s; family virtues disappear; the children are corrupt from
their very birth; the seeds of sure decay are already planted. In 1895
there were twenty-five thousand divorces in this country. I was on one
of the fashionable streets of a prominent city some time ago, where
every family except two in the whole street had either a son or a
daughter that had been divorced. Divorce and debauchery go hand in
hand. We are not gaining much in turning away from this old law, are
we?

THE DEVIL'S COUNTERFEIT.

Lust is the devil's counterfeit of love. There is nothing more
beautiful on earth than a pure love, and there is nothing so blighting
as lust. I do not know of a quicker, shorter way down to hell than by
adultery and the kindred sins condemned by this commandment. The Bible
says that with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, but
"whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart." Lust will drive
all natural affection out of a man's heart. For the sake of some vile
harlot he will trample on the feelings and entreaties of a sainted
mother and beautiful wife and godly sister.

Young man, are you leading an impure life? Suppose God's scales should
drop down before you, what would you do? Are you fit for the kingdom
of heaven? You know very well that you are not. You loathe yourself.
When you look upon that pure wife or mother, you say,

"What a vile wretch I am! The harlot is bringing me down to an
untimely and dishonored grave."

May God show us what a fearful sin it is! The idea of making light of
it! I do not know of any sin that will make a man run down to ruin
more quickly. I am appalled when I think of what is going on in the
world; of so many young men living impure lives, and talking about the
virtue of women as if it didn't amount to anything. This sin is coming
in upon us like a flood at the present day. In every city there is an
army of prostitutes. Young men by hundreds are being utterly ruined by
this accursed sin.

THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER.

I think that the most infernal thing the sun shines on in America is
the way woman is treated after she has been ruined by a man, often
under fair promises of marriage. Some one said that when the prodigal
son came home he had the best robe and the fatted calf, but what does
the prodigal daughter get? Although she may have been more sinned
against than sinning, she is cast out and ostracized by society. She
is condemned to an almost hopeless life of degradation and