The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-07-22
The PEOPLES FOUR NJ.
A Third Deadly Sin is LUXURY.

We see it in everyday life that comes
as the result of wealth. ease, seIfgrati-
fication, but when yielded to for Its own
sake it invariably weakens.
The luxury of Capua destroyed the
bravest army Italy ever saw, though
flushed with victory and led by the
brave Hannibal. When Capua was
taken the walls of Carthage began to
tremble. They caught the infection,
began to love pleasure which made
them efeminate and so an easy prey to
enemies. The luxury of Asia, Pliny
tells US, corrupted the Roman common
wealth, when with the riches of Asia,
they got taste for luxury and yolup-
tuousness. Rome conquered Asia by
force of arms, but was in turn conquer
ed by Asia S vices.
Foreign riches ended the love of in
dustry and simplicity which had been
the stamina of its strength and honor.
The luxury that ended Rome with the
spoils of Asia, brought in its train all
kinds of disorders and crimes and made
more havoc than armies could have
done. The face of the State was
changed. Virtue, valor and disintered-
ness were no longer esteemed. Vice
became rampant and the government
from being just and wise became ty-
rannical and insupportable Luxury
weakens every time, and as DR.. John
son said to Garrack as he showed him
his fine house, gardens, statues, pic
lures, &c at Hampton Court, ali David,
/ David, these are the things that make
death bed terrible 1t may be pleas
ant to have the Injuries of civilization,
but he who cares only for these, is
worth no more than a butterfly on
morning flowers. You don t rear tomb
stones to butterfys. This evil includes
RIGHTEOUSNESS. Why speak of it? Be-
cause it is 50 prevalent and that too
against the warnings and admonitious
of the Bible. You find it in schools
where virtue is sure to be assaulted. 1t
begins with thoughts, and this paves
the way for acts. Physiology says it
digs channels in the substance CT the
brain. Let the mind be occupied with
manly and healthy subjects. Keep the
body healthy and it will affect the mind.
This sin manifests itself in words, as
when young men get together and the
conversation slips out on dangerous
ground.
1t will sacrifice the virtue of woman,
heinous crime in the sight of God.
But temptation does not always come
from one side as was so in the case of
Joseph.
No sin so quickly or inevitably de-
stroys the soul, body and fortune, while
nature has enacted her protest against
it, by fastening foul disease on the
guilty person.
The chaste nation is the strong and
prosperous one. 1t is a sin against
self, against others and against God.
Our appetites must restrained.
When one is given over to his own
hearts lust he is wretched.
What picture Paul gives in Romans,
first chapter. He tells US we are not
to fulfill the lusts of the flesh, which
Peter says, has corrupted the world and
John says the world passeth away and
the lusts thereof Still we go on un-
mindful of the fearful doom and the
awful results, fascinated by it's de-
ceptions that have plunged into lusts
which have wrecked the body with dis
ease, vet would they fain conceal the
loathesomeness that doth breed on their
frame. Yet they 90 back to the same
sins despite warnings, entreaties and
prayers, until they perish in their guilt.
Men are worse than children, tor the
child skating on a pond, if told 1T will
not bear, goes back, or if perchance he
ventures on, so soon as he hears the
cracking beneath, will quickly escape.
But men with conscience which tells
them that these sins are vile and will
be their ruin. hear the cracking of sin
as thin sheet beneath their feet, they
may even see some of their comrades
sink in the flood to their utter destruc-
ton, vet they go on. Worse than child
ish, worse than mad, presumptuously
playing with their own everlasting
state or ruthessly casting away a
glorious eternity for the momentary
yet unsatisfactory pleasure of sensu-
atty.
My young friends, shun this sin. 1t
will destroy thy peace of mind, hinder
thy progress in life. nullify thy IN
huence and destroy thy soul. The
remedy is grace and that is freely Of
fered.
Yours truly
JOHANNES.
St. Swithin's Day.