ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPA1GN PRODUCTION NOTE University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign library Brittle Books Project, 2014.COPYRIGHT NOTIFICATION In Public Domain. Published prior to 1923. This digital copy was made from the printed version held by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It was made in compliance with copyright law. Prepared for the Brittle Books Project, Main Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign by Northern Micrographics Brookhaven Bindery La Crosse, Wisconsin 2014 -Vl E> R.ARY OF THE U N IVERS1TY or ILLINOISPLAIN POINTS ON PEKS0MI* ?imm OR STARTLING SINS OF THE STERNER SEX. A BOOK FOR MEN ONLY. BV Evangelist Geo. F. Hall, AUTHOR OF ''The Lord's Exchequer,'* Some American Evils and Their Remedies," etc. "Keep thyself pure."—/ Tim. 5:22. "Quit you like men; be strong."—J Cor. 16:18. lHan is man, and master of his fate.''—TernlyMlfc AMERICAN BIBLE HOUSE, Chicago, III. Philadelphia, Va,DEDICATORY. To every man, both great and small, "jXfhether young or old, ^XPhether white or blac^, 'fflhetfyer rich or poor, °^Phet^er strong or wea^, ^fhether saint or sinner, This volunje is respectfully inscribed by oni who desires to enlist the active sympathies of all in behalf of a nobler manhood.AUTHORITIES CITED. Addison Franklin Arnold Galen Arvine Garfield Augustine Geike Badeau Gladstone Bailley Green Barnum Griswold Barrow Guernsey Beaconsfield Hall Beaumetz Haynes Bible * Hippocrates Bovee Howe Brandt Hughes Brodie Kellogg Bryant Lallemand Buckley Langford Burrows La Rochefoucauld Cameron Laws of Life Caton Leonard Chase Leopold Cicero Lewis Clokey Livesey Coles London Times Columbus Longfellow Comstock Lowber Cowan Lowell Dix McArthur Dixon McCandlass Drysdale Meredith Dwight Milton Ellis Moore Ely Napoleon Emerson Newton Everest Nott Fairchild Parker Parkes Paul Payne Phillips Pope Pope (Dr.) Potter Prince Psychological Journal Republic Richardson Rush Scott Seerly Sherman Silliman Smith Solomon Spaulding Steele Stewart Swift Talmage Tappan Taylor Tennyson Todd Updike Waite Watts Wayland Webster Wilcox WindomTable of Contents. INTRODUCTORY. To be a man a greater privilege than to be an angel.— Man a free moral agent.—The world is growing both better and worse.—True religion deals with both body and soul.—Dr. Pope on the laws of Moses.—Excessive timidity dangerous.—A frank discussion of those evils which affect personal purity the need of the hour.—Pages 10-14. CHAPTER I.—THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD. Not the man of mere muscle.—A glass of liquor can whip Sullivan.—Samson lost his strength in the house of a harlot.—Poe, Byron and .Burns.—The man of principle the truly strong man.—A wise motto of the ancient Greeks.—Paul's advice to Timothy.—Pages 15-19. CHAPTER II.—CAUSES OF PHYSICAL AND MORAL DEGENERACY. The dark and bright sides of human life.—Mock modesty.—Why are females winning most of the prizes in competitive examinations to-day?—An ex-warden's testimony concerning the increase of mme.—Only five per cent, of our young men church members.—Plenty of work for competent hands.—Physical excellence of the ancients.— Modern intellectual giants.—The right and wrong of things.—A warning needed.—The evils to be discussed.—Pages 20-27. CHAPTER III.—STRONG DRINK, OR THE DEVIL IN LIQUID FORM. ^ne of the most prominent causes of degeneracy in man. —No soft words for Old Alcohol and his family.— Strong drink a poison.—Testimony of Dr. Kellogg. —A Pennsylvania goat killed by beer.—Testimony Dr. Beaumetz. —Delirium tremens.—-The effectTABI,E OF Contents. of alcohol on the heart.—Arguments, so-called.— Arctic explorers teetotalers.—A physician's start- ling prescription.—The Washingtonian Home.— A suggestive incident,—Strong drink the breeder of many terrible diseases.—A frequent cause of insanity.—Its sad effects upon our progeny.—The Keeley cure recommended.—Financial and moral phases of the question.—Testimony of the Lon- don Times, Gov. Dix, Sen. Windom, Prince Leopold, Mr. Livesey, etc.--What the Bible says.— The solution of the problem.—Impeachment of the tyrant.—Pages 28-59. CHAPTER IV.—TOBACCO, OR HEATHENDOM'S MOST POPULAR GIFT TOCHRISTENDOM. An unhallowed pest.—The author's experience at Johns- town, Pa.—The origin of the tobacco habit.—The grave charges of Dr. Ellis. —Tobacco a dangerous poison.—Johnson, Milton, Lamb, Hall.—Effect of tobacco upon plants and animals.—Mr. Barrow's observations in Africa.—A Yale student killed by smoking.—Tobacco and disease. — Nervousness, dyspepsia, stunted growth, consumption, cancer, etc.—Cuba.—Europe.—The cause of Gen. Grant's death.—Testimony of Benjamin Franklin, Daniel Webster, Horace Greeley, and others.—Tobacco and licentiousness.—Itsfilthiness.-—An inexcusable waste of money.—Dulls the mind, impairs the health, and besmirches the purity of man.-—The only proper attitude toward the weed that offight. —Pages 60-97. CHAPTER V.—BAD BOOKS AND PICTURES. An evil of alarming magnitude.—Testimony of Dio Lewis, Dr. Kellogg and T. De Witt Talmage.— • Police Gazette *'securely wrapped."—Novel-read- ing a common cause of neurasthenia.—A bad habit with many traveling men, clerks, elevator boys, and fashionable young people.—Marvelous influ- ence of pictures in human development.—Startling amount of obscenity in modern advertisements.— The value of good books.—Articles of immoral use.—The proper corjrse for decent druggists.— Pages 98-118.tabi#e of Contents. CHAPTER VI.—GAMBLING, OR THE ART OF GETTING SOMETHING FOR NOTHING. A growing sin.—Anthony Com stock's startling reports.— Some sad incidents.—Opinions of Chief Justice Waite and Judge Caton concerning lotteries.—P. T. Barnum's testimony concerning the gullibility of Americans.—The Chicago Board of Trade.—The desperate depravity to which gambling leads its votaries.—Gamblers seldom reform. — Proper amusements.—A nest of vipers less dangerous than a deck of cards.—All betting should be discoun- tenanced.—Pope on honesty.—Pages 119-142. CHAPTER VII.—THE SOCIAL EVIL, OR ADUL- TERY, FORNICATION, AND KINDRED CRIMES. Great need of plain talk on these subjects.—Seduction now a studied art.—The sad dilemma of a theo- logical student.—A cab-driver's testimony.—The awful power of lust.—Filthy conversation.—Some of the causes of illicit intercourse to-day.—Heredi- tary influences, fast living, dancing and midnight courtships.—Ella Wheeler Wilcox.—What the word of God says.—Libertinism in history.—Sexual appetite controlled a blessing.—Does nature de- mand a gratification of the passions?—Solomon's testimony concerning harlots.—Venereal diseases. —Can syphilis be cured?—Two sad stories.—Is there a remedy for the social evil?—Our Saviour's beautiful example.-Recapitulation.-Pages 143-197 CHAPTER VIII.—1THE SECRET VICE, OR THE UNNATURAL SIN OF MASTURBATION. Testimony of a Chicago medical professor concerning the frightful extent of this evil.—A flood of despicable literature on the subject.—Medical charlatans.—Masturbation defined.—Its insidious character.—Causes.—Bad companions, exasper- ating physical conditions, improper food and drink, unclean thoughts and idleness.—Twenty- two symptoms.—The value of one drop of semen.— The awful results of self-abuse.—One of the most prolific causes of insanity, consumption, and other aire disorders.—Involuntary emissions.—They caaTabi,b op Contents. be cured.—Some invaluable prescriptions and suggestions.—Nine golden rules.—Is sexual inter- course a sure cure?—Victory.—Pages 198-251. CHAPTER IX.—PRIVATE WORDS TO YOUNG MEN. Youth the goMen period of human life.—Wild oats.— Good and bad habits.—Jeremiah Evarts.—Having a plan.—Industry the golden talent.—Attention to little things. —Two proverbs.— Perseverance.— Characteristics of Grant and Moltke.—Punctuality. —Lord Brougham.—A bad practice of speakers.— Early rising.—Great virtue in soap and water.— How to keep the skin, teeth and feet.—How to dress.—Constant development the proper watch- word.— Learn something from everybody.—Is a college education necessary?—The value of the soul.—Mothers religion.—James Russell Lowell on Christianity.—Great men who were believers in the Gospel.—Infidelity a disgrace.—The value of a sweet temper and gentle disposition.—Who should not marry.—Who should.—The kind of a wife you should select.-After the ceremony.-Pages 252-290. CHAPTER X.—PRIVATE WORDS TO MARRIED MEN. A good wife man's best earthly heritage.—Who is to blame for so many divorces?—The importance of owning a residence.—Domestic bliss.—Foretaste of Heaven.—Keep yourself busy.—Be truthful, gallant, faithful.—Keep up your courtship.— Dangers of secrecy and jealousy.—Sexual inter- course.—A natural and healthful act.—Effects of over-indulgence.—The marriage certificate not a license to treat your wife as a slave.—How often should man and wife indulge?—Sleeping together vs. sleeping apart.—Children the light of the home. —Queen Victoria twelve times a mother.—Rearing children a sacred duty and sweet prerogative.—Is it ever right to prevent conception?—Jeremiah Taylor on conjugal purity.—Abortion an awful sin.—Both husband and wife should follow Jesus.— How to become a Christian.—Necessity of Bible study and prayer.—Looking ahead.—Pages 291-317 Authorities cited.—Page 4.INTRODUCTORY. \vithout meaning any disrespect what- ever to the gentler sex, I am profoundly thankful that I was not born to wear pet- ticoats. I would rather be a man than anything else in the universe, angels not excepted. I never sing that old song, "I want to be an angel, And with the angels stand, etc.," for I don't want to be an ang6l, I want to be simply a man,—a plain man, a true man, a pure man, a redeemed man ! We learn in the first chapter of the Book of Genesis that God created man in his own image. What a magnificent honor! How careful we should be to pre- serve this image in all its strength and beauty. But man is a careless being. He is very much inclined to sinful things. He more often does that which is wrong than that which is right, because it is easier,ro INTRODUCTORY. and, for the moment, perhaps, more sat- isfying to the flesh. The Creator is often blamed for man's weaknesses and incon- sistencies. This is wrong. God did not intend that we should be mere machines, but free moral agents. We are privileged to choose between good and evil. Hence, if we perversely choose the latter, and make a miserable failure of life, we should blame only ourselves. After optimism has done its best to throw a halo of glory about the present age, the fact still remains that this is a very wicked old world. I do not mean to insinuate that the world is not growing better. It is—in spots. It is also grow- ing worse in spots. The important ques- tion is, Which spot are you in ? I have written this little volume to help my brothers everywhere. I want to see them make improvement in everything that's good. Want to see them have stronger bodies, stronger minds, and stronger characters. Want to see them live longer and happier. Want to see them make the most of life, and come to their journey's end in the full flush of an immortal victory. One of the most press-introductory. il ing wants of the age is for men—men of genuine worth, physically, mentally, and spiritually; men of unwavering personal purity in every particular. I hope these pages will help in some measure to sup- ply the demand. I believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ was intended to make the race better everyway. That religion which fails to take in the whole being— body, soul, and spirit—is not worthy to be -called after Christ. Therefore I have no apology to offer for speaking along lines of thought usually ignored by ministers. I feel it to be my duty. Would that every pulpit in the land might join hands with the medical profession and cry out with no uncertain sound against the mighty evils herein stigmatized! It would work a revolution for which com- ing society could never cease to be grateful. "Moses, learned in the knowl- edge of the Egyptians, not only pub- licly announced the moral law for the guidance of man's social life," says Dr. Pope; "but also gave excellent precau- tions against the spread of sickness, and rules by which the body might be main- tained in health and integrity. It is an12 INTRODUCTORY. undeniable fact that moral impotence usually denotes neglect of physical wel- fare." The time has arrived for a full and frank discussion of those things which af- fect the personal purity of men. Thou- sands are suffering to-day from various weaknesses, the causes of which they have never learned. Manly vigor is not increasing with that rapidity which a Christian age demands. Means of dissi- pation are on the increase. It is high time, therefore, that every lover of the race should call a halt, and inquire into the condition of things. Excessive mod- esty on this subject is not a virtue. Tim- idity in presenting unpleasant but impor- tant truths has permitted untold damage in every age. I have endeavored, there- fore, to speak the truth plainly and boldly, and devoutly hope that my labors will re- sult in the transformation of many char- acters for their present and eternal wel- fare. Oh, brother, be manly! Strive to attain unto a higher and better life. Beware of all excesses, of whatever nature, and guard your personal purity with sacredINTRODUCTORY. 13 determination. Let every aspiration be upward, and be strong in every good res- olution. Seek the light, for in light there is life, while in darkness there is decay and death. Tennyson wisely wrote: *'Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control, These three alone lead life to sovereign power."God give us men! A time like this demands Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands ! —Holland.Chapter I. the stbongest man in the wobld. AMSON is commonly spoken of as the strongest man that ever lived, and John L. Sullivan as the strong- est man of modern times. But this is not true, except in a very limited and inferior sense. Samson and Sullivan are names now almost uniformly associ- ated with muscle, but not with noble character. Sullivan wore the championship belt as the world's greatest pugilist for more than ten years, and yet he is not strong enough to resist a glass of whisky, or the fulsome praise of his boon companions, which, if possible, is more debilitating in effect upon him than the liquor. And so with Samson. He was strong enough to slay a lion, kill a thousand16 Pi,ain Points on P^rsonai, Purity; Philistines with the jaw bone of an ass, carry off the heavy gates of the city of Gaza, and to do many other marvel- ous things, and yet he was not strong enough to resist the enticements of a lewd woman. Through the evil machi- nations of Delilah, the great giant was shorn of his hair, and thus lost his match- less strength of muscle. "But," says my sceptical friend, "it is asking too much for me to believe that the strength of a man lies in long hair." I do not ask you to believe that. Sam- son's great strength did not lie in his hair literally, but in a principle. In the Book of Judges, thirteenth chapter, we read, "And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her: Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not, but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing. For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razorOr, Startling Sins of the Sterner Sex. 17 shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Is- real out of the hands of the Philistines." God raised up Samson for a certain impor- tant work, and gave him the strength necessary to do that work. But he should retain his strength only on certain con- ditions: he should allow no razor to come upon his head; should eat no unclean thing; and should abstain from wine. He should live the life of a Nazar- ite, and just so long as he observed this law of his Maker with reference to him- self, just so long was he able for every great task. But the moment he violated Divine principle, that moment he became a weak man. Edgar Allan Poe, Lord Byron and Robert Burns were men of marvelous strength intellectually. But measured by the true rule of high moral principle, they were very weak. Superior endow- ment in a single direction — physical, mental or spiritual—is not of itself sufficient to make one strong in all that that heroic word means. Many a good man spiritually has goneiS Pii,ain Joints on Personal PuritIt; such vile sheets ought to be dealt with as an educator in vice and crime, an agent of evil, and a recruiting officer of hell and perdition." "Sentimental literature, whether im- pure in its subject matter or not, has a di- rect tendency in the direction of impurity. The stimulation of the emotional nature, the instilling of sentimental ideas into the minds of the young, has a tendency to turn the thoughts into a channel which leads in the direction of the formation of vicious habits. The reading of works of fiction is one of the most pernicious hab- its to which a young person can become devoted. When the habit is once thor- oughly fixed, it becomes as inveterate as the use of liquor or opium. The novel- devotee is as much a slave as the opium- eater or the inebriate. The reading of fictitious literature destroys the taste for sober, wholesome reading, and imparts an unhealthy stimulus to the mind, the effect of which is in the highest degree dam- aging." "I have met many cases of serious ner- vous disease in young ladies, in which the real cause was nothing more nor less thanOR, Starring SINS OF THE STERNER SEX. 103 habitual novel reading. The unhealthy state of mind engendered reacted upon the body in such a way as to set up mor- bid processes, resulting in serious disease. A fashionable malady, called by the doc- tors neurasthenia, owes its origin, in not a small proportion of cases, to the nerve- exhausting influence of novel reading. In this stage of haste and bustle, when all classes of society seem to have joined in a mad rush after diversion and excite- ment, what is needed is not such a litera- ture as will excite the emotions, but such as will calm the turbulent passions, and afford wholesome food to promote a stable and healthy mental growth. Many works which are considered among the stand- ards of literature are wholly unfit for the perusal of young persons who wish to re- tain their simplicity of mind and purity of thought. I have felt my cheeks burn more than once when I have seen young school girls intently poring over the vul- gar poems of Chaucer, or the amorous ditties of Burns or Byron. Still worse than any of these are the low witticisms of Rabelais and Boccaccio; and yet these volumes are often found in libraries read-ic>4 Pi