BOUND BY THREADS.
ONE time when Mr. Moody was to speak to a congregation of children in Glasgow, he took out of his pocket a number of spools of white thread, passing them out among the congregation, until the white threads were stretched all around the galleries, and from hand to hand through the house.
The children wondered what he was doing that for, but he said not a word until the threads were stretched all around, then he asked,—
""Can any boy or girl break that thread?"
"Yes, yes!" was the answer, from all parts of the hall.
"Break it into pieces, then," said Mr. Moody, and in an instant the thread was snapped into pieces. Then the preacher went on to say that "although that thread is a very little thing, which, even a child can break, I could bind the strongest man with it. I could wind it around and around him, until he was a helpless prisoner, and he could never break it and escape."
It is said that habit begins with silken cords, and ends with iron chains. A fly entangled in a spider's web, thinks with a few struggles to get free; but no! Thread after thread is bound and woven about the helpless little captive, until escape is impossible. The only safety for the fly is to keep out of the web,—to avoid the slightest entanglement. It is a thousand times easier to keep out of trouble than to get out. Satan weaves the threads of evil habit about unwary men. He begins with children, and he uses such fine thread that they are sure that they can break it. Here is a boy who tastes a little wine or cider, little thinking that these are Satan's threads with which he binds his victims. Here is a boy learning to smoke or use tobacco, and Satan watches him as he does it, and contrives to twist thread after thread around him. That which is in the beginning a mere amusement, is continued as an absolute necessity. He who said at first,
"I can use it or let it alone, as I please," says at last,
"I cannot-give it up!" Beware of Satan's threads. No matter how light or harmless they may seem, do not allow Satan to bind you, even with a spider's web. Shun bad habits, evil companions, sinful words, wicked thoughts; abstain from every form of evil, and serve the Lord with purpose of heart. He desires that his creatures should be free. Let us be workers with him, remembering that whom the Son maketh free, he is free indeed.
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