The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-27
WELLS DISCUSSES J
TRAGEDY Of SIN
BEATrIE CRIME FURNISHES BROAD
STREET METHODIST PASTOR
THEME FOR SERMON.
HE WARNS YOUNG MEN
MINISTER DECLARES FAMOUS CASE
SHOULD SERVE AS OBJECT LES
son, FOR "END THEREOF
is DEATH"
HE WARNS YOUNG MEN

" Our city and community. indeed
this Mnoie state mas ueen S.lrred
recently b. ythe trial ana CONVICTION
OF a young man whose career IL
Illustrates the romance tnd tragedy OF
SIN. And II ought to be a lesson OF
warning to every young man..
Win this statement at MS theme,
the Rev. FRANK l.. Weis. pastor OF
broad street Methodist church, de-
nvered a sermon from the pulpit OF
this church last night. Though he
did not once mention the name or
Beattie, 1t was clear TO ali In the con-
Eregation that the central inquire in
the famous Midtotnian turnpike tras-
cay was the young man to wnom ne
referred.
With THE Romance and Tragedy
OF SIM as his SUBJECT, Dr. Weils Sc
Iected his text from Proverbs. l4tn
chapter and 18th verse; ''Tnere Is a
way that seemeth right unto a man,
but the END thereof are the ways of
DEATH"
End Is woy OF Death.
Proceeding, he said.
-. De you-eall- l&-ths irony- at fate
that the man who was wise enough
to declare this truth was himself q
victim of the illusions OF SIN! solo
m III tA2ted UOLA kAc Oh0
the Tragedy of sin BY the romance
Of sin, we mean that 1t seems fair
and fascinating at first TO those who
yield themselves to II; the Tragedy
OF sin il that the end OF 1t Is the way
of death.
There ;s no doubt about the fact
that many Of our strongest tempta-
tons are addressed to us with the
graces of manner and the destinations
of beauty. A thousand arts and CT
forts have been employed by the
devil to make the way to destruction
seem easy and inviting. Many an
lardent and unsuspectIng youth has
been fascinated by the fallen angels Of
clifton and whirled TN toward the
kingdom of darkness in chariots that
seemed to hi INTO be OF light. This
In what we mean by the romance OF
sin--that in many of Its aspects II
seNms a delightful and enjoyable
thing; it seems bright and fac
Icinating
The tragedy of sin is that whatever
lit may seem to be, In reality It is the
beginning of ruin and the end 10 the
/ day OF death Death? Yves. death.
Not the passing OF the spirit out OF
the tody. That 10 but an incident OF
existence. Not q cessation of being.
ased in a body. Then what is the
death that is the result OF sin? In
Its essence It 10 separation from GOD.
Ii ts the death Of every god-Fke power
| and instinct Of the soul. and the ma
lturity of every devtl-Iike passion you
have ever felt This Ii the tragedy
OF sin. Oh. the pity Of 1t, that men
and women should be deceived by
that which seems to be. and fail to
look through TO see what sin really
u.
Cites illustration.
| Lift up your eyes and you Will see
all about you in the writing victims
Of sin testimony to its romance and
its tragedy.
| You read Of that young man who
ended his life with q pistol ball some
time ago, and left on his dresser
note which read as follows:
| MY last will and testament.
"I leave to society . ruined char
acter.
81 leave to my father and mother
all the misery they can bear
| 81 leave to nay brothers and sis
Iters the memory OF my misspent life.
| 81 leave to my wife a broken
heart
And then he went on to tell Of
how il all seems so inviting and beau.
tiful at frst. and Of how he found
sort Of wild delight In sin. He
wanted to be known as a dashing
young man {and. alas. some seem
willing to sell their souls. only to be
called dashing young men). and he
told OF how the stage. the cheap
novel. the dance hall and the saloons
had fascinated him and gradually evil
habits had grown upon him until he
felt powerless to loose himself from
them.
III had kept =, record Of the most
lstriking examples OF the romance and