Page:Daniel Minort Baxter - Bishop Richard Allen and His Spirit (1923).pdf/106

attempt to give a lecture on health, but I do say that a weak father transmits his weakness to his children, and thereby weakens the whole family generation after generation. We read in the Bible a passage which runs thus: “The fathers ate sour grapes and set their children teeth on edge.” Every man who allows himself by immoral riotious living to fill his body with disease, sins against innocent virtuous womanhood, and sows seeds of the blackest dye in fields of human endeavor. Why cripple the poor child before it is born by the lustful gratifications of animal passion. Some men call this sowing wild oats, but God help any excuse any man may offer for ruining another man’s daughter that he has labored so hard to give to the world in pure and spotless womanhood. Too many of us die too young, more care should be taken to prevent this. Let us put down the old time foolish pride or silly self consciousness, i. e., when one of us is unfortunately stricken with a contagious disease he should keep away from the other members of his family, and friends where he would disperse his germs and afflict society. My family does not scorn me because they do not drink out of my glass.