Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-04-23


OF his mother. He had a delicate, spir-
itual touch. lie could distinguish
right from wrong as readily as
trained artists eye can tell the har-
mony Of colors or a musicians ear can
be shocked at the slightest discord
But after awhile that young man al
lows himself to be led into question
able enjoyments. When he first saw
enchanting sin. fiery blush manted
his cheek But after awhile his per
ceptions are dullcd; evil is no longer rc-
pulslve to him; he begins to believe
that the theater may have a beneficial
influence. He can argue for it with a
clear eye and a steady heartbeat. Aft
or awhile he can go and with absolute
ly no qualms or upbraidings of con
science can sit and listen to the vlest
of talks which are being uttered upon
the stage; sit there with young girl
by his side who is no more ashamed of
what she sees and hears than is her
masculine escort Tho fact that the
young man is able to argue with YOU
and that he sees no wrong in watching
n sinful play proves beyond n doubt
that he has cirrhosis of the soul. n
hardening Of the moral scnsibilities, an
inability to spiritually distinguish right
from wrong. What color blindness IL
to the locomotive engineer who il I'M
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 cyeless
ground mole, is unable to tell the
brightness of midnoon from the dark
ness OF midnight.
Hardening the Moral Sensibilitics
| have seen. more than once, this
hardening of the moral sensibilties by
sin. Within few blocks of "a 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 q 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 MS though stunned. Then they
would look around the street as though
they were thieves about to rob "A house.
Then at those lewd pictures in the
windows they would look again. with
CLASSY eye and flushed face. But aft
crward those same boys. who at first
were ashamed to look would become
bold faced and vile tonCucd. 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 a man
who once led noble woman to the
marriage altar not only sacrifice him
self. but sell his own child into sin, for
the qualification of quenching a 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 scofting at sin !?
Are you not afraid that, as in Circes
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 sensibili-
ties left?
Evil temptations should not be de-
ridcd. The depths OF human misery
into which they can fling their victims
this side of the grave are unfathoma-
BILE. 1t is upon the dark side of the re-
suits of sin | would speak. The trou-
Bile with many of our so called Chris
tan teachers is that we put halo over
sin. We picture temptation as a crea
ture of beauty seated upon a silver
cloud lined with gold She holds in 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
form, make her look so innocent one
cannot help loving her even though she
may be bad. But l would tear away
the beautiful robe. and under the rim
of that cloud | would show you 4
crouching demon whose only music Is
the agonizing cry OF those whom he has
got in his clutches. whose only JOY is
in tantalizng those whom he is de
stroying and whose frightened, plead
ing eyes have no more effect upon bis
stony heart than the cry of the help
less fawn upon the boa constructor who
is wrapping its coils about the trem-
bling body for the fatal hug.
First Steps to Destruction.
The first steps Ia moral destruction
may wind through n garden. but that
floral pathway soon changes into the
hily road covered with Jagged rocks
and running by the side of yawning
prccipiceS. The bracelets Of gold are
soon changed into the handouts Of
steel. The merrymakers will soon hear
the echoes of their laughter in the
shrieks of the doomed and the lost.
There is no permanent happiness in
sin Mark that, my brother go 10 real
happiness in sin,
Toll me. o drunkard. that You are
happy? No, no, Any one who has
heard John b. Cough describe the mis-
cries of his past life knows that no
drunkard is happy, Tell me that the
libertine is happy when by his crimes
he lost the respect of all good men and
women? Tell me that the gambler is
happy? No, no! When he sat at the
gaming table, he not only lost his hon
or, but his hole. his business, his all.
He cannot even buy pair of shoes for