Prevalence of Corrupting Vices
337
fessed Christians are so benumbed by the same practice that their
moral sensibilities cannot be aroused to understand that it is sin, and
that if continued its sure results will be utter shipwreck of body and
mind. Man, the noblest being upon the earth, formed in the image of
God, transforms himself into a beast! He makes himself gross and
corrupt. Every Christian will have to learn to restrain his passions and
be controlled by principle. Unless he does this, he is unworthy of the
Christian name
Moral pollution has done more than every other evil to cause the
race to degenerate. It is practiced to an alarming extent and brings
on disease of almost every description. Even very small children,
infants, being born with natural irritability of the sexual organs, find
momentary relief in handling them, which only increases the irritation
[442]
and leads to a repetition of the act, until a habit is established which
increases with their growth
Lustful Propensities Are Inherited—Parents do not generally
suspect that their children understand anything about this vice. In very
many cases the parents are the real sinners. They have abused their
marriage privileges and by indulgence have strengthened their animal
passions. And as these have strengthened, the moral and intellectual
faculties have become weak. The spiritual has been overborne by
the brutish. Children are born with the animal propensities largely
developed, the parents’ own stamp of character having been given
to them.... Children born to these parents will almost invariably take
naturally to the disgusting habits of secret vice.... The sins of the
parents will be visited upon their children, because the parents have
given them the stamp of their own lustful propensities
A Bewitching Slavery—I have felt deeply as I have seen the
powerful influence of animal passions in controlling men and women
of no ordinary intelligence and ability. They would be capable of
engaging in a good work, of exerting a powerful influence, were they
not enslaved by base passions. My confidence in humanity has been
terribly shaken.
I have been shown that persons of apparently good deportment,
not taking unwarrantable liberties with the other sex, were guilty of
9
Ibid
.
10
Testimonies For The Church 2:391
.
11
Ibid
.