The Tupelo journal., 1903-10-23
compromising attitude toward evil:

anu the laying aside the
weapons Of righteousness and truth in
combat with evil, and resorting to the
arms and tactics of the enemy. Both
are evidences of near-sightedness on
the part of the Christian who is guilty
of such practices. There is great dan
ger of the Christian under the stress Of
circumstances and the tendencies of
the times in falling into either or both
Of these errors, and perhaps without
being conscious of it. l am inclined to
believe there is a steady drifting away
from the n standard of truth and
righteousness which God has estab-
lished. Human wisdom and reasoning
are busy leveling these standards down
to mans conditions, instead Of seeking
to bring man up to the high standards
Of God. 1t Is declared openly that the
SUCCESSFUL business man cannot be
strictly honest, and the Christian al
lows himself to be Influenced by such
declaration, and a low standard comes
to rule in the life. Christians, who
would consider it dishonest to cheat
their neighbor out of five cents, con-
slider they have done a wise and COM
mendable and right thing when they
cheat the railway out of a fare it has
earned. Christians, who know that a
lie Is an abomination in the sight Of
the Lord and is the stepping stone to
other evil doing, believe or try to be-
lieve that the white lie, as it is called
(white with the leprosy of sin, per-
haps), Is admissible and right at times.
And all this is an indication, a sad in
dication, Of the growth of lower STAN
dards.
THE child's copy book furnishes us
L an illustration here which is point
ed and emphatic. The first word writ
ten under the perfect copy furnished
at the head of the column is excellent
and very like the perfect original, but
as the child proceeds with it's task and
uses as a pattern that which it has but
previously written, the last effort ut
the bottom of the page is sadly unlike
the perfect copy from which the start
was made. Unconsciously that child
has departed step by step from the
well-formed letters Of the copy until
1T is startled at last when it lifts it's
eyes from the word at the bottom Of
the column and sees how unlike it is to
that at the top. The Irregularities
which crept into the first transcription
and which were hardly ~perceptible
have been intensified until the altera-
ton has become decided and striking.
So it is with principles, rules and GUS
toms, and even laws. Man has been
busy for a good many years cutting his
forms of rules Of conduct and govern
ment from the patterns which the pre-
ceding generation has furnished, until
principles and conditions have come TO
prevail which would not have been con-
ceived of or tolerated years ago. Take
the present attitude towards divorce
and many of the laws relating there
to, as an illustration. Take the scien-
tiic nonsense met with on every hand
regarding collaborating, the rearing
and control of children, and the life
and atmosphere CT the home. Take
the Sunday question-Sunday thea
tiers; Sunday newspapers with their
villainous humor, and their sensa-
tional features, which deaden the reli-
gious sense of the adults and blast
the budding germs of piety in the
young; Sunday sports and outings.
Take the spirit which largely rules in
legislative bodies, and in the commercial
and industrial worlds, one must admit
that here has been a departure from first
principles.