The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-06-12

sin. And your sin started when you
first came in contact with, it-not just
after you committed the act. Sin. like
seed, grows into tremendous proper
tions If not cut in the beginning. Go
to the prison house, to the poor
house, to the place where vice flaunts,
and ask the victims when they
started downward You will find the
contact with the disease sin has been
the start of their downfall.
The infection, as with smallpox,
comes Immediately afterward. We
might have called Gehazi to stop, but
the delirium of the gifts and the sight
of them had so bewildered him he
could not see the result. | cry and
cry to many man and woman to
stop, but the exhileration of the sin
has caught them and they will go on
If they burn up the next minute. The
thoughts of the fires that will burn
later have no effect upon them.
The Bite Of Sin.
learn the bite of the tarantula
causes the Mexican who may be vic
tim, to dance and dance. He cannot
stop, and sad to say, oftentimes, 1t Is
the dance Of death. So sin bites
man or woman, and the dance OF
death goes on. Then, home training
and influence goes to the wind. The
words of kind father and mother are
no longer needed The Sunday school
teacher is forgotten. The pastor, with
words of advice and warning. 1s
scorned. The words Of the men and
women OF the city, who regard and
care only for the best, are laughed
at. Stop? Never! l want bigger
chunk Of hell" and that IS what they
will get.
One time was stationed near q
live wire to warn pedestrians OF the
danger. Time after time some ono
would almost rush upon danger, ridi-
culing the fact that there was danger
and death lurking IN that innocent
looking wire, and frequently felt like
saying: "Well, go on. have told you
the consequences" And so. tonight
am stationed by God to warn you
against the live wires OF sin and
death. and some OF you will scorn my
words. I once read poem that
went something like this:
"sin is a monster Of such frightful
mein;
To be hated is but to be seen.
But seen too oft much Of its hideous-
ness doth efface.
We flrst endure, then pity. then en-
BRACE"
The little bug may bask gracefully
about the lighted candle, and glow
with it's warmth. but sooner or later
that moth will have its wings
scorched, and then it will fall. How
many fallen ones there are!
The snake, once it catches the eye
of a bird. merely waits with fixed
look, while the bird, screaming and
fluttering, will gradually circle until 1t
has come into the clutches Of the rep
tile. Men and women. can | make
this strong enough? You are infected
with the fever Of this frightful cpl
demic With some of you, | must
wait until you have been dashed with
the cruel thongs Of sin before you
will hear, but thank God, some will
heed me tonight.
When Gehazi returned, his master
suspected the servant Of the sin he
had committed. He inquired about it,
and the servant lied about it. The
prophet of God. turning to the serv-
ant with fearful words. exclaimed:
"The leprosy of Naaman shall cleave
to thee"
I have seen men and women Gov
cred with pox marks, indicating the
presence at one time Of the epidemic
that has visited our city. but the
marks Of the epidemic Of sin are
frightful and hideous.
/ plead for ignorance, yes ignorance
of sin. The Bible tells of sin to suff-
cient extent that we might know its
results and shun it. THE wages of
sin is DEATH And as Gehazi went
forth from the presence of Elisha, he
realized that there was a Judgment
for every crime. He was leper.
Praises Damaged Goods"
One of the most powerful plays that
has graced our American stage is
Damaged Goods" Some years ago,
when it appeared in the east, the
theatrical critics became indignant at
the authorities for allowing it to be
PLAYED. stating the stage was fast be-
coming a pulpit, and it spent most of
its time now moralizing. Well II
that is true, thank God, but this one
thing is right-it teaches tremendous
lesson when it Is placed before the
people of America, Damaged Goods"
The climax Of this play bursts forth
in all of it's power when the secret Of
the child's disease is learned, and
the mother of the young man who Is
the father. screams again and again,
CRYING that the tainted blood of that
innocent child might course through
her own veins instead OF the child's
whom she loves so dearly and for
whom she would willingly give her |
self Oh. that has been a scene of |
reality again and again. THE wages |
of sin"