ne. They
have not yet lost their powers in a vain
search after a pleasure that eludes their
grasp. 1t Is with them now to decide
whether they will devote their lives
and energies to sensual qualification,
and, losing all else, at length that also;
or whether they will noblN control the
animal nature, reaping from it all its
lawful pleasures, while never suffering
1t to exceed Its proper limits. There
Is one marked difference between the
pleasures of sense and those Of the
spiritual nature. The former only act
freely within fixed boundaries. When
they pass these they begin to decline,
but the joys Of the spirit know no linn
Its. They increase BY exercise, and
the more they are nourished the purer
Is the happiness bestowed.
80 MIN. ~ al