Newspaper: The Evening Sentinel
Date: April 5, 1979
Title: Message in the Crisis
Author: Letter to Editor

To the Editor,

Our Three Mile Island incident the past week may have derived from the beginning; little sins, so called, are the beginning of great ones. The explosion is in the spark, the upas in its seed, the fiery serpent in its smooth egg, the fierce tiger in the playful cub. By a little wound death may be caused as surely as by a great one.

Through one small vein in the heart’s blood may flow not less fatally than through the main artery. A few drops oozing through an embankment may make a passage for the whole lake of waters. A green log is safe in the company of a candle; but if a few shavings are just lighted, and then some dry sticks, the green log will not long resist the flames.

How often has a character which seemed steadfast been destroyed by little sins. Satan seldom assails in the first instance with great temptations. Skillful general, he makes his approach gradually, and by zigzag trenches creeps toward the fortress he intends to storm. Therefore it is essential that we watch against the little sins.

The million little things that are daily dropped into our hands, the small opportunities each day brings. He leaves us free to use or abuse just as we please and goes unchanging along His silent way. We may outrun by a violent swiftness that which we run out, but we are swiftly losing by overrunning.

C. W. Dick
Carlisle