A blind father sits by the dull fire with a blind boy on his knee!

(Thomas Guthrie, 1803-1873)

I can imagine few sadder sights than an entire family, parents and children, all blind - a home where . . .
  the flowers have no beauty,
  the night has no stars,
  the morning no blushing dawn,
  and the azure sky no glorious sun.
A home where they have never looked on each other's faces; but a blind father sits by the dull fire with a blind boy on his knee - and the sightless mother nurses at her bosom a sightless babe that never gladdened her with its happy smile.

How would such a spectacle touch the most callous feelings, and move to pity even a heart of stone!

But a greater calamity is ours. By nature, the eyes of our understanding are darkened!

"The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God!" 2 Corinthians 4:4

"They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the blindness of their hearts." Ephesians 4:18