Page:Anecdotescatechi00spiruoft.djvu/85



The teacher  of  a Sunday  school  class  propounded the foregoing  question  to  a new  pupil. The child  in question,  though  bright  enough,  had  been  neglected by her  parents,  and  it  was  only  through  means  of  some other pupils  that  she  was  led  to  come  to  church  at  all. Looking only  to  the  meaning  of  the  words  she  answered: “It  is  called  original  because  it  was  a new kind of  sin  invented  and  committed  then  for  the first time.”  When  asked,  “What  are  capital  sins?” she reflected,  “ When  papa  approves  of  anything, he says,  ‘ Capital! that’s capital! ’ ” and so  she  answered: “ A capital  sin  is  a good  sin.”  We  see  herein the evil  of  neglect  on  the  part  of  parents,  and  the necessity of  religious  instruction.

''Q. Does  this  corruption  of  our  nature  remain  in  us after  original  sin  is  forgiven? ''

''A. This  corruption  of  our  nature  and  other  punishments  remain  in  us  after  original  sin  is  forgiven. ''

We are  all  born  with  an  inclination  to  evil  rather than to  good,  and  this  is  in  consequence  of  original  sin; but we  can  and  should  practice  that  self-correction  in which  virtue  properly  consists. A physiognomist, after a study  of  Socrates’  face,  decided  he  was  a man inclined to  lewdness,  anger,  drunkenness,  and  many other vices. His disciples  were  indignant,  but  the philosopher (he  lived  in  Greece  four  hundred  years before  Christ)  stopped  them,  saying  candidly:  “ Keep