Purity Is Dearer Than Life

Walking With God by Costen J. Harrell (1928)

“Keep thyself pure.” 1 Timothy 5: 22.

In the forests of northern Europe and Asia a little animal called the ermine lives. He is mostly known among us by his snow-white fur, a thing than which there is nothing more beautiful on the fur markets of the world. In some countries the state robes of judges are lined with it, the white being emblematic of purity and honor. The ermine has a peculiar pride in his white fur coat. At all hazards he protects it against anything that would spoil it.
It is said that the fur hunters take cruel advantage of the ermine’s care to keep his coat clean. They do not set a snare to catch him at some unwary moment, but instead find his home, a cleft in the rock or the hollow of a decaying tree, and daub the entrance and interior with filth. Then their dogs start the chase. Frightened, the ermine flees toward his home, his only place of refuge. He finds it daubed with uncleanness, and he will not soil his pure white coat. Rather than go into the unclean place, he faces the yelping dogs and preserves the purity of his fur at the cost of his life¹. It is better that he be stained by blood than spoiled by uncleanness.
Little beast of the forest, what a lesson you teach! Purity is dearer than life. If the judges who wear the ermine and the women who decorate themselves with your pure white coat knew your story, would they not be touched to the heart with pity, and would they not be moved to love purity as you? Your example condemns us all, for we have not been half so careful as you to keep clean that which God has entrusted to us. He has given you only a white coat and you give your life to keep it so. He has given us minds and immortal spirits, and we let every vile and unworthy thing to spoil them. Far from surrendering our lives to preserve our purity, we sacrifice character for unseemly pleasures, and dishonest gain, and selfish ambitions. We are not so careful where we go as you. We expose our souls to the stains of evil to get the thing we want.
The ermine is right – purity is dearer than life. It is dearer than aught else, because it is the soul of character. When it is lost, all is lost. Deeds so pure that we have nothing to hide, thoughts so pure that they may be spoken aloud, motives so pure that the world can see through them – when we live by these standards we have an ermine-white character. One must not besmirch it for any consideration. At all hazards “keep thyself pure.” “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” If disaster threatens life, come what may. Purity overcomes at last and shines as the stars forever.

¹For this fact concerning the habits of the ermine the author is indebted to his old teacher, Dr. W.F. Tillett, of Vanderbilt University.