The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-20
CHURCH Of TIE MESSIAH.

Temptations of New Y0rk-UfkcOurse 10 n un0
Men by Rev. George II. HepwOrth.
The Church OF the Messiah corner OF Park avenue
and Thirty fourth street. was last evening crowded
70 ITS utmost capacity to hear the nth In the series
OF dlscourses to young men by Rev. George ii. Hep
worth. the pastor. The subject was, Temptations
Of New York." and the text, the basis OF the dis
course job XVIII, io-"Ihe snare ID laid for him in
the ground and trap for him In the way" There
Is no change in a mans life like that when he
leaves home and goes TO seek his fortune
In hts village he is the centre OF an admring
circle OF friends His father has prophesied great
things or HIM. his mother thinks him purer tnan
any one else; his sisters think him perfection.
When be sets foot city like this the curtain rises.
He comes here without money, put not without
hope. He is compelled with hls slender means to
take an attic room, dreary and sunless. NO one
whether he lives or dies. he enters The crowd
lie thinks he must take care OF himself. He has no
friendship to hit him up. Ii is hard world he has
entered upon. 1t ia world that gives as little as It
can ana asks all 1t dares. lie enters on his career
with boundless hopes. He has mad beautiful dreams
He thinks he can accomplish almost anything. How
many hopes such as his have been wrecked. Unless
he has a strength within himself the chances are
fearfMly against him. and there may be sorrow and
rum before HIM. How many young men drop out
OF existence lin few yearsl How many ensnared
ago he stood on the shores Of Nantucket There was
a ship on the wafer she was wrecked and dis.
masted by q ruthless omniscience. The master
piece OF mans ingenuity was In a moment ruined
and lost. lie had seen worse wrecks than this.
Young men wrecked, stranded, irrevocaby lost
There was no picture so woiui as that OF lie
wasted and ruined. The worst trouble IN the out
set with young men was desire to see what life
dive into the darkness taste the fruit and run fear
fDl risk. When he was boy and studied geography
the centre Of Africa was designated .'unexplored
better not to know. great many temptations
stand In the way Of every pure hearted boy coming
many men VINO made 1t their business to live on tue
rum OF others Not only were there those who
Soua oS you Ius Sness 70
ruin the soul Spiders webs were there
which men and women are busily weaving
IN the street. Unless you are strong you will be
drawn in the meshes On the street s the pretty
woman reckoning to ruin. There Is a man VINO
shows money and lures you to disgrace and infamy.
Once fallen, once ruined the former laughs at you
and the latter is ready to kick you into the grave.
He wondered that the Protestant churches were not
open oftener during the week. He'll was always
open and the devil was perpetuany Ut work. He
would 60 God that every church IN the land was
various temptations besettng young men. taking up
that OF drinking first. This was a trite theme.
men to lure their customers by the pleasant wine
Under the guise OF socially and friendship many
young men were lured to drinking Most young
men think they are strong and that there Ia dam
ger, and slips the sidewalk when lie least expects
Il. The craving for drink when the appetite IS
formed becomes insatiate He would he could paint
the horrors following Indulgence IN drink. Next lie
spoke OF that nameless temptation, which he felt 1t
Of. Few men could look Cod in the lace
without a blush. Physical integrity was not
often found, but when found was magnificent
here was loose. The aroma OF home was fast
and majestic In Its magnifcence Society
being lost The impurity Of men counted not against
them in society. Men smiled upon them. Women
took them by the hand Women should shrink with
horror at having their shadow cast upon their lives
lie spoke plain. Plain words came best from his
lips. After dwelling further on this point he next
spoke Of the temptation Of gambling. All the world
was doing more harm aud exciting more
demorallzng influence than anything else. Gam
bling made It's victim It's slave; It holds its
victim In Its ruthless grasp till ne dies. lie
traced with graphic power OF description
the Vaccinations OF this passion, and describing,
IN the course OF his remarks, the interior
OF our gambling bells, he followed It's victims
through robbng their employers to tue State Prison,
to lost honor and ruin. Speaking In conclusion, OF
the remedies against the temptations OF city life, he
urged that they first keep In mind the old home in
the country. the good father and mother and pure
sisters left behind under that far away humble roof
Fathers and mothers die. He would give ten years
OF lite if he could coll to life his good old father and
good, dear mother. IL was too late now. The
fathers and mothers OF many young men before him
were still living. They should keep them dear 10
tneu memories. Many young men were ashamed OF
their isthers The old man sretoric was bad awfuly
bad: he could not make polite bow, on his prawny
honest man, worth Thousand such sons as those
ashamed OF him. Passing from this topic he aHded
to the subject OF mafrimoDy and ADVISED young men
10 marry sensible women, although few OF such are
TO be found nowadays-a lew who would prefer the
plain gingham dress TO silk and the plain gold ring
not paid for His nnal advice was to associate them
selves with some religious denomination. If they
would make their lives successful they must walk
In the strait and narrow path.