BORN TO SIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2408, 26 April 1900, Page 53

BORN TO SIN.

Come hither, friend, and view this den, Where beasts insensate dwell; That drink, and curse, and lie, and then Go down to death and hell! They're beasts that know no better mind, But give their passions rein, And prey upon their fellow-kind — • All other beasts refrain. < And here's the chicf — nicknamed The Crow — With large, relentless jaw ; Coarse mouth, sunk eyes, and ape-like brow — His lust's his only law! The white round of thy love's fair throat He'd -squeeze, and cqueeze, until The light from staring eyes fled out, And every pulse was still! , And then, with ruthless hand, would cast The matchless form awas* — To rot, unheeded, in the blast, As though 'twere common clay. And this dull iiend, by Satan draped, Is man and brother, too! In God's own image lie was sliajsed — ■ Can this — can this be true ?* March, 1900. — H. J. B.

''There are men (and women, too!) who seem to have been born of devils — destitute even of in instinct for good: stunted growih.3 that Dame Nature has so gnarled and warped and twisted out, of their just proportions, that it is difficult to recognise in them a single feature of the genus to- which they belong. Into the heart oi such an one we may grope a little way ; but only to shrink, appalled, out of the horror of darkness that oppresses us. No ray of virtue is there; no wisdom, no love, no generosity; but in their place, cunning, ■ hatred, covetousness ; three black dogs that keep the portals of that Satan's house until that dread day when the Master shall enter in and take final possession.