Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-08-16

hope for lafge patl ~ ihile Who are ieQhn iiie
iuhueuce Of temptation, unless they VIII throw on
this stupbr aud think bf ihtir state IhtBnuwst
see, then pcrlmfs they " n gck heliaule nPon
themselves which SERVES 10 oiher purpose lnah 70
siuptiy and bind them, is the herald OF lhei os'
structi5n.
AGAIN. There is need Of ibis caution, because
Of the OvOr-masieriug power Of advancing hamt
Ihave stood before the CRATE Of prisoner Hn0
heard him bewail bis fate, he spoke OF his iam'
ly aud friends, and all the sweets OF hberyi ahu az
l saw him weep, wished the strong bonds might
be broken But nv feelings I'D not compare with
those which overcame me when talking with
msn held In durance by base habit as hca'u
him groan, and saw him racked with remore'
aud received his resolution 20 break away from u,
llowed by the wall OF despair, "Oh kh,W
cannot keep hl" Then presented the feelings
and the love of his wife and children az motive,
aad he nerved himself aud said, 81 will try j. Dnt
sank back again, bursting out into this most s2r'
rowful lamehtaton, 1T Is too late ~ Young men;
lightly playing with these cards OF haDt, ana
scornnq the idea that they will ever be.tOO strong
for you to break; going gayy 10 aud out OF this
prison and certain that IL will never be locked up
ON you, the dreadful history Of men, as gay ana
strong as you in their early days should tCacb you
wisdom There is a voice that comes TO you with
more emphasis, as il seems to me, than any other
from the more recent career aud awful end, OF hin
who has just left Us, from those almost hysiero
examinations of himself, aud those earnest lOnRiugs
for relt ase which marked bis more sober hours,
Notwithstanding his inexcusabie surrender 10 llle
worst OF vices That voice Is this "A0vanc ng
vicious habits make us slaves I" Would to 6Od,
ihlt lesson so solemnly urged upon US might De
needed
Another reason for this caution is, because OF
the treachery Of our own base hearts Tort can
be built so tuat il will resist for long time tue
assault Of foes, hut sirglc traitor Within the Walls
may open the gates at any time aud admit the
enemy who would have stormed them 10 Valn.-
Our heats are such traitors--they are nj TO be
trusted.
One other reason for this caution is because Of
the power Of evil associations, Upon tn 9
point, too much can hardly be said The pam
to iniamy is never lrod by the solitary traveller;
vice obtains It's strongest holds upon US through
our social relations, and nothing is more impera-
lively necessary, if ous wovld avoid destruction
than that he avoid those who are moving That
way,
ihe besetting sin Of most men is cOloardicc, the
inability OF unwingness TO say 10 the world At
all times, II dare do right" especially to say this
TO those with whom we have been wont TO 40
wrong; and doubt not, multitudes OF souls VIII
be lost because they have not the courage TO De
saved Probably there are men In this CITY, VINO
are getting deeper and deeper into this su cam OF
iuiquity, though reason. aud conscience, aud II
may be fear, call upon them TO turn back, only
because they cannot command resolution to break
away from those who are with them
"Itis not until a man has gone far down the
desceu to ruin that he will 90 oil by himself and
drink liquor, for example: The power that holds
him 10 this path is the attraction of his clique
he wants somebody 20 drink With him,-he gains
- ost Of his pleasure from the presence OF others
| in his sprees and their having been through such
| scenes together, seems to commit them TO each
other, so that they feel sort of honor,bond be-
| tween thom. The Same is true Of those VINO have
gamblod together, or been together in any iniqui-
ty.
In the fate of our umeuted fellow citizen the
| or xVn NO fall
| be is a fool who cares not who are his companions.
That even occasional intercourse with the base Is
| full Of dang r. This dagger is notalone OF death;
| there is an evil heavier far than death--tt is the
blight Of character. The stain upon ones reputa
ton, the feeling that he must blush 10 the pres
enoe Of worthy meu. This is the most dreadful
curse of base associates and danger of this should
| cause every man to beware!
| 'There are two OF three general remarks which
should be made before close the discourse.
"lst. No one il beyond the possibility OF fall.
Very few, if any, of the associates Of our friend
just fallen will believe that they are in any like
danger They would tell us, should we ask them,
that they have been expecting his career to end
soon but thOugh treading side by side with him
they have not dreamed that they were as liable to
such an end !"
'.Beaoons all around Us uarn us that host ofsusl
thoughtless men have rushed along this dark way
to death we sail among the floating wrecks which
tell US many needless mariner has gone down
not far from us Oh let US be caretul-to trln'
here is not bravery-it is toolhardiness = ana III
who is guilty Of it, will destroy himself do moi
stand TO day to mark the place where career o
sin will end do not call upon you to look upoI
the grave of one who has finished il bu wOulC
90 back from this point, and have you note th'
progress which has thus terminated. would nav
You begin far back in the days Of youth, ana cree
\ beacon, where temptations first persuade the VIC
lin to turu from fathers cOunsels, and deaf ca
to a mothers tender entreatyi ana aHOtAer Wner'
in connection with Idle and reckless companions
he begins to frequent saloons aud 10 keep lat
; hours aud another where he mal es acquaintance
; with more hardened villains aud gets entanged II
their meshes; and another, where hll serlou'
thOughts, aud solemn warnings aud worthy lhHu
! ences lose their power aud from lhat point u u
} but a little distance to the monument that mark
T his grave Along the whole course, would haV'
{ voices on every hand shout beware aud IN cdar
acters of fire would have glow the warning 90
This is the way to death !" Alas that ever
then there would be a throng OF desperate Nlctlm
, who could not be alarmed"
"2dly.-Ir what has been said is true, we al
, have something to do in the removal OF thes
, evils There has been amount Of apathy re
/ specting them which is really marvellous, an
: there are apolOg sts for their continuance su
! who amaze us. We hud a disposition to dscrlm
I mate in favor Of those agents who are doing NOR
harm than any others, and a willingness to scree
q aiuuity which one would think had been mao
+ manif ST enough These curses do not discHm
s nate in our favor. Thoy seize upon our sons ou
j brolh.rs nav, upon ourselves, whenever they nav
o opportunity. They are huTylng not lew no
, to absolute destruction before our eyes Wh
G should We fear to lay hold Of them and demnn
. that tbey cease to invade our families and 10
y waste our happiness and break our hearts al
s take away the whole Of lifo's joy Can any on
\ tell what we owe to these worthless men, Wh
= nnder whatever guise, bring upon us such awful o.
- lmitis' and then. cody 60 on TO do even Wors'
n that we shall fold our hands and weep but
h nothing to check them|
a Finally, | desire to make a special appeal
II Young men There is but little hope that tho
m who have become confirmed in wicked habits
he turned from them even by such voice
a reaches them to day. With sad hearts, l 70.
n we must leave them to their doom, for they see
10 TO be sealed Oh ! what sacrifice to holocl
Ii What a dreadful faet, shown by almost uniV'
"a sal history, that these men must be lost Buty
a have not vet reached that point on d. not
IS ashamed TO be a novice in sin II is no dmgra
v. not TO know the taste OF liquors, or the name
IL cards; il 10 no cause for regret that you are
Dir wise in the ways Of city prohigacJ Retain yC
,g Ignorance ~ your safeguard in tho mid't
Of thronging Temptations or if you have alrea
b, entered these ways, come back At once! u
Ok trust yourself-shun the entrance to Oyil-hy
a all base oompanions-ask God humbly, pentte
~ ly, earnestly, to help you, and then walk in ~
It's dom's ways which are ways of pleasantne'
,us looking to safety, and honor, and hoayenI
Of
in Dr, FnxtOn's sermon.
l!y Never have / been called, my friends, to
painful a duty as that which is now before
pit Never have ] known-God grant may ne
le. again knoW-such O struggle Of mind and
.he soul, as that through which have passed ST
ch on last Sunday morning il was told me, "E
.al sterling is dead DeadY Can il bel Ny 6iei
to my counsellor my brother He whose kindn
~ ! had 40 often prOved whose unselii ghuess
~ seen SO abundantly manifested whose genel
i ity had 80 largely experiencedj whose sym
~ t6izing tenderness had soothed my hours Of d
iou Dersona affection whose hand was the FRS