The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-16

| CEeerIully Comply, OelleVlnB tnat Oil
who read them are more or less bene-
lifted. l want to say something to-day
about
| a RUINED YOUNG MAN.
| His name is David To Amartolo. Ho
| lives in Roanoke. His friends have
been watching him with painful solicl.
tudo for several years. Ho was origin
ally what people call wild boy with
no particular vices, but with strong pas
sions ana great overflow of animal
spirits. He liked the society Of tho
| ungo1ly young men in his neighborhood,
and took naturally to their ways and to
their morals. He was always impatient
Of parental restraint. He was disobe.
dent to his parents. He longed for
the time TO come whom no could leave
home and make his own living. At
| length he determined to have his own
way and threw himself upon his own
resources. lie hears of tho Magic City
Roanoke. He hears of the various and
sundry openings whore young men can
procure employment. He comes to Roam
oke. He is now a free man. Like the
prodigal in the Gospel he is Lord OF
bimself, the heritage OF Woe" Cut
loose from the influence of Christian
friends at home, out of sight and hear.
ing of the holy example and pious coun-
sci of his mother, and forgetful Of all
the Cody admonitions of the family
circle, he gives loose reins to his pas
sions and walks the way Of the trans
gressors. He breaks the Sabbath, he
freouents the haunts of vice, he engages
in scenes of dissipation and laughs at
those who yield themselves to the con-
troll of conscience. He has some out
ward traits that commend him to q GER
tain extent, but inwardly he is wicked,
and while he maintains place in re
spectacle society he in regarded with
fear by the good and with suspicion by
all.
1t is understo by the women that
MIR. David TO Amartolo is not pure
man, and it is known by some of them
that he has abused the confidence OF
more than one woman since he has been
in Roanoke. All of his friends have
heard sad reports of his sins whom be-
yond their sight. and the community re-
gard him as ruined man. But he does
not imagine this to be the case at all.
He has no idea that he is ruined. lie
is not aware that he has the reputa
ton Of. being ruined. But he
is ruined, for he is not under the control
has some notions OF honor, but they are
entirely conventional. They would not
keep him from breaking his pledge to
woman or breaking her heart. Irepeat
he has no ciple-not even the prin-
ciple Of honor which he doubtless sup
poses he has. There is nothing to re-
strain him from the most INSCRIPTIONS
means for securing his personal ends;
and nothing to stand between him and
personal qualification of his sensual de-
sires, except tho law. He is not to
principle. Does principle restrain him
from the indulgence OF strong drink?
Does principle withhold from associa-
tion with lewd women? Docs principle
forbid him the use OF the profane oath
Or the obscene jest? He knows it does
none of these things. Then why does
he fancy that there is anything within
him TO keep him from moral ruin?
Ruined? lie is rotten. ''lf mind
were subject TO the laws of m after, and
moral cor :uption were accompanied by
the phenomena which characterize
physical decay, he would stink like
carbon"
Mfr. David To Amartolo once had pure
influences from parents and home and
Heaven dissuading him from sin. Had
he yielded TO these better influences he
might now be an honored mem Der of
society with q virtuous wife at his side
and pleasant children at his knee-with
q smiling Heaven above him, a safe fu-
ture before him-with conscious freedom
from the slavery Of thirst and desire
with selfrespect, and that strength
which comes from the possession
Of the respect Of others. But, alas, all
these are lost. He is a being lost to de-
20 Il =,
to good society, to Coolest
OF conscious shame A lost life! What
is it? Holland says: "Theologians
stick about words in describing the
future of the vicious, but if any theol-
ogian can tell me how man can live
the life Of the boast, subjecting his soul,
with all its pure aspirations and inspir-
ations, to the service Of lust and throw
away his life in this miserable perver-
sion and be able to look back upon it
! from the other side of tho dark river
with anything but remorse, he will ex.
plain to mo the strangest anomaly of
the moral universe. Tho thing is i'm
possible. A lost life is something that
belongs TO lost soul"
| David To Amartolo is a representa-
tive young nan. There are many like
| him.
Will he over reform? There is but
one influence that can wrought a
change. "Wherewith STALL a Young
man cleanse his way? BY taking heed
thereto according to thy word" Any
pleasure which is, in ITSELF direct
violation OF one OF the ten command
mcnts, or which involves such viola
ton, is sinful, and, unless renounced,
will be fatal to the soul. ] will leave
| David Il. Amartolo with the prayer OF
L :, = L