Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-07-15
THE voYAGE or LIFE.

klel xANll.. 70.
In the chapter from which the text
is taken the pleasure loving city of
Tyre is compared TO a ship. At first
sp'sndid. proud, gallant. and then dis
mantled, struggling, lost. Broken by
the seas in the depths of the waters"
There follows the bitter wailing OF
those who have suffered loss or be-
reavement, and so the story ends.
The contrast between the two condi-
tons of the ship is no greater than that
we often meet In human life.
Multitudes OF young men make a
fair start upon their voyage, with ev-
cry prospect of success. They have tai
ent, energy, health, and friends; APP
parently the winds are favorable, the
sea smooth; no clouds fieck their hori-
zon. But as time passes one sees them
drifting from the shore. out into the
deep, dark, troubled waters. where are
the tempes the whirlpool, and de-
struction The talents have been
squandered, the advantages wasted,
the career blasted, the soul all but
wrecked.
1t is terrible contrast, but one that
is not seldom seen
What with the ever increasing hours
of leisure, and the more liberal wages
what with the laxlty of parental
oversight. and the Establishments. pre-
lenses and tinsel of r.ce-what with
the prevailing leniency toward wrong
doing, and the widespread indifference
to the restraints Of religions. we need
not be surprised when we are told that
there has recently neen an enormous
growth in crime. especially among the
young.
We ask whence 1t arises?
In the text the wreck appears TO
have been attributable 10 s'the row.
ers."
Who, then, are these rowers?
We may, in the first place, regard
them as ones companions.
Our companions exercise a vast in
fuence over us. unconscious though it
be. Our nature is social! we forn
friendships; and then we are swayed
by them. 1t is difficult to stand out
against the current and the tide
A group of college boys together will
engage in follies and sins which no one
Of their number would think of com
hitting alone. The cry is BE manw
and the poor weakling, with blinded
eyes, and his false conception of man
liness, plays ''the fool
One cunning knave among hard
worked clerks or poverty stricken la
borers will entangle them all in his
mesh of dishonest schemes, clever by
pocrisies, and ruinous lies
An idle set of fast young men can
conceive crimes. lay plans, perform
deeds, which not one Of them could
work out by himself-which yet will
cast humiliation upon a whole COM
munity. and wreck the lives of all con
cerned.
II you make companions of the de-
rraved you will end in being depraved
Live with the wolves" says the Span
ish proverP. land you will learn to
howl" slenta, power is not proof
against such influences. 1t was the
wild smuggler boys Of Kirk Oswald
who led Burns astray. Call not that
man a friend who. while he takes his
stand by your side, shoulder to shout
der, is tempting you to destruction.
From such false friends may God AL
mighty save US all.
Again, these ''rowers. may be re-
garded as mans own appetites.
God has planted certain instincts
and propensities In our nature, and
they have their place in the economy
of our being. We must eat and drink,
and be bound together in domestic reia-
tions. Herein is natural joy of life.
But God Furnishes excess; our desires
and passions have definite limitations
and are to be kept under strict control,
they are to be subordinate. not su-
preme. Nature has her laws. and
when they are infringed, she Furnishes
without hesitation and without re-
morse
Excess Is sin. Excess is weakness.
Excess is death. Caesar souCh ~ hap
piness in dominion: Brutus la glory:
Anthony in love, The first found in
gratitude, the second reproach, the last
disgrace, and each destruction, because
each went to excess
AS result of yielding to the lower
nature we may read in every issue of
the daily papers a long list of crimes;
a youth robbing his employer; a girl
deserving her home: children casting
off their parents; wife leaving her
husband; young men guilty of betrayal,
desertion, ana even murder.
Possibly not one of these misguided
persons intended wrong. AS they look
back over the past they are bewilder-
ed as they try to recall the first false
step. 1t must seem like a frightsuI
nightmare as they review the events
which led little by little to the devas-
tation of to-day Doubtless the whole
history might be summed up in one
sentence, 4the rowers swept them on"
Desire, appetite, lust were uncontroll-
ed. and thus came ruin When the
weakened ship passes out into the deep
sea the waves beat it, the winds toss
1t, the floods open its creyices. the
waters rush in and the ship goes down.
Then follows bitter lamentation.
Let me show you picture. All infirIn
and broken hearted woman sits to-day
In her chamber alone Mechanically
she turns the leaves of an old worn
Bible; it has been in her family for
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