“One Drop of Evil.” “I don’t see why you won’t let me play with Willie Hunt,” said Walter Kirk, with a frown and a pout. “I know he doesn’t always mind his mother. He smokes segars, and once in a while he swears just a little; but I’ve been brought up better than that; he won’t hurt me. I might do him some good.” “Walter,” said his mother, “take this glass of pure water, and put just one drop of ink into it.” Walter did so, and then in a moment exclaimed, “Oh! mother, who would have thought that one drop would blacken a whole glass so!” “Yes, it has changed the color of the whole. And now just put one drop of clear water in it, and see if you can undo what has been done.” “Why, mother, one drop, or a dozen, or fifty won’t do that.” “That’s so, my son; and that is the reason why I don’t want you to play with Willie Hunt. For one drop of his evil ways, like the drop of ink in the glass, may do you harm that never can be undone.” Here we see the power of a single sin. “One Worm Did It.” One day a gentleman in England, went out with a friend who was visiting him, to take a walk in the park. As they were walking along, he drew his friend’s attention to a large sycamore tree, withered and dead. “That fine tree,” said he, “was killed by a single worm.” In answer to his friend’s inquiries, he said: “About two years ago, that tree was as healthy as any in the park. One day I was walking out with a friend, as we are walking now, when I noticed a wood-worm about three inches long forcing its way under the bark of the tree. My friend, who knew a great deal about trees, said—‘Let that worm alone, and it will kill this tree.’ I did not think it possible, and said—‘well, we’ll let the black worm try, and see what it can do.’” The worm tunnelled its way under the bark. The next summer the leaves of the tree dropped off, very early. This year the tree has not put out a single green leaf. It is a dead tree. That one worm killed it. Here we see the power of one sin. The third lesson taught us by the history of the betrayal and desertion, is—the power of sin. _The fourth lesson taught us by this history is—THE GROWTH OF SIN._ Solomon says, “The beginning of strife”—and the same is true of all sin—“is as when one letteth out water.” Prov. xvii: 14. There is a bank of earth that keeps the water of a mill-dam in its place. You notice one particular spot where the bank seems weak. The water is beginning to make its way through. At first, it only just trickles down, drop by drop. By and by, the drops come faster. Now, they run into each other, and make a little rill. Every moment the breach grows wider and deeper, till, at last, there is a roaring torrent rushing through that nothing can stop.