eth sin is the servant of
sin." These are the Lord's own words.

But the worst state any one can be in is a state of bondage in sin,
with no desire, no wish or feeling of any kind, to get out of it. This
spirit of indifference stamps the seal of darkness deeper and deeper,
until the soul loses all desire for anything better. I am just now
reminded of what I read not long since. A family of the name of
Slocum, living in the State of Pennsylvania, if I mistake not, many
years ago, was visited by Indians for the purpose of plunder. With
other things they carried off one of the children of the family, a
girl several years old. The family was sorely distressed, and every
possible effort was made to rescue the child. But all in vain. Many
years after, when the poor little girl's father and mother were both
dead, her surviving brother and sister heard of her. They felt
satisfied they had been correctly informed, and resolved to go to see
her, and if possible try to get her back to live with them once more.
They went on horseback, and found her a long way off in what was then
an unsettled part of Ohio. I may be mistaken even here, as to the part
of the country they found her in. But they did find their sister
living among the Indians, and in fact the wife of one of the chiefs.
She still remembered some English words. They got her to understand
who they were, and they wished her to go back with them to their home.
But she would not go. She gave them to understand that she was
_satisfied_ to remain with the Indians, destitute and comfortless as
they were. The last trace of home feeling had left her heart, and with
it had departed every vestige of religious concern and love for social
life. Sad and sorrowing did her brother and sister return to their
homes; and to the time of their death they never ceased to mourn for
their lost sister. I have told you a true story; and if it causes the
eye of some tender-hearted mother to grow dim with a tear I say, _It
is well_. God's children are exhorted to be tender-hearted,
compassionate one for another, and to weep with the sorrowing.

But there is something that should touch our sympathies and bring our
tears from fountains far deeper than those opened by such stories as
the one I just related. And that is the condition which so many are in
with respect to the things of salvation. Like the poor woman I told
you about, they are deaf to all that is told them about a better life,
and dead t