self-murderer." Providence is not to blame; nor is climate, weather,
overwork, overstudy, or any other even seemingly plausible cause, to
be blamed. Their own sins have sunk them in mental, moral, and physical
perdition. Such a victim literally dies by his own hand, a veritable
suicide. Appalling thought! It is a grand thing to die for one's
principles, a martyr to his love of right and truth. One may die
blameless who is the victim of some dire contagious malady which he
could not avoid; even the poor, downcast misanthrope whose hopes are
blighted and whose sorrows multiplied, may possibly be in some degree
excused for wishing to end his misery with his life; but the wretched
being who sheds his life-blood by the disgusting maneuvers of
self-pollution--what can be said to extenuate _his_ guilt? His is a
double crime. Let him pass from the memory of his fellow-men. He will
perish, overwhelmed with his own vileness. Let him die, and return to
the dust from which he sprang.
The Race Ruined by Boys.--The human race is growing steadily weaker
year by year. The boys of to-day would be no match in physical strength
for the sturdy youths of a century ago who are now their grandparents.
An immense amount of skillful training enables now and then one to
accomplish some wonderful feat of walking, rowing, or swimming, but
we hear very little of remarkable feats of labor accomplished by our
modern boys. Even the country boys of to-day cannot endure the hard
work which their fathers accomplished at the same age; and we doubt
not that this growing physical weakness is one of the reasons why so
large a share of the boys whose fathers are farmers, and who have been
reared on farms, are unwilling to follow the occupation of their fathers
for a livelihood. They are too weakly to do the work required by an
agricultural life, even by the aid of the numerous labor-saving
inventions of the age.
What is it that is undermining the health of the race and sapping the
constitutions of our American men? No doubt much may be attributed to
the unnatural refinements of civilization in several directions; but
there can be no doubt that vice is the most active cause of all. Secret
sin and its kindred vices yearly ruin more constitutions than hard work,
severe study, hunger, cold, privation, and disease combined.
Boys, the destiny of the race is in your hands. You can do more than
all the doctors, all the scientists and most eminent political men in
the world, to secure the prosperity and future greatness of the nation,
by taking care of yourselves, by being pure, noble, true to yourselves
and to the demands of high moral principle.
Cases Illustrating the Effects of Self-Abuse.--The land is full of poor
human wrecks who have dashed in pieces their hopes for this world, and
too often for the next also, against this hideous rock which lies hidden
in the pathway of every young man who starts out upon life's stormy
voyage. Gladly would we draw the veil and cover them with all their
dreadful deformities with the mantle of charity from the gaze of their
fellow-beings; but their number is so great that this could scarcely
be done, and the lesson to be learned from their sad fate is such a
grave one, and so needful for the good of the generation of young men
who are just encountering the same dangers, that we cannot resist the
promptings of duty to present a few examples of the effects of vice
in men and boys that have fallen under our own observation. We have
seen hundreds of cases of this sort; have treated many scores of persons
for the effects of the terrible crime which we are seeking to sound
a warning against, and the number of cases we might describe would fill
a volume; but we will select only a very few.
Two Young Wrecks.--Charles and Oscar B---- were the sons of a farmer
in a Western State, aged respectively ten and twelve years. They
possessed well-formed heads, and once had beautiful faces, and were
as bright and sprightly as any little boys of their age to be found
anywhere. Their father was proud of them, and their fond mother took
great pleasure in building bright prospects for her darling sons when
they should attain maturity and become competent to fill useful and
honorable positions in the world. Living in a rapidly-growing Western
community, they had every prospect of growing up to honorable
usefulness, a comfort to their parents, a blessing to the world, and
capable of enjoying life in the highest degree.
But suddenly certain manifestations appeared which gave rise to grave
apprehensions on the part of the parents. It was observed that the elder
of the little boys no longer played about with that nimbleness which
he had formerly shown, but seemed slow and stiff in his movements.
Sometimes, indeed, he would stagger a little when he walked. Soon, also,
his speech became affected in some degree; he mumbled his words and
could not speak distinctly. In spite of all that could be done, the
disease continued, increasing slowly in all its symptoms from week to
week. Soon the hands, also, became affected, so that the little boy
could not feed himself. The mind now began to fail. The bright eyes
became vacant and expressionless. Instead of the merry light which used
to shine in them, there was a blank, idiotic stare.
Imagine the grief and anguish of the poor mother! No one but a mother
who has been called to pass through a similar trial could know how to
sympathize with such a one. Her darling son she saw daily becoming a
prey to a strange, incurable malady, with no power even to stay the
progress of the terrible disease.
But there was still greater grief in store for her. Within a year or
two the younger son began to show symptoms of the same character, and
in spite of all that was done, rapidly sank into the same helpless state
as his brother. As a last resort, the mother took her boys and came
a long journey to place her sons under our care. At that time they were
both nearly helpless. Neither could walk but a few steps. They reeled
and staggered about like drunken men, falling down upon each other and
going through the most agonizing contortions in their attempts to work
their way from one chair to another and thus about the room. Their heads
were no longer erect, but drooped like wilted flowers. On their faces
was a blank, imbecile expression, with a few traces of former
intelligence still left. The mouth was open, from the drooping of the
lower jaw, and the saliva constantly dribbled upon the clothing.
Altogether, it was a spectacle which one does not care to meet every
day; the impression made was too harrowing to be pleasant even from
its interest from a scientific point of view.
We at once set to work to discover the cause of this dreadful condition,
saying to ourselves that such an awful punishment should certainly be
the result of some gross violation of nature's laws somewhere. The most
careful scrutiny of the history of the parents of the unfortunate lads
gave us no clue to anything of an hereditary character, both parents
having come of good families, and having been always of sober, temperate
habits. The father had used neither liquor nor tobacco in any form.
The mother could give no light on the matter, and we were obliged to
rest for the time being upon the conviction which fastened itself upon
us that the cases before us were most marked illustrations of the
results of self-abuse begun at a very early age. The mother thought
it impossible that our suspicions could be correct, saying that she
had watched her sons with jealous care from earliest infancy and had
seen no indications of any error of the sort. But we had not long to
wait for confirmation of our view of the case, as they were soon caught
in the act, to which it was found that they were greatly addicted, and
the mystery was wholly solved.
Every possible remedy was used to check the terrible disease which was
preying upon the unfortunate boys, but in vain. At times the symptoms
would be somewhat mitigated, and the most sanguine hopes of the fond,
watching mother would be excited, but in vain. The improvement always
proved to be but temporary, and the poor sufferers would speedily
relapse into the same dreadful condition again, and gradually grew
worse. At last, the poor mother was obliged to give up all hope, in
utter despair watching the daily advances of the awful malady which
inch by inch destroyed the life, the humanity, the very mind and soul
of her once promising sons. Sadly she took them back to her Western
home, there to see them suffer, perhaps for years before death should
kindly release them, the terrible penalty of sin committed almost
before they had arrived at years of responsibility.
How these mere infants learned the vice we were never able to determine.
We have no doubt that opportunities sufficient were presented them,
as the parents seemed to have very little appreciation of danger from
this source. Had greater vigilance been exercised, we doubt not that
the discovery of the vice at the beginning would have resulted in the
salvation of these two beautiful boys, who were sacrificed upon the
altar of concupiscence. Two or three years after we first saw the cases,
we heard from them, and though still alive, their condition was almost
too horrible for description. Three or four similar cases have come
to our knowledge.
Boys, are you guilty? Think of the fearful fate of these boys, once
as joyous and healthy as you. When you are tempted to sin, think of
the fearful picture of the effects of sin which they present. Have you
ever once dared to commit this awful sin? Stop, never dare to do the
thing again. Take a solemn vow before God to be pure. Your fate may
be as sad, your punishment as terrible. No one can tell what the results
may be. Absolute purity is the only safe course.
A Prodigal Youth.--A. M., son of a gentleman of wealth in Ohio, early
acquired the evil practice which has ruined so many bright lads. He
was naturally an intelligent and prepossessing lad, and his father gave
him as good an education as he could be induced to acquire, affording
him most excellent opportunities for study and improvement. But the
vile habit which had been acquired at an early age speedily began its
blighting influence. It destroyed his taste for study and culture. His
mind dwelt upon low and vile subjects. He grew restless of home
restraint and surroundings, and finally left the parental roof.
Wandering from city to city he grew rapidly worse, sinking into deeper
depths of vice, until finally he became a base, besotted, wretched
creature. Broken down in health by his sins, he could no longer enjoy
even the worst sensual pleasures, and with no taste for or capability
of appreciating anything higher he was most wretched indeed. The poor
fellow now fell into the hands of quacks. His kind father sent him money
in answer to his pitiful appeals for help, and he went anxiously from
one to another of the wretched villains who promise relief to such
sufferers but only rob them of their money and leave them worse than
before.
At last, in total despair of everything else, the poor fellow came to
us. He seemed quite broken-hearted and penitent for his sins, and really
appeared to want to lead a better life if he could only be made well
again. We faithfully pointed out to him the dreadful wickedness of his
course, and the fact that a cure could only be effected by the most
implicit obedience to all of nature's laws during his whole future life.
Indeed, we were obliged to inform him of the sad fact that he could
never be as well as before, that he must always suffer in consequence
of his dreadful course of transgression. We gave him a most earnest
exhortation to begin the work of reform where alone it could be
effectual, by reforming his heart, and the tears which coursed down
his sin-scarred cheeks seemed to indicate true penitence and a real
desire to return to the paths of purity and peace.
Earnestly we labored for this young man, for months, employing every
means in our power to lift him from the slough of sin and vice upon
the solid pathway of virtue and purity again. Gradually the hard lines
on his face seemed to lessen in intensity. The traces of vice and crime
seemed to be fading out by degrees. We began to entertain hopes of his
ultimate recovery. But alas! in an evil moment, through the influence
of bad companions, he fell, and for some time we lost sight of him.
A long time afterward we caught a glimpse of his bloated, sin-stained
face, just as he was turning to skulk away to avoid recognition. Where
this poor human wreck is now leading his miserable existence we cannot
say, but have no doubt he is haunting the dens of iniquity and sin in
the cities, seeking to find a little momentary pleasure in the
gratification of his appetites and passions. A hopeless wreck, with
the lines of vice and crime drawn all over his tell-tale countenance,
he dares not go home, for he fears to meet the reproachful glance of
his doting mother, and the scornful looks of his brothers and sisters.
We never saw a more thoroughly unhappy creature. He is fully conscious
of his condition; he sees himself to be a wreck, in mind, in body, and
knows that he is doomed to suffer still more in consequence of his vices.
He has no hope for this world or the next. His mother gave him earnest,
pious instructions, which he has never forgotten, though he has long
tried to smother them. He now looks forward with terror to the fate
which he well knows awaits all evil-doers, and shudders at the thought,
but seems powerless to enter the only avenue which affords a chance
of escape. He is so tormented with the pains and diseased conditions
which he has brought upon himself by vice that he often looks to
self-destruction as a grateful means of escape; but then comes the awful
foreboding of future punishment, and his hand is stayed. Ashamed to
meet his friends, afraid to meet his Maker, he wanders about, an exile,
an outcast, a hopeless wreck.
Young man, youth, have you taken the first step on this evil road? If
so, take warning by the fate of this young man. At once "cease to do
evil and learn to do well," before, like him, you lose the power to
do right, before your will is paralyzed by sin so that when you desire
to do right, to reform, your will and power to execute your good
determinations will fail to support your effort.
Barely Escaped.--L. R. of H----, a young man of about twenty-five years
of age, presented himself for treatment, a few years ago, for the
consequence of self-abuse. Having been taught the habit by evil
companions when just emerging into manhood, he had indulged his
passions without restraint for several years, not knowing the evil
consequences until he began to suffer the effects of sin. Then, being
warned by his own experience and by the fortunate thoughtfulness of
an intelligent friend who surmised his condition and told him
faithfully of the terrible results of the vile habit, he made a manly
effort to reform and claimed to have wholly broken the habit. To his
great grief he found, however, that the years in which he had devoted
himself to sin had wrought sad havoc in his system. In many ways his
health was greatly deranged and his once powerful constitution was
broken down. The sexual organs themselves were greatly diseased, so
much so that a serious and painful surgical operation was necessary.
With shame and mortification he looked upon his past life and saw what
a hideous work of evil he had wrought. His vileness stood out before
him in a vivid light, and he felt ashamed to meet the gaze of his fellows.
After performing the necessary surgical operation upon this poor
unfortunate, we dealt faithfully with him, pointing out to him the way
by which he might with proper effort in some degree redeem himself by
a life-long struggle against every form of impurity. He felt, and
rightly, that the task was a most severe one. He well knew that the
stamp of sin was on his countenance, and in his mind. Thoughts long
allowed to run upon vile subjects, forming filthy pictures in the
imagination, are not easily brought back to the channel of purity and
virtue. The mind that has learned to love to riot in impure dreams,
does not readily acquire a love for the opposite. But he determined
to make a brave and earnest effort, and we have every reason to believe
that he has, in a measure at least, succeeded. But, if so, he has made
a narrow escape. A few more years of sin, and his rescue would have
been impossible; both mind and body would have been sunk so deep in
the mire of concupiscence that none but Almighty power could have saved
him from utter destruction. Thousands of boys and young men are to-day
standing on the slippery brink of that awful precipice from which but
very few are snatched away. Soon they will plunge headlong over into
the abyss of debasement and corruption from whence they will never
escape. Oh that we had the power to reach each one of these unfortunate
youth before it is too late, and to utter in their ears such warnings,
to portray before them such pictures of the sure results of a course
of sin, that they might be turned back to the paths of chastity and
virtue before they have become such mental, moral, and physical wrecks
as we every day encounter in the walks of life. But not one in a thousand
can be reached when they have gone so far in sin. When they have ventured
once, they can rarely be checked in their downward course until great
harm has been wrought which it will require the work of years to undo.
The young man we have referred to made indeed a narrow escape, but no
one can safely run such a risk. Even he must suffer all his life the
consequences of a few years of sin.
A Lost Soul.--M. M., of ----, was the son of a mechanic in humble
circumstances. He was an only child, and his parents spared no pains
to do all in their power to insure his becoming a good and useful man.
Good school advantages were given him, and at a proper age he was put
to learn a trade. He succeeded fairly, and their hopes of his becoming
all that they could desire were great, when he suddenly began to
manifest peculiar symptoms. He had attended a religious revival and
seemed much affected, professing religion and becoming a member of a
church. To the exercises of his mind on the subject of religion his
friends attributed his peculiar actions, which soon became so strange
as to excite grave fears that his mind was seriously affected. At times
he was wild, showing such unmistakable evidences of insanity that even
his poor mother, who was loth to believe the sad truth, was forced to
admit that he was deranged.
After a few months a change came over him which encouraged his friends
to think that he was recovering. He became quiet and tractable, never
manifesting the furious symptoms before observed. But the deception
was only temporary, for it was soon evident that the change was simply
the result of the progress of the disease and denoted the failure of
the mental powers and the approach of imbecility. In this condition
was the young man when he came under our care. We felt strongly impressed
from our first examination of the case that it was one of sexual abuse;
but we were assured by his friends in the most emphatic manner that
such was an impossibility. It was claimed that the most scrupulous care
had been bestowed upon him, and that he had been so closely watched
that it was impossible that he should have been guilty of so gross a
vice. His friends were disposed to attribute his sad condition to
excessive exercise of mind upon religious subjects.
Not satisfied with this view of the case, we set a close watch upon
him, and within a week his nurse reported that he had detected him in
the act of self-pollution, when he confessed the truth, not yet being
so utterly devoid of sense as to have lost his appreciation of the
sinfulness of the act. When discovered, he exclaimed, "I know I have
made myself a fool," which was the exact truth. At this time the once
bright and intelligent youth had become so obtuse and stupid that he
appeared almost senseless. His face wore an idiotic expression which
was rarely lighted up by a look of intelligence. It was only by the
greatest exertion that he could be made to understand or to respond
when spoken to. In whatever position he was placed, whether lying,
sitting, or standing, no matter how constrained or painful, he would
remain for hours, staring vacantly, and fixed and immovable as a statue.
His countenance was blank and expressionless except at rare intervals.
His lips were always parted, and the saliva ran from the corners of
his mouth down upon his clothing. The calls of nature were responded
to involuntarily, soiling constantly his clothing and bedding in a most
disgusting manner, and requiring the constant attention of a nurse to
keep him in anything like a wholesome condition.
We did what we could to relieve this poor victim of unhallowed lust,
but soon became convinced that no human arm could save from utter ruin
this self-destroyed soul. At our suggestion the young man was removed
to be placed in an institution devoted to the care of imbeciles and
lunatics. The last we heard of the poor fellow he was still sinking
into lower depths of physical and mental degradation,--a soul utterly
lost and ruined. How many thousands of young men who might have been
useful members of society, lawyers, clergymen, statesmen, scientists,
have thus sunk into the foul depths of the quagmire of vice, to rise
no more forever! Oh, awful fate! The human eye never rests upon a sadder
sight than a ruined soul, a mind shattered and debased by vice.
The Results of One Transgression.--The following case is a good
illustration of the fact that a long course of transgression is not
necessary to occasion the most serious results. A young man from an
Eastern State who visited us for treatment was suffering with the usual
consequences of self-abuse, but he asserted in the most emphatic manner
that he had never committed the act of self-pollution but once in his
life. He had, however, after that one vile act, allowed his mind to
run upon vile thoughts, giving loose rein to his imagination, and in
consequence he found himself as badly off, suffering with the very same
disorders, as those who had practiced the vice for some time.
Not the slightest dallying with sin is safe. The maintenance of perfect
purity and chastity of body and mind is the only right and safe course.
By a few months' treatment the young man recovered his health in a great
measure, and, marrying an estimable young lady, settled down happily
in life. Many tears of remorse and repentance did he shed over that
one sinful act, and bitterly did he reproach the evil companion who
taught him to sin; but he was fortunate enough to escape without
suffering the worst effects of sin, and is now living happily.
A Hospital Case.--One of the most wretched creatures we ever saw among
the many sufferers from sexual excesses whom we have met, was a man
of about thirty years of age whom we found in the large Charity Hospital
on Blackwell's Island, New York City. In consequence of long indulgence
in the soul-and-body destroying habit, he had brought upon himself not
only the most serious and painful disease of the sexual organs
themselves, but disease of the bladder and other adjacent organs. He
was under severe and painful treatment for a long time without benefit,
and finally a surgical operation was performed, but with the result
of affording only partial relief.
An Old Offender.--Never were we more astonished than at the depth of
depravity revealed to us by the confessions of a patient from a distant
country who was upwards of sixty years of age and was yet a victim of
the vile habit to which he had become addicted when a youth. The stamp
of vice was on his face, and was not hidden by the lines made by advancing
age. The sufferings which this ancient sinner endured daily in
consequence of his long course of sin were sometimes fearful to behold;
and yet he continued the habit in spite of all warnings, advice, and
every influence which could be brought to bear upon him. So long had
he transgressed, he had lost his sense of shame and his appreciation
of the vileness of sin, and it was impossible to reform him by any means
which could be brought to bear upon him. He left us still a sufferer,
though somewhat relieved, and, we have every reason to believe, as vile
a sinner as ever. Undoubtedly, before this time his worthless life is
ended, and he has gone down into a sinner's grave, hoary with vice.
A terrible end.