206 MORAL CONDITION OF THE CHILD 



treated as a matter for jokes and never-ending 

 suggestive allusion. Courtship is surrounded with 

 an atmosphere of dissipation and frivolity, instead 

 of being the apotheosis of human relationship, as 

 it should be. The biggest show of the season in 

 many a town is a mock-trial in a breach-of-promise 

 case promoted by a national fun-maker. If mar- 

 riage be lifted up to its divine ideal, and the mar- 

 ital act be regarded as a response to a divine call, 

 then we have the genesis of a human being lifted 

 to a plane where sin has no normal place, and the 

 whole doctrine of human depravity is left without 

 any foundation except the abuse of God-given 

 powers and the misuse of normal human function. 

 2. We have by no means eliminated moral hu- 

 man struggle. It remains just as strenuous and 

 as fateful as ever. The struggle is still a struggle 

 against sin; but sin is differently apprehended. 

 It has been considered as an inbred something, 

 something that could never be eradicated until the 

 God-given body was laid aside. Whatever mas- 

 tery over self one acquired, whatever profession 

 of victory one might make, the movement of fleshly 

 impulse still existed, and this "movemenf" was 

 believed to be essentially sinful. The doctrine of 

 Christian perfection, under such an apprehension 

 of sin, was an absurd claim, and the wail of all 

 ages for personal holiness must forever continue 

 until the earth history is concluded there is no 

 escape while we live in the body. If our view is 

 correct, victory over sin is not only a possibility, 



