Models

When I was a boy it was always a great delight to be taken to one of the great Exhibitions in London. At these there were always wonderful and beautiful models, which were a great attraction to me, more especially if they were "working" models. I was very often disappointed to see a card on or near the model with these unpleasant words on, "Do not touch." That was just what I wanted to do. Boys love to discover what models are made of, and how they work, and here, looking me in the face, was this nasty notice.

Sometimes I was taken to Madame Taussaud's waxwork exhibition to see all the wonderful models in wax of great celebrities—kings, queens, etc. It certainly was very wonderful, but how I wanted to just feel the hands and faces of the models, and touch their lovely and gorgeous robes and dresses, and again that very nasty notice stared at me, "Do not touch." How aggravating that notice was, telling me not to do just what I so much wanted to do. I was very disappointed.

This notice is, however, a very good motto for boys and girls to remember: "Do not touch." Nearly all kinds of temptations to sin come to us nicely dressed and looking so very attractive, that we are tempted to touch. Satan always tries to make us think that sin is beautiful, not ugly. We need to be on our guard—"Do not touch" —if we do touch, we shall fall into the trap set for us, and by some action or word spoil and stain our character.

A boy was once being shown over a large dye-works, where he saw many materials of one color dropped into a large vat, and later, taken out again an entirely different color. The boy was told "not to touch" anything, but the temptation came to him just to dip his finger in the liquid in one of the vats, with the result that when he took it out he found that his finger was dyed a deep blue. It took weeks of constant washing before the color disappeared. "Do not touch" sin—it always stains the character and we cannot wash these stains away as the boy did the color from his finger. There is only one way to wash away the stain of sin, and that is by the "Blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us from all sin." Temptation to touch sin will come to us all. Let us "watch and pray that we enter not into temptation."

Abhor (do not touch) that which is evil.
Cleave (hold tight) to that which is good.