Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-05-01
Avoidance Of Evil.

The consequences of evil-doing are
SO widespread and destructive of moral
character that the least appearance of
it should be avoided. One inevitable
consequence is deceit and hypocrisy.
The hypocrite is usually regarded as
one who deliberately cloaks his evil
dOings by acting the part of good
man, but the world can scarcely dis
tingulsh such character from one
who is compelled by force of circum
stances to conceal the evil he has done.
He may revolt against it, but he must
either be hypocrite or confess, and
few have the moral courage to take
the latter course. Imagine a young
man who, yielding to temptation, has
committed some moral offense or rob.
bed his employers. He conceals it and
lives for time in dread of exposure.
His conscience may worry him at
times, but ordinarily his repentance is
based solely upon his fear of detection.
That fear leads him into other offenses
He is obliged occasionally to lie, and
that he may strengthen himself against
mere suspicion he acts the part of a
moralist. Thus insensibly he becomes
hypocritical and before long, his self
respect having been broken down, h
begins to regard evil-doing not as be
ing wicked in itself, but as something
to be avoided only when there is dan
ger of exposure. His success in the
first endeavor tempts him to respect
his crime and he re doubles his efforts
10 disarm suspicion. Thus he goes on
from bad to worse, untIl he finds MIN
self leading a double life-Outwardly
pure, inwardly mass of corruption
DIT h Sc lxrynxy sv,1 4 -
and this dread becomes more depress-
ing as the difference between what he
is and what he appears to he becomes
greater. his life is torment TO him,
for every day imposes upon him fresh
need to play the hypocrite. He must
appear to be virtuOus and of high
moral purpose lest some inquiry should
be made as TO his own inner life. And
when exposure comes it finds him q
broken down man. unable longer to
Withstand the strain put upon him,
and the world scorns or despises him
with little thought OF the gradual pro
cess by which he has been transform.
ed into hypOcrite. II the process has
lasted through a long series of years.
as is generally the case with trusted
bank officers who have gone wrong,
the several steps may have been 80
slight that the criminal himself could
scarcely retrace them. He may have
begun by mistake due to carelessness
and concealed because of moral coward
ice. The concealment is sufficient to
make the first breach in his character.
Lies become necessary to cover up his
fault, hypocrisy fellows and then
comes the temptation to use this shield
for other wrong doings. The danger
lies in the first wrong step unconfess-
ed, in the first concealment. Evil
should, if possible. be avoided. When
it is committed confession should be
made to some one that the wrong doer
may not enter upon a life of hypocrisy.
Tue sufferings of the hunted criminal
seeking to avoid the officers of the law,
which time and again haye led men to
surrender rather than remain in hid
ing, are counterfeited by the sufferings
of the wrong dOer led into a life of
hypocrisy and dreading whenever
fresh hOnors are offered him that some
unlucky chance will disclose his past
and his real character. Evil-doing
should be Stunned for itself, but when
one cOntemplates the consequences to
which it may lead III breaking down
character and disturbing the mind, it
is more to be dreaded than any instant
exposure of fault committed. IAN
open confession is good for the soul;''
it is good also for the mind and it leads
to the penance which wipes away
faults and leaves the character un-
Observation-Disclosures Sun.