Maryland free press., 1863-01-09
THE FALSE GUIDE POST.

III n
At place where two ways met guide
post had been erected, that travellers might
not miss the way. Under hand pointing in
ono direction was printed, "Ihree miles to
the ,irer," and under one pointing in the
other direction, "FOur miles TO LakcrHe."
One day two boys coming along, began to
amusc themselves by throwing stones at the
guidc-post and after battcring their target for
awhile one exclaimed to his companion. ~
say Jim, I've got new idea" "What is it?"
said-t other. at is this said the first
speaker, whose name was Arthur, "that we
change the boards on the post, so that when
a stranger comes along and wants to go to
Lakevillc, we may send him to the river and
if he wants TO go to She river, we may send
him to LGkevillc." James st Sfss Objected,
saying he did not think there was much fnn
in doing this, as it would give great deal of
trouble to somebody and feeling in his con-
science that it was wrong to do it. But Ar
thur insisted, saying that he would bare all
the blame, and that he was determined to do
it, and that Samcs need have no hand in
changing the boards, if he would only hold
his tongue, and say nothing about who had
done it. And so the latter was ovcrpcrsuadcd
and stood by while she boards were changed,
and each made to give false dircction when
the feat being accomplished, both boys start
cd for homo, Arthur with careless spirit,
rejoicing over the intended mischief, and
James with feelings Of dissatisfaction and rn-
casincss, conscious that he had been partaking
in an evil deed.
A week passed away, when Nj. Brooks. a
man who lived about a mile above the fork of
the road, cut his foot with an axe. The
wound was very severe an artery had been
severed, and there was danger that lie would
Bleed to death. Take She hoysc," he said to
his hired man, who had just come from anoth-
CT part of the country, and ride as fast as pos
siblc to Lakcvillc for the doctor" 81 do not
know the way" said the man. ''You can't
possibly miss it. When you get to the fork
Of the roads there is guide-post that will di-
rect you" The man sprang upon the horse
without waiting for a saddle, and set off on a
gallop When he came to the fork of the
road lie followed the direction Of the guide
board, and soon reached the river, there to be
tald, To his surprise, that Iakcyillo WAS seven
miles distant lie put the horse 10 the ut
most speed found the doctor, and brought
him to the wounded and suffering man, about
two hours later than if the g,tidc-board had
not cccn changed. And the only reason why
Dir Brooks, in the meantime, had not bed to
eeath, was that a ncighhor who knew some
thing Of anatomy, had come in, and pressing
his finger on the severed artery, held it there
ill the physician came. The artery was then
taken up, and the mans life saved; but the
poor hcrsc died from being ovcrdriven.. Such
were the consequences Of Arthur's ''new idea, "
and of his changing the guide-board.' They
might have been much worse, and probably
would have been, but that one of the neigh
bors, seeing what had been done, changed thc
boards back again, so as to give right dirco-
tion to travellers.
Bc~dc Of ,talSe guidc-boards There arc
plenty Of them in the pathway of lifc--iu
the mental social, political, moral and rclig-
ious world and al > especially the young
should be on their guard against them. Tho
novcl-rcadcr the publisher of useless or i'm
moral books, the advocate Of the social slass
or Of the theory that "all is fair III politics
the one who teaches that mere outward mo-
Ialty is religion, or that there is no external
rctribution for these who reject Christ-all arc
setting up false guidc-Joards on the way that
leads TO character and to eternity. Beware o
oil such. Keep ever to Tie narrow way look
only TO the directions of Gods word 60 only
in the way his finger points out to yoa; fol
thus and only thus, shall you ever bc in the
way of safety and peace. To the young, tc
the old tn all arain I say ErwaTf ri fufs.