The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-26
TINE WAGES or SIN IN YREsRUN.
some Notes on the Assault Made on an
Ancient Law.

some Notes on the Assault Made on an
Ancient Law.
Long before the Yresrunians achieved
a position enabling them to put into
execution their plans for the service OF
humanity. a governing body OF univer-
sal authority had enacted a law OF
such simplicity that It was unerringly
self-enforcing.
This law was set down in six words.
They we're:
The wages Of sin Is death.
To the Yresrunians the multiplication
Of words was q delightful recreation as
well as a stern duty; consequently the
terseness OF this law was highly often
sive to them.
The Yresrunlans accepted as sound
no law that did not contain excep-
lions; therefore this all inclusive law
fell under their condemnation.
In the opinion of the Yresrunians
no law which did not provide for the
appointment OF a. number Of them
selves to well paid jobs could be worthy
OF respect; and as this law carried
with II no salaries and no fees Il fell
under their disapprovai.
One Of the principal virtues Of good
laws under the Yresrunian system was
obscurity; and as the simplest man Of
good faith was able to understand this
law, Notwithstanding &c best efforts
the windiest Yresrunians devoted to
constituting II, and explaining 1t, and
calculating II. and clarifying II, and
expoundlng II. and interpreting II, and
otherwise bedevilling Il, it's continued
endurance and enforcement occasioned
great chagrin and irritation.
SO the Yresrunians decided {, repeal
this law, being encouraged In this prof.
oct by their greatest orators and the
speech masters and charm makers.
who, having had nothing to do with the
enactment OF the law. naturally be-
lieved themselves to be peculiarly we'll
qualified to do away with II.
In carrying out this plan 20 relieve
themselves of the incidence Of the law
the Yresrunians were not entirely In
harmony.
| Some Of them were for putting an
end TO II by denying the authority Of
| it's author. When some audacious in
| terlopers suggested that this might not
produce the desired effect, basing their
doubts on tho fact that among millions
who had consistently made II their prac-
tice to dony that authority the law had
worked with discouraglnR success. the
Yresrunians advocating this course be-
came angry. and insisted that so far az
they were concerned they did deny
that authority. and this they confidently
asserted, ended the matter.
Other Yresrunians contended that the
law might be rendered ineffective by
adding to II a number OF exceptions:
and II was noticed that the exception
| suggested by each Yresrunian covered
that particular form of sin which per-
sonal association had rGAde tolerable.
or even pleasant. to him.
| Another faction OF Yresrunians would
| have let the law itself stand. but ad-
vocated the writing Of CHARMS pro-
hibiting Yresrunians and everybody else
from SHINING. Such was the potency OF
charms, they declared. that when these
prohibitions were cncased In pie crust
| colored leather their efficiency would
be Immediately demonstrated in the
conduct OF the Yresrunians. Many Of
these charms were composed and set
| in operation, and the Yresrunians
looked for great things from them.
Certain broad minded Yresrunians
| "a
the law stand. but that II should he
restricted in its effects to selected
classes In the community: and In their
patriotic enthusiasm these Yresrunians
offered In behalf OF themselves and
their friends to accept all the ex-
illusions. for the welfare Of less en-
l!ghtened units of the body polite.
Naturally the Yresrunians engaged
in animated dispute as to what consti-
tuted sin. and uncouth persons who
said that this discussion was foolish and
fruitless and that every man must go
forward guided by his own knowledge
and his own conscience. accepting the
consequences OF his acts. were accused
of the crime OF modsiw, told tina. Yres-
runians were exempt from the obliga-
lions OF other men and doomed to keer
their mouths shut.
Out of all the disputationl and
quarrels over this law there sprang a
condition OF incertitude and doubt thas
gave the greatest happiness to the
Yresrunians and proved to them that
they were conspicuously superior to all
the rest Of mankind. wherever situate
and In the contemplation OF their SUI
periority 1t never occurred to them 70
notice that In spite OF their excep.
lions and their most complicated charms
and their most vigorous denials of the
authority Of the author Of the law the
records of Yresrun land, like those OF
, every other land. proved beyond the
possibility Of question the continued
and unfaillng self-enforcement of the
law which provides that the wages Of
sin Is death.