The secret cause of the affliction that had made this man a fearful spectacle to his friends and a burden to himself was in his own life. He had been fascinated by the pleasures of sin, and had thought to make life a grand carnival. He did not dream of becoming a terror to the world and the reproach of his family. He thought his time could be spent in innocent folly. But once in the downward path, his feet rapidly descended. Intemperance and frivolity perverted the noble attributes of his nature, and Satan took absolute control of him.

Den hemmelige årsag til den lidelse, som havde gjort denne mand til et frygteligt syn for sine venner og en byrde for sig selv, stammede fra hans eget liv. Han havde ladet sig tryllebinde af syndige glæder og havde tænkt sig at leve livet som en stor fest. Han havde ikke drømt om at blive til skræk for sine omgivelser og til skam for sin familie. Han mente, at han kunne bruge sit liv til uskyldige dårskaber. Men da han først var kommet på vej nedad, gik det hele hurtigt. Umådeholdenhed og letsindighed fordærvede hans naturlige gode egenskaber, og Satan fik fuldstændig herredømmet over ham.