A PROPER CALCULATION OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF IMPURITY FROM THE PERSONAL STANDPOINT.
"They bore as heroes, but they felt as men." POPE.
A LAEQE number of men seemingly adopt as their rule in life the "Greatest Happiness Principle", loving themselves, as a routine, with an overweight of devotion; and yet most of them would feel a deep personal dissatisfaction if they failed to conform to their interpretation of the "Law of Honor".
The imputation of selfishness or utilitarianism is highly offensive to every one, for all acts which are considered noble are characteristically unselfish; and in every community, civilized or aboriginal, motives are praised only when they are disinterested, and condemned when selfish. Thus the tribal and social ideas which everywhere prevail regard selfishness as the most ill sounding of words and undesirable of qualities.
However, self love is always strongly asserting itself by a natural law whose force it is idle to deny, though some by strength of will succeed in concealing it, and others live it down by the nobility of their lives. But however much selfishness is the natural equipment of man, it is nevertheless a comfort to reflect that one cannot be false to others if true to himself. "Self love is not despicable, but laudable, since duties to self, if self perfecting as true duties to self are must needs be duties to others". Self love is assuredly very largely the principle of our actions, but "Self love, my liege, is not so vile a sin As self-neglecting."
The Ego, or reflective consciousness of the individual, constantly asserts itself by desiring to take an active part in the joys and delights which its possessor may give to others, and to a certain extent it is laudable to make this the principle of our actions, since it can result in no harm to others while yet harmonizing with the law of self preservation.
But we shall see that the lusting man must be eminently selfish, thinking to enjoy himself and benefit himself at the expense of earth's tenderest and sweetest creatures; that he heeds not the results of his pleasure seeking; that he violates his mother's sex, juggles with the possibilities of paternity, transmits disease to his wife and posterity, outrages without conscience all rational moral laws, and seeks self enjoyment as his highest aim in life. Like the ancient school of Greek philosophers who maintained the hedonistica doctrine that the pursuit of pleasure for the moment is the highest good, and that a man should direct his pleasures as he chooses rather than be restrained by his will, these men take no account of the welfare of others, but are in their feelings and conduct wholly egoistic in their hedonism, and make the pursuit of pleasure their God the chief good. Such a kind of self love and such men society does not want, but rather recognizes as honorable a disinterested desire for the prosperity of those who are dear to us and who will survive us, and for others of our race; and considers this kindly disposition as characteristic of one who has arrived at a high state of civilization and nobility.
There are in the world two armies of men one the Army of Impurity, the other the Army of Purity. The former and numerically greater army is campaigning against womankind by every device of deceit, treachery and corruption, while the latter represents the strong men and real friends of women and posterity. Many true men, many noble men, many thoughtless men may be in the wrong camp through misconception; but one can hardly conceive of their cause gaining recruits from those who have taken the pains to learn the casus belli. It may be taken for granted that what we desire above all else is to have the noblest possible specimens of manhood adorning our contemporary history men who refresh us by their loftiness of character and who command our respect for their heroism and gallantry; and whatever course will acccomplish this result is best best for us and best for posterity.
As an axiom, then, we say that the man who is clean in morals and physique is the right kind of citizen for the hopes of the present and future of society.
Of course it is a fight! Yes, we grant that it is a battle royal to keep oneself chaste and pure from early manhood till the sexual powers are extinguished by old age, and for sense to triumph over sin. But when once we fully understand the benefits to be derived from leading a pure life, and the dangers of a contrary course, we shall earnestly strive to adhere to the former in spite of all temptations. Nocturnal emissions of semen occur occasionally in all normal men as desirable physiological events which give convincing proof of virility. Every healthy man, after puberty, feels the flame of sexual desire and generative inclination to a very considerable extent, Nature using this as a spur to compel him to accumulate property, marry, and perpetuate offspring; and at times he experiences what are called "wet dreams" or "pollutions," in which the distended seminal vesicles are relieved of their superabundant semen.