Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 September 1874 — A. Sermon. [ARTICLE]

A. Sermon.

Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. — Matthew v. xii. * On tin- first page of the leading secular newspapers of the United States, and perhaps in all reading countries throughout the world, may be found these words: “the beecheb-tilton sc and a l,” which we take for the foundation of our remarks. It might be considered that the subject has been sufficiently noticed already, but it has been discussed mainly with reference to the guilt or innocence of the principal parties implicated. We expect to consider it chiefly in relation to its moral effect upon the world. For consideration we will divide the passage of scripture into three heads: Ist. The crime of adultery. 2d. Its cause and occasions, (which may be used for filling all through our discourse.) .. 3d. Its remedy. The passage of scripture we have selected is one which ministers of the gospel seldom preach from.— They have left it'uiitouclied. while the world, and the churches even, are full of adultery. There is no telling the exact extent of this crime; but considering the deceit and lying'connected with it, there is little doubt that it is the prvailing one of this age, if not of all past ages of the world. Adultery is defined as unlawful carnal intercourse between married persons, or between a married and an unmarTied person; According to the passage of scripture above cited it may exist far short of actual commerce or guilty taction. Barely looking upon a woman with evil desire is adultery. Under this view.. ot the subject how extensive and world-wide must be the crime! If it is a damning sin how important it is that men should control their wicked thoughts! There is every reason to believe that hundreds and thousands of persons are guilty of this wrong who inay not be sensible of it. Those who observe and study the OPERATIONS OF THE MIND can generally see who are guilty, even in the church where a most practical and searching sermon is being preached. If you will notice, some men in the church (he may be an elder or a deacon) always take the same seat —one where they can have a full view of the female portion of the congregation. / Some women, also, always sit where they can have a like view of the males. Eyes meet; perhaps little thought of at first; but they meet again and again for weeks and months; the parties become interested in these eye-passes; after a while they are spell-bound by - their influence; before they - are really aware of it they are enamored—-magnetized—-and here is the chief attraction.— The sermon and minister are unheeded; wife, husband, children and friends are forgotten dmtier the magic power of this pervading bewitchment. They look, they long, they lust, and are lost; yet they may not be sensible of their-condi-tion. They may not know what is the matter with them. The MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL, of whom some women have been heard to say” “He seems like an angel of God standing in the pulpit—l dearly love that man,” appears to direct his discourse more particularly to some rather interesting female hearer. She is always looking at him, and he is I frequently looking at her; presently ■ he sepds a current of electricity or 1 magnetism into her bosom, which i melts or flattens down her heart; j she feels that something has hold i of her, but supposes it is the“powj er of the spirit” operating through j the sacred words falling from the i preacher’s mouth. God have mercy on the poor woman ! She may not yet be entirely free from danger. These are only illustrations of the different forms that this great evil assumes. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of similar cases no doubt might be witnessed every week in churches and other PROMISCUOUS ASSEMBLAGES, in the numerous sociables, and wherever males and females are brought together, if competent mental" philosophers were present to take notice of the conduct of i individuals, TheLContemplation of this subject in its actual extent is,., truly saddening, and not one in a thousand cases perhaps will ever be known. We will now for a few moments consider the cause.- To a large degree it is traceable, to general destitution of moral princple. In itself the amative propensity is not wrong, but when excessive ahd un-

controlled it eads to lust. Unlawfully indulgtd it leads to, or is, adultery. Great familiarity between the sex<B naturally leads to excesses in tris direction. The common sociades of the day, railroad excursiois, PICNICS, BALLS, ETC., ~ are frequent occasions of this crime. The running es the reels and the clasping of bands in the dance no doubt frequently excite pernicious passions. But it is needless to enumerate occasions of this wrong. They are numerous and can be seen by all who examine the subject.— So we will pass on to notice the remedy for this great evil. First, every individual should have a settled principle and fixed determination that he will never violate the laws of God or man in this or any other direction. The sure cure is prevention ; it is not to be sick. No man should suffer himself to be led away into evil ; he should not only shun evil, but “abstain from the very appearance of evil.”- Having this determination or principle in his mind, he can not be tempted above that he is able to bear. The man who is a Christian will not yield to lust or any other wrong. - “He that is born of God cannot Sin, because his seed remaineth in him;” that is, this principle of honesty, which a man should have, will rise up and sustain him under all the trials and TEMPTATIONS OF LIFE. We will now draw a few - inferences and bring this subject to a close.. Ist. We infer that free love as generally understood is a dangerous and pernicious doctrine, fruitful of lust and crime, and consequent unhappiness, in any community where it is tolerated, if indeed there is such a community. We cannot enlarge here, but simply remark that the law of nature, which must be the law of God, seems to indicate that every man should select the most amable and lovely - woman on earth for a companion, and they together should march on through the journey of lifeVgrowing more united and attached to each other as days and years and the joys and sorrows of life increase, till no agent but death Can dissolve the union. Does any one say this cannot be? It is the loveliness of truth; else there is little joy ami peace on this earth, and none can truly sing, “Home, Home; sweet, sweet Home.” No husband or wife can bear to hear a companion speak of another in tends that indicate great interest. The language of Mrs. Tilton would indicate that she had Beecher on the-brain, if not in the heart. It is a wonder that educated persons used to deceit and falsehood should not have learned to cover up such destructive weakness. 2d. What is wanting in honesty and true piet»y U frequently made up in religious cant and parade. Look at the concentrated or BOILED-DOWN PIETY mixed up with this whole scandal, and which seems to cement it all into one. grand conglomerate of holiness! The hypocritical aping of massive piety is sublimely ridiculous. The true charity of the gospel is modest and retiring, and whenever bloated, puffed up piety or excessive parade is seen you may suspect there is something wrong for which it is a mask. 3d. We infer from the testimony that Beecfier was perhaps guilty of aduH.ery.jin some form.; and that if he was ever converted he has clearly fallen away, and it will be impossible ever to reclaim him.— “He that hath tasted of the good Word of Life, and of the powers of the world to come, if he shall fall away it shall be impossible to restore again to righteousness.”— A more hopeful view of the case is that Mr. Beecher has never been renewed. No doubt many of the greatest preachers of the land have never themselves had religion.— We remarked at Indianapolis during the summer or fall ot ’6l, in the presence of some ladies, that Gen. McClellan and Rev. Henry Ward Beecher Tire the two worst spoiled men in the United States. One of them answered “And they’hang better men than you are.” But the way may now foe open for him to receive that renewal of spirit and temper of mind, and haye that settled determination or principle ; established in his soul, that will : bear him above all the trials and temptations of earth. It is sorrowful that such a man should fall, because, the higher a man rises the farther he has to fall, and the surer he is to be »■ \ DASHED TO PIECES. He is talented and liberal. A few years since he said: “Aman makes his own heaven and his own hell.” His heaven has been a short am?

sorry one, and the hell which he has suffered for years we hope he will soon come out of, and that better days are for him to enjoy. sth. Pastoral visits do not always result in a growth of grace. When they occur very frequently in certain families, as two or three times aweek, while other families are neglected for months or years, and especially where they are made in absence of the husband and father of tte visited ones, it will be suspected that there are side issues, and that the salvation of souls is not the leading object. We knew a case in Indianapolis not long since where, after a few ordinary visits with singing and prayer, the minister was found lolling in the lady’s lap, mourning over the “desolations and waste places in Zion.” But who would suppose the end was yet? It might be fit to enquire If these visits are to be continued might it not be better to appoint a commission of elders or deiicons. to accompany the pastor, especially when the head of the family is known to be absent? ' Finally we remark that one great wrong in our country is, that children and adults are trained to venerate and almost, if not altogether, worship the minister as an angel sent from God, pure, and who can do no wrong. People must be brought to regard ministers as mere men, subject to like passions as Other men, but having greater opportunities to take advantage of the weak and ill-guarded.