Wise unto Sin by Prof. John A. Broadus

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Jun 18, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 24.

Wise unto Sin.

By Prof. John A. Broadus

THERE is a great deal of wisdom in this world. It is wonderful that mankind, considering how foolish they are, should be so wise; and oh! it is wonderful that mankind, considering how wise they are, should be so foolish. There is a great deal of wisdom in the world, wisdom that commands the admiration of all who are fitted to appreciate it. Men are so wise about their business affairs! Just look at the great business schemes and the grand business combinations! How easily men discern the new openings for business which new inventions and discoveries offer them! How clearly we ordinary people see, after a while, what some extraordinary man saw years before, and seized upon it, and made himself one of the great business men of the time by his wisdom!

There is a great deal of wisdom in the world; and this makes it all the sadder to think how few, comparatively, seem to be wise unto salvation. Nay, these wonderful human endowments and energies of ours seem even to be directed toward wisdom unto sin. Men take their splendid powers and prostitute them in the service of wickedness. The longing to know evil is so intense in human nature! What is the early story in the dim light of the first history of mankind? . . . And ever since—why, it is just wonderful to watch your own children and see how early they show a keen relish for knowing about wrong things; how they will get off with some bad schoolmate, and get themselves told things that it would be so much better for them never to hear of. They do so want to know the bad things! The growing boys are so curious about places that are characteristically places of evil.

Wise unto sin! There are a great many things it is better never to know. There are things about which ignorance is bliss; yea, and ignorance is wisdom. There are things of which those who know least are the wisest people, and those who know most are the most foolish people. It is a matter to be thankful for, and in a good sense proud of, if a man can say that, as to the popular forms of outbreaking vice, he never knew anything about them; that he never entered a place of debauchery; that he does not know the names of the instruments of gaming; that he does not know the taste of intoxicating liquors. Happy the man who can humbly declare to a friend such blessed ignorance, such wise ignorance as that.

—Prof. John A. Broadus.