Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-10-14
Observation-Disclosures.

The elder Adams, in the earlier
years of the government, addressed
these wordsro his countrymen: "But
let us take warning and give it to our
children. Whenever vanity and
gayety, love of pomp and dress, fur
niture, equipage, buildings, great
company, expensive diversions and
elegant entertainments, get the bet
ter of the principles and judgments of
men and women, there isno knowing
where they will stop, nor into what
evils, natural, moral or political,
they will lead u.s. That was written
in our infancy as nation, before
Americans got in the way of borrow
ing evil things from Paris. Now let
us see what DR.. Talmage said on this
matter in discourse delivered early
in the present year. Talmage finds
full realization of the habits deplor-
ed by Adams, and this is what he
says: ITO make true and noble
woman, such as / have described in
the Christian home sphere, how
many thousands would you want of
those people who go in the round of
godlessness, fashion and dissipation,
distorting their bodies until in their
monstrosity seem to Guido the drom-
edary and hippopotamus going SO
far toward disgraceful apparel as
they dare go so as not to be arrested
by the police; their behavior sOr-
row to the good, caricature Of the
vicious, and an Insult to that God
who made them women and not gor-
CONS; tramping on down through a
goddess and frivolous life to temporal
and eternal damnation."
The prophetic words of the dead
g tesman, and the descriptive words
of the living minister, fit each other
exactly. We are wasting our earn
ings on riotous living, and whether
we are doomed or not to further
shame and trouble, depends alto,
gether whether we have wisdom
enough and christianity enough to
check the growing evil Of mad and
stupid display. 1t is not only at the
nations capital that great families
are brought down by putting on airs,
as in the case of the ex-Secretary of
Wharf.-The evil permeates all society,
the maid in the kitchen and the girl
in the factory; the clerk on a mea-
ger salary and the mechanic with one
dollar day, all are equally afflicted
with the contagion of ornament and
show.
Families whose incomes are mod
crate vie with their neighbor who
| is rapidly going through the fortune
which he inherited from hard-WOrk-
ing, careful ancestors. Imitation
is running us, and we lack the cour-
| age to inquire the end of these frivo-
lous expenditures. We have not the
power to see ourselves as others see
us. 1t is not bad trade that bank
rupts ninety per cent. of our mer-
| chants. 1t is silly expenditure and
| nnproductiye lives. The lad steals
from his employers till that he may
enjoy himself as well as his compan-
ion, who gets double his salary. Mer-
chants steal from their creditors that
they may appear as respectable as
their neighbors. Politicians steal
from the State that they may attract
| the attention and excite the admira-
tion of the voters.
The lust of the eye and the pride
of life are surrounding us with great
dangers. Good things are anguish
ing while evil things abound in high
life and low. We are forgetting that
pride precedes a fall.
Mems Plsw Shoes Seized and
| RrOVanS very chpan at