20.  THE REPORTS OF HOSPITALS.—­The reports of hospitals for lunatics almost universally assign intemperance as one of the causes which predispose a man’s offspring to insanity.  This is even more strikingly manifested in the case of congenital idiocy.  They come generally from a class of families which seem to have degenerated physically to a low degree.  They are puny and sickly.

21.  SECRET DISEASES.—­See the weakly, sickly and diseased children who are born only to suffer and die, all because of the private disease of the father before his marriage.  Oh, let the truth be told that the young men of our land may learn the lessons of purity of life.  Let them learn that in morality there is perfect protection and happiness.

[Illustration:  GETTING A DIVORCE.]

[Illustration:  THE DEGENERATE TURK.]

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PHYSICAL AND MORAL DEGENERACY.

1.  MORAL PRINCIPLE.—­“Edgar Allen Poe, Lord Byron, and Robert Burns,” says Dr. Geo. F. Hall, “were men of marvelous strength intellectually.  But measured by the true rule of high moral principle, they were very weak.  Superior endowment in a single direction—­physical, mental, or spiritual—­is not of itself sufficient to make one strong in all that that heroic word means.

2.  INSANE ASYLUM.—­many a good man spiritually has gone to an untimely grave because of impaired physical powers.  Many a good man spiritually has gone to the insane asylum because of bodily and mental weaknesses.  Many a good man spiritually has fallen from virtue in an evil moment because of a weakened will, or a too demanding fleshly passion, or, worse than either, too lax views on the subject of personal chastity.”

3.  BOYS LEARNING VICES.—­some ignorant and timid people argue that boys and young men in reading a work of this character will learn vices concerning which they had never so much as dreamed of before.  This is, however, certain, that vices cannot be condemned unless they are mentioned; and if the condemnation is strong enough it surely will be a source of strength and of security.  If light and education, on these important subjects, does injury, then all knowledge likewise must do more wrong than good.  Knowledge is power, and the only hope of the race is enlightenment on all subjects pertaining to their being.

4.  MORAL MANHOOD.—­it is clearly visible that the American manhood is rotting down—­decaying at the center.  The present generation shows many men of a small body and weak principles, and men and women of this kind are becoming more and more prevalent.  Dissipation and indiscretions of all kind are working ruin.  Purity of life and temperate habits are being too generally disregarded.