Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-06-19

deserves help from no one else.-N. 0.
Times.
Not at Church for. Eleven Years.
'''I havn't been to church for eleven
ycars.!!" So we accidentally heard a young
man say to his companion, as we passed
him in the street last Sabbath.
The mellow chimes of the church bells
were floating out on the clear, cool air
and Il throug of people were hurrying to
the house of God. Aye with its silvcred
locks and trembling limbs;, manhood, in
its.strong andDsturdy, prime; youth, with
sunny brow and smiling lip; and child
hood, with bright eye and buoyant, were
all vending their way to "the place where
prayer is wont to be made.
That was pleasant sight, but the
groups of idlers gathered here and there;
the ragged, bare. foot, filthy little children
at play on the pavements, and the coarse
jest and boisterous laughter, which occa-
sionally greeted our ears, sent regretful
thrill through our whole frame. But
nothing panied us more than this remark
of the stranger-"l Haven't been to church
for eleven years"
Startling confession 1t hamts us.
What kept him from the sanctuary? Was
it some disease, which so enfeebled him,
that he could not obey the call of duty
No: it could not have been that, for he
was hale and vigorous. We have no
doubt that it was his own aciN, combined
with evil influences. Poor fellow! We
pity HIM. We think of him, moving on
in his life; journey, unsoothcd, untaught by
the blessed ministrations of the house of
God. We think of the darkness that
must have gathered about him; of the
hundreds of misimproved Sabbaths, for
which he must one day give an account,
and from the depths of our heart goes up
the earnest prayer, God pity him!
How he has spent the Sabbath for that
long period, we cannot tell, but the All.
Seeing knows, and the record is written
in Heaven.
He spoke carelessly, boastingly, as if
proud of his Indifference, but it may be
that there are hours, when in the silent
watches of the night, he lies restless and
wakefu, rejecting on golden moments
wasted, and priceless opportunities, gone
to return no more. Perhaps, memories
of brighter, better days crowd back upon
him-memories of time when he was
san innocent, care.free boys" and he
sees himself knecling beside his mother
at eventide, or sitting with her in the old
country church, listening in childish won-
der 10 the touching prayer, solemn SER
mon, and hymns, sung by the village
choir. He forgets for moment that he
has wandered so far astray from the fold
of the Good Shepherd, and that she has
longr ested under the shadow of the tomb
stone; he seems to hear her blessing once
more, and watch the approving smile,
which breaks like sunshine over her fair,
meek face. Then the. vision fades; he
awakes from dreams of the past to the
reality of the present; sense of his
guilt well,nigh overpowers him and he
asks with a Shudder." What would she
say. if she Eccw,I had despised her coun-
sci: and for these long years, had never
becn among the hallowed influences Of
the sanctuary?"
God pity him, we repeat God pity
all who have thus sinned, for this is by
no means solitary instance. Alas we
have reason to fear that there are many,
many in our land, who have not been to
church for more than eleven years. They
are divided into several classes.
Some are avowcd Sabbath. breakers,
having neither the fear of God or man
before their eyes. They assemble in the
gambling hall, and try to drown the
swcetly solemn chant, that comes floating
to them from neighboring church, in
loud laughter, ,-Bacchanalian songs, and
herrid oaths. They stand in knots around
the doors of stables and dram-shops, pol
luting the air with their brandy-scented
breath and rude talk, and marring the
serenity of the Sabbath by every means
in their power. This is one class; there
is another quite as large. They would
not like to be called Ssbbath.breakers,
but they are, to all intents and purposes.
They work hard during the week; Sum-
day is set apart for day of rest, and
therefore ought to be enjoyed. Thus they
reason and being too aOeary to go to church,
they take sail down the harbor, and now
and then draw in few fish; or ride out
with q friend to look at new piece of
land they have bought, or idle away the
hours over a trashy novel.
There is yet another class, more nu.
merous than either of these-a class of
people, who couldn't think of going to
church if it were the least bit stormy,
and who have headache so often as to
suggest the idea Of "Sunday sickness"
O.! there are thousands that thus slight
The privileges of the Sabbath; but we
hope none of our readers will
swell the number, Or ever make the mel.
ancholy boast" | haven't been to church