_Irritation of the bladder_, producing incontinence of urine, is
another enemy to chastity. It should receive prompt attention and
treatment. In children, this irritability is indicated by wetting of
the bed at night. In cases of this kind, allow the child little drink
in the latter portion of the day. See that the bladder is emptied just
before he goes to bed. Wake him once or twice during the night, and
have him urinate. Use all possible means to remove the cause of
irritation by giving him plenty of out-of-door exercise and a very
simple, though nutritious, diet. Avoid meat, eggs, and condiments.
Modern Modes of Life.--Aside from all of the causes already enumerated,
there are many other conditions and circumstances, the result of modern
habits of living, that tend directly toward the excitement of
sensuality. Superheated rooms, sedentary employments, the development
of the mental and nervous organizations at the expense of the muscular,
the cramming system in schools, too long confinement of school-children
in a sitting position, the allowance of too great freedom between the
sexes in the young, the demoralizing influence of most varieties of
public amusement, balls, church fairs, and other like influences too
numerous to mention, all tend in the one direction, that of abnormal
excitation and precocious development of the sexual functions.
It is not an exaggeration to say that for one conforming to modern modes
of living, eating, sleeping, and drinking, absolute chastity is next
to an absolute impossibility. This would certainly be true without a
special interposition of Providence; but Providence never works
miracles to obviate the results of voluntary sin.
CONTINENCE.
Continence differs from chastity in being entire restraint from sexual
indulgence under all circumstances, while chastity is only restraint
from unlawful indulgence. As we have both physical and mental chastity,
so continence should be both mental and physical. Many of the
observations on the subject of "Chastity" apply with equal force to
continence. The causes of incontinence are the same as those of
unchastity. The same relation also exists between mental and physical
continence as between mental and physical chastity.
The subject of continence evidently has a somewhat wider scope than
that of chastity, as generally understood; but as we have considered
the latter subject so fully, we shall devote less space to this, leaving
the reader to make the application of such preceding remarks as reason
may suggest to him are equally appropriate here.
Without stopping to consider the various circumstances under which
absolute continence is expedient, or desirable, or morally required,
we will proceed at once to examine the question, Is continence harmful?
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