Milford chronicle., 1903-04-24

Effects of Evil InduIgences.
Evil indulgences should not be derid
ed. They dull the moral sensibilities
Their sinful effects cannot be seen SC
much in the wasting away Of the mora
tissues, as Bright's disease might
wreck the kidneys or tuberculosis might
eat away the lungs. But evil indul
gences have a hardening or a dulline
effect, as cirrhOsis hardens the liver OI
IS paresis affects the cell tissues of the
brain. 1t is said that when a mans
right side is benumbed through the ef-
feet Of a paralytic stroke the doctor
can take a pin and drive it into his
limb and the patient is obliviOus to the
sense of pain. So when human being
is suffering under the paralyzing ef-
.ect of sin he loses his moral sensibili-
les. What appeared to him once as
wrong now appears to be right, and
that was once right now does not ap-
ar to have any special significance in
is If.
The gradual dulling or the paralyzing
of the moral sensibilities by the touch
of sin may be seen in the life Of cOun-
try boy who has come TO live in Our
large cities. When that young maj.
left home, he was as pure rs his sister
or his mother He had a delicate. spir-
itual touch. He could distinguish
right from wrong as readily as a
trained artists eye can tell the har-
Of or rrarreinfuf,fe anf an n
be shocked at the slightest discOrd.
But after awhile that young man al
lows himself to be led into question
able enjoynents. When he first saw
enchanting sin. fiery blush mantled
his cheek. But after awhile his per
ceptions are dulled; evil is no longer re-
pulsive to him; he begins to believe
that the theater may have beneficial
influence. He can argue for it with n
clear eye and steady heartbeat Aft
er awhile he can go and with absolute
ly no qualms or upbraidings of con
science can sit and listen to the vilest
of talks which are being uttered upon
the stage; sit there with young girl
by his side who is no more ashamed of
W AAdL NAAG 6lt6 anu AGaAA0 AAAlAA - ANA
masculine escort. The fact that the
young man is able to argue with you
and that he sees no wrong in watching
a sinful play proves beyond a doubt
that he has cirrhosis of the soul, a
hardening of the moral sensibilities, an
inability to spiritually distinguish right
from wrong. What color blindness is
:.
able to distinguish warning signals
alongside the railroad track spiritual
color blindness is to the sinful soul.
After awhile by the touch of sin the
sinner loses his capacity to distinguish
right from wrong and, like the eyeless
ground mole, is unable to tell the
brightness of midnOOn from the dark
ness of midnight.
Hardening the Moral Sensibi1ities.
l have seen, more than once. this
hardening of the moral sensibilities by
sin. Within a few blocks of my old
Chicago home there was a sinful place.
where most of the victims caught were
young boys of fifteen or sixteen years
of age. That evil place, thank God,
has since been closed In the windows
Of that poOlrOOm were hung up great
number of lewd pictures. Again and
again have seen young men come up
to that place for the first time. When
they would do it. they would stagger
back as though stunned. Then they
would look around the street as though
they were thieves about to rob house.
Then at those lewd pictures in the
windows they would look again. with
CLASSY eye and flushed face But aft
erward those same boys. who at first
We're ashamed to look, would become
bold faced and vile tongued. They
would stand around that corner. smOk- |
ing filthy cigarettes and insulting young
girls as they would pass by. Within
the walls of my own church | have
seen this paralyzing of the moral sell
sibilities by sin. | have seen man 1
who once led a noble woman to the |
marriage altar not only sacrifice him |
self. but sell his own child into sin. for
the qualification of quenching Il drunk |
ards thirst My brother and sister. |
with such examples before you of the
metamOrphOsing power of sin, can you |
afford to run the risk of scOfiing ut sin? /
Are you not afraid thnt. as in Circe's .
palace. you may be changed into the .
form of human brute? Are you not |
afraid that by the touch of sin your
conscience may become so hardened |
that YOU shall have no moral sensibiIi
ties left?
Evil temptations should not be de-
rided. The depths of human misery
into which they can fling their victims
this side of the grave are unfathOma-
bic. 1t is upon the dark side of the re-
suits of sin would speak. The trou-
bic with many of our so called Chris
tian teachers is that we put a halo over
sin. We picture temptation as a crea-
ture of beauty seated upon a silver
cloud lined with gold She holds i'm one
hand pack of cards and in the other
a goblet of wine. The color of her
cheek. the flowers caught in the folds
Of her garment, clinging about her 1.-THE