the first step on this evil road? If
so, take warning by the fate of this young man. At once "cease to do
evil and learn to do well," before, like him, you lose the power to
do right, before your will is paralyzed by sin so that when you desire
to do right, to reform, your will and power to execute your good
determinations will fail to support your effort.

Barely Escaped.--L. R. of H----, a young man of about twenty-five years
of age, presented himself for treatment, a few years ago, for the
consequence of self-abuse. Having been taught the habit by evil
companions when just emerging into manhood, he had indulged his
passions without restraint for several years, not knowing the evil
consequences until he began to suffer the effects of sin. Then, being
warned by his own experience and by the fortunate thoughtfulness of
an intelligent friend who surmised his condition and told him
faithfully of the terrible results of the vile habit, he made a manly
effort to reform and claimed to have wholly broken the habit. To his
great grief he found, however, that the years in which he had devoted
himself to sin had wrought sad havoc in his system. In many ways his
health was greatly deranged and his once powerful constitution was
broken down. The sexual organs themselves were greatly diseased, so
much so that a serious and painful surgical operation was necessary.
With shame and mortification he looked upon his past life and saw what
a hideous work of evil he had wrought. His vileness stood out before
him in a vivid light, and he felt ashamed to meet the gaze of his fellows.

After performing the necessary surgical operation upon this poor
unfortunate, we dealt faithfully with him, pointing out to him the way
by which he might with proper effort in some degree redeem himself by
a life-long struggle against every form of impurity. He felt, and
rightly, that the task was a most severe one. He well knew that the
stamp of sin was on his countenance, and in his mind. Thoughts long
allowed to run upon vile subjects, forming filthy pictures in the
imagination, are not easily brought back to the channel of purity and
virtue. The mind that has learned to love to riot in impure dreams,
does not readily acquire a love for the opposite. But he determined
to make a brave and earnest effort, and we have every reason to believe
that he has, in a measure at least, succeeded. But, if so, he has made
a narrow escape. A few more years of sin, and h