"Temptation?" said a certain great lady who was not strong in theology.
"That is what one yields to, isn't it?"
She probably knew what she was talking about, for she had lived in the
world a good while, as we have. But the preacher is not very often one
of us, and he knows little of our ways and next to nothing of our real
feelings; yet he exhorts us to be like him. It would be very odd if we
succeeded. The world would probably stand still if we did, and most of
us are so well aware of the fact that we do not even try; and the sermon
simply has no effect at all, which need not prevent the preacher from
being richly remunerated for delivering it.
"Vice is very attractive, of course," he says, "but you must avoid it
because it is sinful."
And every time vice is mentioned we think how attractive it must be,
since it is necessary to preach against it so much; and the more
attractive it seems, the greater the temptation.
"Should you like to try a vice or two?" said the Spartan, "Very well.
Come with me, my boy, and you shall see what vice is; and after that, if
you care to try it, please yourself, for I shall have nothing more to
say!"
And forthwith he played upon the string of disgust, which is the most
sensitive of all the strings that vibrate in the great human instrument;
and the boy's stomach rose, and he sickened and turned away, and
remembered for ever, though he might try ever so hard to forget.
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